Jalal Abdul Karim

This lightning-quick Iraqi playmaker dances past defenders with lethal acceleration, though his composure occasionally deserts him when staring down a wide-open net. To find his flow, he insists on balancing a single unpeeled orange on his forehead in the locker room, a bizarre ritual that leaves his bewildered teammates simply shaking their heads. Despite the chaos, his brilliant creative vision and unstoppable long-range strikes make him an indispensable spark on the pitch.