| Name | El Clásico |
|---|---|
| Caption | The respective captains of Madrid and Barcelona, Casillas and Puyol. |
| City or region | Barcelona and Madrid (Spain) |
| First contested | 17 February 1902 |
| Teams involved | FC Barcelona, Real Madrid |
| All-time win record | 11-1 (Real Madrid - Barcelona) |
| Total | 206 |
| Series | Real Madrid (83–80–43) |
| Most recent | 5–0 (Barcelona – Real Madrid) |
| Nextmeeting | 17 April 2011 (Real Madrid – Barcelona) |
El Clásico (), also known as El derbi Español or El Clàssic
Di Stéfano became integral in the subsequent success achieved by Madrid, scoring twice in his first game against Barcelona. With him, Madrid won the initial five European Champions Cup competitions. The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met twice at the European Cup, Real Madrid winning in 1960 and FC Barcelona winning in 1961.
Category:FC Barcelona Category:Real Madrid Category:Football (soccer) rivalries in Spain
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| Playername | Xabi Alonso |
|---|---|
| Fullname | Xabier Alonso Olano |
| Dateofbirth | November 25, 1981 |
| Cityofbirth | Tolosa |
| Countryofbirth | Spain |
| Height | |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Currentclub | Real Madrid |
| Clubnumber | 14 |
| Years1 | 1999–2004 |
| Years2 | 2000–2001 |
| Years3 | 2004–2009 |
| Years4 | 2009– |
| Clubs1 | Real Sociedad |
| Clubs2 | → Eibar (loan) |
| Clubs3 | Liverpool |
| Clubs4 | Real Madrid |
| Caps1 | 114 |
| Goals1 | 9 |
| Caps2 | 14 |
| Goals2 | 0 |
| Caps3 | 143 |
| Goals3 | 15 |
| Caps4 | 49 |
| Goals4 | 3 |
| Caps5 | 0 |
| Goals5 | 0 |
| Nationalyears1 | 2000 |
| Nationalyears2 | 2002–2003 |
| Nationalyears3 | 2003– |
| Nationalyears4 | 2005– |
| Nationalteam1 | Spain U18 |
| Nationalteam2 | Spain U21 |
| Nationalteam3 | Spain |
| Nationalteam4 | Basque Country |
| Nationalcaps1 | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1 | 0 |
| Nationalcaps2 | 9 |
| Nationalgoals2 | 0 |
| Nationalcaps3 | 81 |
| Nationalgoals3 | 9 |
| Nationalcaps4 | 6 |
| Nationalgoals4 | 0 |
| Pcupdate | 12 December 2010 |
| Ntupdate | 17 November 2010 |
Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad,the main team of his home region: Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at SD Eibar returned to the La Liga club. John Toshack appointed Alonso as his team captain and Alonso succeeded in the role, taking Real Sociedad to second place in the 2002–03 season. He moved to Liverpool in August 2004 for £10,5 million. He won the UEFA Champions League in his first season at the club. The following season he won the FA Cup, and subsequently also the FA Community Shield. He moved to Real Madrid for the start of the 2009–10 season, in a deal worth around £30 million. Internationally, Alonso has represented Spain in the Euro 2004, Euro 2008 tournaments and in the 2006 World Cup and 2010 World Cup. He made his international debut in April 2003 in a 4–0 victory against Ecuador. He won the Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup with Spain.
He holds the record for the longest-range goal ever scored in open play in the Premier League, being some 61 yards away from Steve Harper's line when he netted against Newcastle United in 2006. The season before, he scored from 78 yards with an effort against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in the FA Cup.
When he was 15, Alonso went to the Irish town of Kells on a school exchange programme to learn English.
Alonso progressed through the youth ranks and the reserve team at Real Sociedad and impressed enough to earn a first team debut at the age of 18. He made his first senior appearance against CD Logroñés in December 1999 in a Copa del Rey match. However, a quick turnover of managers, including a two month period with 'Periko' Alonso in charge, left Real Sociedad in a dire situation. By January 2001 Real Sociedad were bottom of the league and the new manager, John Toshack, turned to the prodigious Alonso in the hope of reversing the team's fortunes. In a surprise move, the Welsh manager made 19 year old Alonso the team captain, a position traditionally held by more senior players. By the end of the season Sociedad had climbed out of the relegation zone and finished in 14th place.
The 2003–04 season comprised mixed results for Alonso and his San Sebastián club. Alonso revelled in the opportunity to perform in Europe, appearing in all the team's games, and Real Sociedad qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League. However, the team struggled under the pressure of the extra matches and were promptly knocked out of the tournament by Lyon and finished 15th in La Liga. The combination of Alonso's outstanding performances and the team's poor league finish made a move away from Estadio Anoeta inevitable. Despite interest from La Liga champions Real Madrid, Alonso remained committed to Real Sociedad. Madrid failed to meet the £13 million price tag that Jose Luis Astiazaran, the Real Sociedad president, had placed on Alonso and the deal reached a stalemate.
The summer transfer window at Real Sociedad saw the arrival of Alonso's childhood friend Mikel Arteta. Alonso was not picked for Real Sociedad's pre-season friendlies, signalling that an offer by Liverpool was being treated seriously. The Basque side announced on 20 August 2004 that they had made a deal worth £10,7 million with Liverpool and Alonso had agreed terms with the Merseyside team.
