Nobody has taken over the tournament like a Pele in 1958, a Garrincha in 1962, or a Maradona in 1986. I am still waiting for Ronaldinho to set the stage on fire. Wouldn't it be strange if the 2006 World Cup did not produce a player that defined the tournament.

Tournaments need more than just great teams; they need great players, one who can produce that little bit extra when it matters most. Remember Paolo Rossi in 1982. He failed miserably in the group matches yet flourished in the second phase, semi-final, and final to become the player of the tournament. Likewise, Mario Kempes, who began the 1978 World Cup slowly, yet scored six goals in the final four matches as Argentina won the trophy.

There is time for a man to emerge from the pack to make a name for himself. It is not just about doing the right things, it is about doing them at the right time. Whatever happens to Ronaldo, his career will probably be defined by the two goals he scored in the 2002 World Cup final in Yokohama. He had scored six goals in the tournament prior to that victory over Germany but people will only really remember what he did in the match that mattered most. Which is why '02 was so important to him after the failure in the final in '98.

World Cup tournaments need superstars. They give an added meaning to what we watch. Without a true star, a World Cup is so-so. Italia 90 is widely regarded as the worst of all World Cup tournaments. Significantly, it did not produce a player who flourished at the right time. The top scorer, Toto Schillaci, is largely forgotten. The final was won by a penalty scored by a defender.

And yet, we remember the 1958 World Cup in Sweden because of how Pele, then 17, emerged for Brazil. We remember the 1962 tournament in Chile because Garrincha virtually won the World Cup for Brazil single-handedly. And who can forget what Diego Maradona did for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. This was a clear case of one man eclipsing what all the other 527 players did put together.

If we expect a man to repeat what Maradona did in 1986, we expect too much. All we ask is for Ronaldinho to fulfil his potential, turn the flashes of brilliance into performances that win matches and, perhaps, the World Cup itself. If one man does not emerge from the field to stamp his authority on this tournament, Deutschland 2006 will ultimately fail.