Vela out, step up Mr. Pablo Barrera

Two days after coming on for injured Carlos Vela during the first half of Mexico's game against France, Pablo Barrera was being touted with a move to Manchester United, at least in the Mexican press.

While that particular rumour might be premature, it is certainly the case that the 23-year-old (it's his birthday today) Barrera caught a few eyes in his World Cup debut. It wouldn't be going too far to suggest that Mexico looked a more threatening team with him in place of Vela.

Almost certain to take the Arsenal player's place in the starting line-up against Uruguay on Tuesday, performances like that against France would indeed prick up the ears of some European clubs.

Extremely quick, good at taking defenders on and with an eye for goal, the Pumas UNAM right winger/forward made his debut in the Mexican league at just 18. Two years later, the boy from Tlalnepantla (pronounce that if you can), State of Mexico, was called into the national team.

His quick rise up the rungs of the Mexican footballing ladder (which includes a European move at the upper echelons) was put on hold when he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture and was forced out the game for six months in the summer of 2008.

After that, Barrera struggled to recapture his old form. Bit by bit however, he's reached his former heights. In the season just finished in Mexico, Barrera was superb for Pumas.

The videos (right) show some of his goals. They are well worth watching and include some golazos, or crackers, scored with both feet and his head.

Perhaps the main criticism of Barrera has been a lack of consistency and problems with his final ball.

The game against France however showed Barrera has the mental strength to cope when a difficult situation comes his way. Indeed, Barrera took it all in his stride last Thursday, giving a good example of what he can do by bursting into the box and winning Mexico a penalty in the second half.

Barrera had contract problems last summer with Pumas and at the time said he was prepared to listen to offers from other clubs. A significant amount of money from a European club would surely turn both his and his club's heads this time around.

Part of Mexico's "golden generation" of players that includes Guillermo Ochoa, Hector Moreno, Efrain Juarez, Chicharito, Carlos Vela, Giovani Dos Santos that coach Javier Aguirre considers the best in the country's history, Barrera's future looks bright.