On 8 June 2007 Alonso signed a five-year contract, undermining a flurry of transfer rumours. He had settled in well at Liverpool and after signing the contract extension he stated: "I knew there was interest from other clubs but it was always my idea to stay here. I have been here for three seasons now and have such special feelings for the club and the supporters. I understand what Liverpool means to so many people. It is such a special club and I just didn't want to leave." Despite the fact that Alonso's appearance at the tournament was brief, he caught the attention of retired footballer Jan Molby who was impressed with his precise passing abilities.
Alonso and Everton player Mikel Arteta were neighbours on the same street while growing up in San Sebastián and also lived near each other in Liverpool. Alonso convinced Arteta to transfer to Everton after he told him how happy he was living in Liverpool. Alonso also helped persuade former Real Sociedad team mate Juan Ugarte to make a move to Wales by joining Wrexham in 2004.
His brother, Mikel Alonso, spent a season on loan at Bolton Wanderers in the 2007–08 season with an option for a permanent deal. However, the team opted not to extend the loan deal and he returned to Spain to train with Xabi Alonso's former club, Real Sociedad. Alonso also has another brother involved in football, Jon, who works as a referee.
Alonso is a Meath gaelic football supporter. His interest in the Irish sport stems from the age of 15 when he went to the Irish town of Kells on a school exchange programme to learn English, where he played it in his spare time.
Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:Basque footballers Category:Spanish footballers Category:Expatriate footballers in England Category:Association football midfielders Category:La Liga footballers Category:Liverpool F.C. players Category:People from Tolosa Category:Premier League players Category:Real Sociedad footballers Category:SD Eibar footballers Category:Spain under-21 international footballers Category:Spain international footballers Category:Spanish expatriate footballers Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in the United Kingdom Category:UEFA Euro 2004 players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:UEFA European Football Championship-winning players Category:FIFA World Cup-winning players
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| Fullname | Sergio Ramos García |
|---|---|
| Dateofbirth | March 30, 1986 |
| Cityofbirth | Camas |
| Countryofbirth | Spain |
| Height | |
| Currentclub | Real Madrid |
| Clubnumber | 4 |
| Position | Defender |
| Youthyears1 | 1996–2003 | youthclubs1 = Sevilla |
| Years1 | 2003–2004 | clubs1 = Sevilla B | caps1 = | goals1 = |
| Years2 | 2004–2005 | clubs2 = Sevilla | caps2 = 37 | goals2 = 2 |
| Years3 | 2005– | clubs3 = Real Madrid | caps3 = 178 | goals3 = 23 |
| Nationalyears1 | 2002 | nationalteam1 = Spain U17 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 |
| Nationalyears2 | 2004 | nationalteam2 = Spain U19 | nationalcaps2 = 6 | nationalgoals2 = 0 |
| Nationalyears3 | 2004 | nationalteam3 = Spain U21 |nationalcaps3 = 6 | nationalgoals3 = 0 |
| Nationalyears4 | 2005– | nationalteam4 = Spain | nationalcaps4 = 72 | nationalgoals4 = 5 |
| Pcupdate | 6 January 2011 |
| Ntupdate | 17 November 2010 |
Mainly a right back, he can perform equally as a central defender. After emerging through Sevilla FC's youth system, he went on to be a defensive mainstay for both Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, gaining his first cap at the age of 18.
In the 2004–05 season, Ramos appeared in 31 games as Sevilla finished sixth and qualified to the UEFA Cup, netting in home fixtures against Real Sociedad (2–1) and Real Madrid (2–2).
At the club, Ramos was awarded the number 4 shirt, previously worn by team captain Fernando Hierro. On 6 December 2005, he scored his first goal for the Merengues, in a 2–3 UEFA Champions League group stage loss at Olympiacos FC.
.]] During his first seasons, Ramos played as centre-back, being also used as an emergency defensive midfielder on occasion. However, with the arrival of Christoph Metzelder and Pepe in the 2007–08 season, he was again relocated to right back, whilst displaying a goal-scoring instinct unusual to many defenders, netting more than 20 overall goals in Real Madrid's shirt during his first four seasons combined.
On 4 May 2008, Ramos assisted Gonzalo Higuaín in the 89th minute against CA Osasuna in an eventual 2–1 away win, the match that sealed Real Madrid's 31st league championship. On the final day of the season, he scored twice in a 5–2 home win against already relegated Levante UD, one through a header and another after an individual effort, taking his league tally to five.
In the start of the following season, Ramos scored a vital goal in the Spanish Supercup contest against Valencia CF, making it 2–1 to and 4–4 on aggregate, in an eventual 4–2 win (6–5), despite the fact Real Madrid playing with only nine men for a long period of time. Although he experienced a slight dip in form, he returned to his best and on 11 January 2009, scored on an acrobatic volley against RCD Mallorca (3–0 away triumph), continuing his scoring run in the following week, in a 3–1 home win against Osasuna.
Ramos was named in both FIFA and UEFA's 2008 Team of the Year, adding the FIFPro Team of the Year 2007–08 accolade. He also finished 21st in the European Player of the Year nomination for 2008.
Just at the start of the 2009–10 season, Ramos was appointed as one of Real Madrid's four captains of Real Madrid. As Pepe suffered a serious knee injury during the campaign, he was often deployed as central defender, and scored four goals in 33 league contests, but the team eventually came out empty in silverware. On 21 February 2010, he played his 200th official match for the capital team against Villarreal CF (150 in the first division).
