Position: Defender
Born: 26.06.75
Club: Dunkirk

A side as inexperienced as Togo will need great leadership this summer and Jean-Paul Abalo is the man to give it to them.

Captain Abalo has been an instrumental figure in the Hawks' rise from African minnows to World Cup debutants but he will have his work cut out in Germany to restore team spirit in the camp.

During the African Cup of Nations, the elder stateman of the team accused star striker Emmanuel Adebayor of betraying his county when he refused to play against DR Congo following an argument with coach Stephen Keshi.

It was a typical example of how passionate Abalo is about playing for his country and with over 60 international caps the respected defender will be eager for Togo to do themselves proud at the World Cup.

Strong in the air and an astute reader of the game the man who now plays for Dunkirk having spent 10 seasons at SC Amiens is a solid presence at the back but whether he can keep the world's best at bay remains to be seen.