Serdar Tasci seems to have title-winning in his blood. In his first season as a professional in 2007, the gifted defender lifted the German title with Stuttgart having already tasted championship glory with the Swabian club’s U-17 and U-19 teams. Now the 23-year-old with Turkish heritage is desperate to replicate his club success on the international stage and make a name for himself with Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Tasci is regarded as Germany’s great defensive hope and, with his outstanding qualities, undoubtedly has a bright future ahead of him. Besides his sound positional play and solid tackling, it is his ability with the ball at his feet that really excites Joachim Low. The Esslingen-born prodigy is repeatedly singled out by the Germany coach as a prototype modern central defender thanks to his ability to play his way out of the tightest situations and open up the game with pinpoint passing.

In South Africa, the Stuttgart man is among the candidates to take up the second central defender’s berth alongside Per Mertesacker. He already has some international pedigree having played in last season’s UEFA Champions League and made five appearances in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but South Africa is his first major international tournament in a German shirt. And anybody who knows Tasci will realise the ambitious and confident youngster will not want to miss the chance to shine on the world stage.