In Real Madrid's 0-5 loss to FC Barcelona on 29 November 2010, Ramos was sent off after kicking Lionel Messi from behind, then pushing Carles Puyol in the ensuing melée. After this ejection, he equaled Fernando Hierro's previous record at the club, having played in 264 fewer games.
Just seven months later, Ramos scored his first two international goals in a 6–0 away thrashing of San Marino for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He was selected for the final stages in Germany and, after the international retirement of Real Madrid teammate Míchel Salgado, became the undisputed first-choice right-back.
Throughout Spain's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Ramos was a regular member of the starting eleven as the national side finished first in its group, above Sweden. He scored two goals, including one in a 3–1 away win over Denmark, in 11 appearances.
In the tournament's final stages, Ramos played in all matches and minutes, except the 2–1 group stage win against Greece. In the final, his pass nearly set up Marcos Senna's first international goal, but the latter barely missed it by inches. During the celebrations after the 1–0 defeat of Germany, Ramos wore a T-shirt in honor of close friend and former Sevilla teammate Puerta, who died in August 2007.
Ramos was selected in the squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, as Spain finished in third position. At the 2010 World Cup, held in the same country, he started every game, helping the team keep five clean sheets and reach the final, a 1–0 win against Holland. He topped the tournament's Castrol Performance Index with a score of 9.79.
Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Spanish footballers Category:People from Seville (province) Category:Association football defenders Category:La Liga footballers Category:Sevilla FC footballers Category:Real Madrid C.F. players Category:Spain under-21 international footballers Category:Spain international footballers Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:UEFA European Football Championship-winning players Category:FIFA World Cup-winning players
This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
| Playername | Ronaldo |
|---|---|
| Fullname | Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima |
| Height | |
| Dateofbirth | September 18, 1976 |
| Cityofbirth | Rio de Janeiro |
| Countryofbirth | Brazil |
| Currentclub | Corinthians |
| Clubnumber | 9 |
| Position | Striker |
| Youthyears1 | 1986–1989 |youthclubs1 = Tennis Club Valqueire |
| Youthyears2 | 1989–1990 |youthclubs2 = Social Ramos Club |
| Youthyears3 | 1990–1993 |youthclubs3 = São Cristóvão |
| Years1 | 1993 |clubs1 = Cruzeiro |caps1 = 14 |goals1 = 12 |
| Years2 | 1994–1996 |clubs2 = PSV |caps2 = 46 |goals2 = 42 |
| Years3 | 1996–1997 |clubs3 = Barcelona |caps3 = 37 |goals3 = 34 |
| Years4 | 1997–2002 |clubs4 = Inter Milan |caps4 = 68 |goals4 = 49 |
| Years5 | 2002–2007 |clubs5 = Real Madrid |caps5 = 127 |goals5 = 83 |
| Years6 | 2007–2008 |clubs6 = AC Milan |caps6 = 20 |goals6 = 9 |
| Years7 | 2009– |clubs7 = Corinthians |caps7 = 31 |goals7 = 18 |
| Nationalyears1 | 1994–2006 |nationalteam1 = Brazil |nationalcaps1 = 97 |nationalgoals1 = 62 |
| Medaltemplates | }} |
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (; born 18 September 1976), commonly known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Corinthians. Ronaldo was one of the most prolific scorers in the world in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. He won his first Ballon d'Or as the European Footballer of the Year in 1997 (aged only 21) and again won the award in 2002 (26 years old). Additionally, he is one of only two men to have won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times, along with French footballer Zinedine Zidane. In 2007, he was named as one of the best starting eleven of all-time by France Football and was named to the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest footballers compiled by fellow countryman Pelé. In 2010, he was voted Goal.com's 'Player of the Decade' in an online poll, gathering 43.63% of all votes
After his move to AC Milan, Ronaldo joined the list of the few players to have played for both Inter Milan and AC Milan in the Milan Derby and is one of two players to have scored for both sides in the derby game (for Inter in the 98/99 season and for Milan in the 06/07 season), the other player being Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ronaldo is also one of the few players to have started for Real Madrid and Barcelona, which also boasts a heated rivalry. However, Ronaldo has never transferred directly between rival clubs. Ronaldo only played 300-plus minutes in his single season at AC Milan due to recurring injury problems and weight issues. Ronaldo's only goals in the 2007/2008 season, besides his goal against Lecce in pre-season, came in a 5–2 victory against Napoli at the San Siro, where he scored an emotional brace. It was also the first time AC Milan's much hyped attacking trio of Kaká, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldo, known as Ka-Pa-Ro played together. In total he scored 9 goals in 20 appearances for AC Milan.
Despite tremendous success over the past decade, Ronaldo has never won the UEFA Champions League in his club career. During the 2006–07 season, though AC Milan won the 2006–07 title, Ronaldo was cup-tied with Madrid and ineligible to take part. The closest that he has been was in 2003 when he helped Real Madrid to the semi-finals, in which they lost to Juventus.
On 13 February 2008, Ronaldo suffered a severe season-ending knee injury while jumping for a cross in AC Milan's 1–1 draw with Livorno, and was stretchered off and taken to a hospital. AC Milan confirmed after the match that Ronaldo had ruptured the kneecap ligament in his left knee. It marked the third such occurrence of this injury, which he suffered twice to his right knee in 1998 and 2000. 2 includes 10 matches and 8 goals in Campeonato Paulista. 3 includes 9 matches and 3 goals in Campeonato Paulista.
|- |1994||4||1 |- |1995||6||3 |- |1996||4||5 |- |1997||20||15 |- |1998||10||5 |- |1999||10||7 |- |2000||0||0 |- |2001||0||0 |- |2002||12||11 |- |2003||8||3 |- |2004||11||6 |- |2005||5||1 |- |2006||7||5 |- !Total||97||62 |}
.]] During 1997, Ronaldo met the Brazilian model and actress Susana Werner on the set of Brazilian telenovela Malhação when they acted together in three episodes. Although never marrying, they began a long-term relationship and lived together in Milan until the beginning of 1999. In April 1999, Ronaldo married female Brazilian footballer Milene Domingues, at the time pregnant with the couple's first son, Ronald. The marriage lasted four years. The couple had a son, Ronald (born in Milan, on April 6, 2000). In 2005, Ronaldo became engaged to Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniela Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage; the relationship lasted for only three months after their luxurious wedding at the Château de Chantilly. The ceremony reportedly cost €700,000 (£896,000). Ronaldo also had a relationship with Brazilian supermodel Raica Oliveira, ended in December 2006.
In April 2008, Ronaldo was involved in a scandal involving three transvestite prostitutes whom he met in a nightclub located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Upon discovering that they were men, Ronaldo offered them $600 to leave. However, one of the three, André Luís Ribeiro Albertini (better known as Andréia Albertini), demanded $30,000 and exposed the case to the media. According to the local police chief, "[Ronaldo] was very excited and wanted to go out and have fun, without the press knowing. Ronaldo said that he is not mentally stable and is having psychological problems because of his recent surgery. But he committed no crime at all, it was immoral at best." Ronaldo's engagement to Maria Beatriz Antony was cancelled immediately after the prostitution scandal but resumed a little later. Maria Beatriz Antony gave birth to their first daughter, named Maria Sophia, in Rio de Janeiro, on 24 December 2008. In April 2009, the whole family moved to a new penthouse in São Paulo. On April 6, 2010, Maria Beatriz Antony gave birth to their second daughter. The girl, born in São Paulo, was named Maria Alice. Coincidently, Maria Alice was born exactly 10 years after her older brother Ronald. In December 2010, Ronaldo and his family moved to a new mansion in São Paulo. Also in December, Ronaldo performed a parental testing and confirmed to be the father of a boy named Alexander (born in April 2005). The boy was born after a brief relationship between Ronaldo and Michele Umezu, a Brazilian waitress whom Ronaldo first met in Tokyo, in 2002. After the confirmation of his fourth child, the striker declared that four is enough, causing him to "close the factory". So, on December 26, 2010, he revealed his recent vasectomy.
Since 2005, Ronaldo has been the co-owner of A1 Team Brazil, along with Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi.
Category:1976 births Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players Category:1997 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:A1 Grand Prix people Category:A.C. Milan players Category:Association football forwards Category:Brazil international footballers Category:Brazilian expatriate footballers Category:Brazilian expatriates in Italy Category:Brazilian expatriates in Spain Category:Brazilian footballers Category:Brazilian people of Black African descent Category:Cruzeiro Esporte Clube players Category:Eredivisie players Category:European Footballer of the Year winners Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Expatriate footballers in the Netherlands Category:FC Barcelona footballers Category:F.C. Internazionale Milano players Category:FIFA 100 Category:FIFA Confederations Cup-winning players Category:FIFA World Cup-winning players Category:FIFA World Player of the Year winners Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics Category:La Liga footballers Category:Laureus World Sports Awards winners Category:Living people Category:Naturalised citizens of Spain Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil Category:Olympic footballers of Brazil Category:People from Rio de Janeiro (state) Category:People with acquired Spanish citizenship Category:Pichichi Trophy winners Category:PSV Eindhoven players Category:Real Madrid C.F. players Category:Serie A footballers Category:Sport Club Corinthians Paulista players Category:World Soccer Magazine World Player of the Year winners
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| Playername | Josep Guardiola |
|---|---|
| Fullname | Josep Guardiola i Sala |
| Dateofbirth | January 18, 1971 |
| Cityofbirth | Santpedor |
| Countryofbirth | Spain |
| Height | |
| Position | Defensive midfielder |
| Currentclub | Barcelona (Manager) |
| Youthclubs1 | Gimnàstic Manresa |
| Youthclubs2 | Barcelona |
| Youthyears2 | 1984–1990 |
| Years1 | 1990–1992 |
| Years2 | 1990–2001 |
| Years3 | 2001–2002 |
| Years4 | 2002–2003 |
| Years5 | 2003 |
| Years6 | 2003–2005 |
| Years7 | 2005–2006 |
| Clubs1 | Barcelona B |
| Clubs2 | Barcelona |
| Clubs3 | Brescia |
| Clubs4 | Roma |
| Clubs5 | Brescia |
| Clubs6 | Al-Ahli |
| Clubs7 | Sinaloa |
| Caps1 | 59 |
| Caps2 | 263 |
| Caps3 | 11 |
| Caps4 | 4 |
| Caps5 | 13 |
| Caps6 | 18 |
| Caps7 | 11 |
| Goals1 | 5 |
| Goals2 | 6 |
| Goals3 | 2 |
| Goals4 | 0 |
| Goals5 | 1 |
| Goals6 | 2 |
| Goals7 | 1 |
| Totalcaps | 378 |
| Totalgoals | 17 |
| Nationalyears1 | 1991–1992 |
| Nationalyears2 | 1992–2001 |
| Nationalyears3 | 1995–2005 |
| Nationalteam1 | Spain U21 |
| Nationalteam2 | Spain |
| Nationalteam3 | Catalonia |
| Nationalcaps1 | 2 |
| Nationalcaps2 | 47 |
| Nationalcaps3 | 7 |
| Nationalgoals1 | 0 |
| Nationalgoals2 | 5 |
| Nationalgoals3 | 0 |
| Medaltemplates | }} |
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala (; born 18 January 1971 in Santpedor, Barcelona, Catalonia), is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup. Guardiola also played for Brescia Calcio, A.S. Roma, Al-Ahli and Dorados de Sinaloa. As an international, he played for Spain and some friendly exhibition games for Catalonia.
After retiring as a player, Guardiola became coach of FC Barcelona B. On 8 May 2008, Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced that Guardiola would succeed Frank Rijkaard as the first team manager. He signed his contract on 5 June 2008.
Alex Ferguson Manchester United}} Barcelona|years=2008–2009}} José Mourinho Internazionale}} - Barcelona|years=2008–2009}} |- Dick Advocaat Zenit Saint Petersburg}} Barcelona|years=2009}} Quique Sánchez Flores Atlético Madrid}}
Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bages Category:Spanish footballers Category:Catalan footballers Category:Association football midfielders Category:La Liga footballers Category:FC Barcelona Atlètic footballers Category:FC Barcelona footballers Category:Spanish expatriate footballers Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Mexico Category:Serie A footballers Category:Brescia Calcio players Category:A.S. Roma players Category:Expatriate footballers in Qatar Category:Expatriate footballers in Mexico Category:Primera División de México players Category:Dorados de Sinaloa players Category:Spain under-21 international footballers Category:Spain international footballers Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players Category:Al-Ahly Doha players Category:UEFA Euro 2000 players Category:Footballers at the 1992 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic footballers of Spain Category:Olympic gold medalists for Spain Category:Spanish sportspeople in doping cases Category:Doping cases in association football Category:Spanish football managers Category:La Liga managers Category:FC Barcelona managers
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| Playername | José Mourinho |
|---|---|
| Caption | Mourinho in August 2010 |
| Fullname | José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho |
| Dateofbirth | January 26, 1963 |
| Cityofbirth | Setúbal |
| Countryofbirth | Portugal |
| Height | |
| Currentclub | Real Madrid (Manager) |
| Years1 | 1980–1982 | clubs1 = Rio Ave |
| Years2 | 1982–1983 | clubs2 = Belenenses |
| Years3 | 1983–1985 | clubs3 = Sesimbra |
| Years4 | 1985–1987 | clubs4 = Comércio e Indústria |
| Caps1 | 16 |
| Caps2 | 16 |
| Caps3 | 35 |
| Caps4 | 27 |
| Goals1 | 2 |
| Goals2 | 2 |
| Goals3 | 1 |
| Goals4 | 8 |
| Manageryears1 | 2000 | managerclubs1 = Benfica |
| Manageryears2 | 2001–2002 | managerclubs2 = União de Leiria |
| Manageryears3 | 2002–2004 | managerclubs3 = Porto |
| Manageryears4 | 2004–2007 | managerclubs4 = Chelsea |
| Manageryears5 | 2008–2010 | managerclubs5 = Internazionale |
| Manageryears6 | 2010– | managerclubs6 = Real Madrid |
Initially, the move was a step away from management but as an interpreter, Mourinho earned Robson's respect and friendship. He welcomed Mourinho's translations and the two became close through discussing tactics and coaching. Robson was sacked by Sporting in December 1993, but Portuguese rivals FC Porto appointed him as their head coach and Mourinho continued to coach and interpret for players at the new post. After two years at Porto, the duo moved again, switching to FC Barcelona in 1996. Their last match as coach and assistant in FC Porto was a 5–0 win against Benfica in Estadio da Luz for the Portuguese Super Cup, a match that is still remembered by most fans in Portugal. In Barcelona, Mourinho continued to show his linguistic dexterity and drive, learning Catalan for the new challenge. Mourinho and his family moved to Barcelona and he gradually became a prominent figure of Barcelona's staff by translating at press conferences, planning practice sessions, and helping players through tactical advice and analyses of the opposition. Robson and Mourinho's styles complemented each other: the Englishman favoured an attacking style, while Mourinho covered defensive options, and the Portuguese's love of planning and training combined with Robson's direct man-management. The partnership was fruitful and Barcelona finished the season with the European Cup Winners' Cup. Robson moved club the following season but this time Mourinho did not follow as Barcelona were keen to retain him as assistant manager. Despite the move, the two remained good friends and Mourinho later reflected on the effect Robson had had upon him:
He began working with Robson's successor, Louis van Gaal, and he learnt much from the Dutchman's conscientious style. Both assistant and head coach combined their studious approach to the game and Barcelona won La Liga twice in van Gaal's first two years as coach. Van Gaal saw that his number two had the promise to be more than a skilled assistant. He let Mourinho develop his own independent coaching style and entrusted him with the coaching duties of FC Barcelona B. Van Gaal also let Mourinho take charge of the first team (acting as Mourinho's assistant himself) for certain trophies, like the Copa Catalunya, which Mourinho won in 2000. Although Vilarinho had no intention of firing him immediately, Mourinho used the victory over Sporting to test the president's loyalty and he asked for a contract extension. Vilarinho refused the demand and Mourinho resigned from his position immediately. He left the club on 5 December 2000 after just nine league games in charge.
He quickly identified several key players whom he saw as the backbone of what he believed would be a perfect Porto team: Vítor Baía, Ricardo Carvalho, Costinha, Deco, Dmitri Alenichev, and Hélder Postiga. He recalled captain Jorge Costa after a six-month loan to Charlton Athletic. The signings from other clubs included Nuno Valente and Derlei from União de Leiria; Paulo Ferreira from Vitória de Setúbal; Pedro Emanuel from Boavista; and Edgaras Jankauskas and Maniche, who both had been out of contract at Benfica.
During the pre-season, Mourinho put on the club website detailed reports on the team training. The reports were filled with formal vocabulary, as, for instance, he referred to a 20 km jog as an extended aerobic exercise. While they attracted some scorn for the pretentiousness, others praised the innovation and the application of a more scientific approach to the training methods practised in Portugal. One of the key aspects in Mourinho-era Porto was his quick wit and the pressuring play, which started at the offensive line, dubbed pressão alta ("high pressure"). The physical and combative abilities of the teams' defenders and midfielders allowed Porto to apply pressure from the offensive lines and forced opponents either to concede the ball or try longer, uncertain passes.
In 2003, Mourinho won his first Portuguese Liga with a 27–5–2 record, 11 points clear of Benfica, the team he quit two years earlier. The total of 86 points out of the possible maximum of 102 was a Portuguese record since the rule of three points per win was introduced. Mourinho also won the Portuguese Cup (against former club Leiria) and the UEFA Cup final against Celtic, both in May 2003.
The following season witnessed further successes: he led Porto to victory in the one-match Portuguese SuperCup, beating Leiria 1–0. They lost, however, the UEFA Super Cup 1–0 to AC Milan, with Andriy Shevchenko scoring the solitary goal. The team was dominant in the Portuguese Liga and they finished the season with a perfect home record, an eight-point advantage, and an unbeaten run that only ended against Gil Vicente; they secured the title five weeks before the end of the season. Porto lost the Portuguese Cup final to Benfica in May 2004, but two weeks later, Mourinho won a greater prize: the UEFA Champions League, with a 3–0 win over AS Monaco in Germany. The club had eliminated Manchester United, Olympique Lyonnais, and Deportivo La Coruña and their sole defeat of the competition came against Real Madrid in the group round.
Mourinho's win over Manchester United foreshadowed a move to the English league, where he and manager Alex Ferguson would compete in the Premier League. Porto were on the verge of an away goals defeat when Costinha scored a goal with only little more than thirty seconds left for the official 90 minutes time, to win the tie and Mourinho celebrated the goal flamboyantly. As a response to his European and domestic success, Mourinho was linked with several top European clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Chelsea. Mourinho publicly stated his preference for the Liverpool job over the Chelsea one:
}}
Liverpool offered their managerial position to Spanish coach Rafael Benítez and Mourinho instead accepted a large offer from Roman Abramovich and pledged his immediate future to Chelsea.
Mourinho speaks Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French and English fluently. He also speaks Catalan. In October 2010, Mourinho was ranked No.9 on the list of Most Influential Men published by AskMen.com.
Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Portuguese football managers Category:S.L. Benfica managers Category:U.D. Leiria managers Category:F.C. Porto managers Category:Chelsea F.C. managers Category:F.C. Internazionale Milano managers Category:Premier League managers Category:Expatriate football managers in England Category:Serie A managers Category:Expatriate football managers in Italy Category:UEFA Cup winning managers Category:Primeira Liga managers Category:Golden Globes (Portugal) winners Category:Real Madrid C.F. managers Category:La Liga managers Category:Expatriate football managers in Spain Category:Portuguese Roman Catholics Category:Technical University of Lisbon alumni
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| Playername | David Villa |
|---|---|
| Fullname | David Villa Sánchez |
| Cityofbirth | Langreo |
| Countryofbirth | Spain |
| Currentclub | Barcelona |
| Clubnumber | 7 |
| Position | Striker |
| Youthyears1 | 1991–1999 |
| Youthclubs1 | Langreo |
| Years1 | 1999–2001 |
| Years2 | 2001–2003 |
| Years3 | 2003–2005 |
| Years4 | 2005–2010 |
| Years5 | 2010– |
| Clubs1 | Sporting Gijón B |
| Clubs2 | Sporting Gijón |
| Clubs3 | Zaragoza |
| Clubs4 | Valencia |
| Clubs5 | Barcelona |
| Caps1 | 65 |goals1 = 25 |
| Caps2 | 80 |goals2 = 38 |
| Caps3 | 73 |goals3 = 32 |
| Caps4 | 166|goals4 = 108 |
| Caps5 | 17 |goals5 = 12 |
| Nationalyears1 | 2000–2003 |
| Nationalyears2 | 2005– |
| Nationalteam1 | Spain U21 |
| Nationalteam2 | Spain |
| Nationalcaps1 | 7 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |
| Nationalcaps2 | 70 |nationalgoals2 = 44 |
| Pcupdate | 8 January 2011 |
| Ntupdate | 18 November 2010 |
Villa admitted that he came close to giving up football at the age of 14 after growing disillusioned and falling out with his coach. However, thanks to his parents' encouragement, he persisted in pursuing his dream, realising his talent could earn him a living. "In those days I was a nobody, not earning a penny and after being made to sit on the bench all season I just wanted to get away and play with my friends" he said. "But my dad always supported me and cheered me up until my career turned round." He subsequently got his professional breakthrough at his local club Sporting de Gijón, following in the footsteps of his childhood idol Quini. Starting out at the team's youth ranks, he made his first-team début in the 2000–01 season. After scoring 25 goals in two seasons, he became a first team regular. With his goal tally nearly reaching 40 goals after spending two full seasons in Gijón's main team, The striker had no trouble adapting to playing at the higher level, netting 17 times in his first season at Zaragoza. His league début came during Zaragoza's first La Liga game since his arrival where the team were defeated 1–0 away from home at the hands of Galician side Deportivo de La Coruña After Zaragoza's triumph in the Copa del Rey, they were granted a place in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup; this was Villa's first time playing in a European competition. as a result, Villa made his big move to one of Spanish football's heavyweights, as a new look Valencia under Quique Sánchez Flores parted with €12 million to secure his services in the summer of 2005. During his first game in a Valencia shirt, an Intertoto Cup match against Belgian outfit K.A.A. Gent, Villa scored the first goal in a game which Valencia won 2–0. Hitting the ball from the half way line (50 yards out) it sailed over the keepers head and into the net. That season saw him score 25 goals in 35 league matches for Valencia, That year also saw Villa début in the UEFA Champions League; his first match was a qualifying match, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 first leg loss against Red Bull Salzburg. He went on to start the second leg and scored in a 3–0 win which saw Valencia qualify for the Champions League group stages.
By the end of 2006, Villa had become an integral part of Luis Aragonés' plans and ousted Raúl from the team. Proving vital in Spain's qualification for Euro 2008, he scored six goals, including a bicycle kick against Liechtenstein. In the next match, he secured a 2–1 win against Sweden with a goal in the 92nd minute. Rested for the next match against Greece, he started once again in the quarter finals where Spain beat Italy 4–2 on penalties, Villa took the first penalty and scored. and was awarded the Golden Boot.
.]] On 1 June 2009, Vicente del Bosque named Villa in his 23 man squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. In the same game, Villa was shown to slap Emilio Izaguirre in the face after the Honduran player trod on him. Villa said he was "not proud" of the heat of the moment incident, but he escaped a ban.
Villa frequently attends charity events. |5||1||7||4||12||5|| |- |2006–07
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style=font-size:85% |- !colspan="7"|David Villa international goals |- ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Goal !! Result !! Competition |- !colspan="7"|2004–2005 |- !colspan="7"|2005–2006 |- | 1. || 16 November 2005|| Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia || || 1 – 1 || 1 – 1 || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 2. || 1 March 2006 || Estadio José Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain || || 1 – 1 || 3 – 2 || International friendly |- | 3. || 13 June 2006 || Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany || || 2 – 0 || 4 – 0 || 2006 FIFA World Cup |- | 4. || 13 June 2006 || Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany || Ukraine || 3 – 0 || 4 – 0 || 2006 FIFA World Cup |- | 5. || 27 June 2006 || AWD-Arena, Hannover, Germany || || 1 – 0 || 1 – 3 || 2006 FIFA World Cup |- !colspan="7"|2006–2007 |- | 6. || 2 September 2006 || Estadio Nuevo Vivero, Badajoz, Spain || || 2 – 0 || 4 – 0 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- | 7. || 2 September 2006 || Estadio Nuevo Vivero, Badajoz, Spain || Liechtenstein || 3 – 0 || 4 – 0 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- | 8. || 6 September 2006 || Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland || || 1 – 2 || 3 – 2 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- | 9. || 11 October 2006 || Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain || || 2 – 1 || 2 – 1 || International friendly |- | 10. || 24 March 2007 || Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain || || 2 – 0 || 2 – 1 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- | 11. || 6 June 2007 || Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein || Liechtenstein || 0 – 1 || 0 – 2 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- | 12. || 6 June 2007 || Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein || Liechtenstein || 0 – 2 || 0 – 2 || UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying |- !colspan="7"|2007–2008 |- | 13. || 26 March 2008 || Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche, Spain || || 1 – 0 || 1 – 0 || International friendly |- | 14. || 31 May 2008 || Nuevo Colombino, Huelva, Spain|| || 1 – 0 || 2 – 1 || International friendly |- | 15. || 10 June 2008 || Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria|| || 1 – 0 || 4 – 1 || UEFA Euro 2008 |- | 16. || 10 June 2008 || Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria|| Russia || 2 – 0 || 4 – 1 || UEFA Euro 2008 |- | 17. || 10 June 2008 || Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria|| Russia || 3 – 0 || 4 – 1 || UEFA Euro 2008 |- | 18. || 14 June 2008 || Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria|| || 1 – 2 || 1 – 2 || UEFA Euro 2008 |- !colspan="7"|2008–2009 |- | 19. || 6 September 2008 ||Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain|| || 1 – 0 || 1 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 20. || 10 September 2008 || Estadio Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Spain|| || 2 – 0 || 4 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 21. || 10 September 2008 || Estadio Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Spain|| Armenia || 3 – 0 || 4 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 22. || 11 October 2008 || A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia|| || 0 – 2 || 0 – 3 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 23. || 15 October 2008 || King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium || || 1 – 2 || 1 – 2 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 24. || 19 November 2008 || El Madrigal, Villarreal, Spain|| || 1 – 0 || 3 – 0 || International friendly |- | 25. || 11 February 2009 || Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla, Spain|| || 1 – 0 || 2 – 0 || International friendly |- | 26. || 9 June 2009 || Tofik Bakhramov, Baku, Azerbaijan|| || 1 – 0 || 6 – 0 || International friendly |- | 27. || 9 June 2009|| Tofik Bakhramov, Baku, Azerbaijan|| Azerbaijan || 2 – 0 || 6 – 0|| International friendly |- | 28. || 9 June 2009 || Tofik Bakhramov, Baku, Azerbaijan|| Azerbaijan || 3 – 0 || 6 – 0 || International friendly |- | 29. || 14 June 2009 || Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa || || 5 – 0 || 5 – 0 || 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup |- | 30. || 17 June 2009 || Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa || || 1 – 0 || 1 – 0 || 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup |- | 31. || 20 June 2009 || Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa || || 1 – 0 || 2 – 0 || 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup |- !colspan="7"|2009–2010 |- | 32. || 5 September 2009 || Estadio Riazor, A Coruña, Spain || Belgium || 2 – 0 || 5 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 33. || 5 September 2009 || Estadio Riazor, A Coruña, Spain || Belgium || 5 – 0 || 5 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 34. || 18 November 2009 || Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria || || 1 – 2 || 1 – 5 || International friendly |- | 35. || 18 November 2009 || Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria || Austria || 1 – 3 || 1 – 5 || International friendly |- | 36. || 3 March 2010 || Stade de France, Paris, France || France || 0 – 1 || 0 – 2 || International friendly |- | 37. || 29 May 2010 || Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria || || 1 – 1 || 3 – 2 || International friendly |- | 38. || 21 June 2010 || Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa || || 1 – 0 || 2 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup |- | 39. || 21 June 2010 || Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa || Honduras || 2 – 0 || 2 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup |- | 40. || 25 June 2010 || Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa || Chile || 0 – 1 || 1 – 2 || 2010 FIFA World Cup |- | 41. || 29 June 2010 || Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa || || 1 – 0 || 1 – 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup |- | 42. || 3 July 2010 || Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa || || 0 – 1 || 0 – 1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup |- !colspan="7"|2010-2011 |- | 43. || 3 September 2010 || Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein || Liechtenstein || 0 – 2 || 0 – 4 || UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |- | 44. || 12 October 2010 || Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland || || 0 – 1 || 2 – 3 || UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |}
;Valencia
;Barcelona
;Achievements
John Aloisi|after= Incumbent|years=2009}} Hernán Crespo|after= Incumbent|years=2010}} Andrea Pirlo|after= Incumbent|years=2010}} }}
Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Langreo Category:Spanish footballers Category:Spain under-21 international footballers Category:Spain international footballers Category:Association football forwards Category:La Liga footballers Category:Sporting de Gijón footballers Category:Real Zaragoza footballers Category:Valencia CF footballers Category:FC Barcelona footballers Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:UEFA European Football Championship-winning players Category:Asturian people Category:FIFA World Cup-winning players
This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
| Playername | Cristiano Ronaldo |
|---|---|
| Fullname | Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro |
| Dateofbirth | February 05, 1985 |
| Cityofbirth | Funchal, Madeira |
| Countryofbirth | Portugal |
| Height | commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and serves as captain of the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo is the most expensive player in football history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth £80 million (€94m, US$132m). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is to be paid £11 million per year over the following six years, makes him the highest-paid football player in the world. and it has a €1 billion buy-out clause. and scored his first World Cup goal against Iran with a penalty kick.1Includes other competitive competitions, including the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Supercopa de España. |
| Title | Awards |
| Bg | gold |
| Fg | navy |
Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Portuguese footballers Category:Association football wingers Category:Portugal international footballers Category:Primeira Liga players Category:Sporting Clube de Portugal footballers Category:Premier League players Category:First Division/Premier League topscorers Category:Manchester United F.C. players Category:UEFA Euro 2004 players Category:Olympic footballers of Portugal Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:Madeiran footballers Category:Expatriate footballers in England Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:European Footballer of the Year winners Category:FIFA World Player of the Year winners Category:World Soccer Magazine World Player of the Year winners Category:Real Madrid C.F. players Category:La Liga footballers Category:Portuguese Roman Catholics Category:Portuguese expatriates in Spain Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Golden Globes (Portugal) winners Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players
This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
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![Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo roˈðɾiɣeθ leˈðezma]; born 28 July 1987), commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Naturally left-footed, he plays as either a forward or winger, the ambidextrous nature of his game meaning he can play on either side of the pitch. He is excellent at finding the right position and has a powerful shot, most notably from long range.[1]](http://web.archive.org./web/20110404014026im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/b9/dd/327ae4b89ccced076aa82666af02_grande.jpg "Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo roˈðɾiɣeθ leˈðezma]; born 28 July 1987), commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Naturally left-footed, he plays as either a forward or winger, the ambidextrous nature of his game meaning he can play on either side of the pitch. He is excellent at finding the right position and has a powerful shot, most notably from long range.[1]")
![Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo roˈðɾiɣeθ leˈðezma]; born 28 July 1987), commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Naturally left-footed, he plays as either a forward or winger, the ambidextrous nature of his game meaning he can play on either side of the pitch. He is excellent at finding the right position and has a powerful shot, most notably from long range.[1]](http://web.archive.org./web/20110404014026im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/b9/dd/327ae4b89ccced076aa82666af02_thumb.jpg "Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo roˈðɾiɣeθ leˈðezma]; born 28 July 1987), commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Naturally left-footed, he plays as either a forward or winger, the ambidextrous nature of his game meaning he can play on either side of the pitch. He is excellent at finding the right position and has a powerful shot, most notably from long range.[1]")
