Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Official name	Málaga
Image shield	Escudo de Málaga.svg
pushpin map	Spain Andalusia
pushpin map caption	Location in Andalusia
pushpin map1	Spain
pushpin map caption1	Location in Spain
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates region	ES
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	Spain
Subdivision type1	Autonomous Community
Subdivision name1	Andalusia
Subdivision type2	Province
Subdivision name2	Malaga
Subdivision type3	Comarca
Subdivision name3	Málaga-Costa del Sol
Established title	Founded
Established date	8th century BC
Government type	Mayor-council
Governing body	Ayuntamiento de Málaga.
Leader party	PP
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Francisco De La Torre Prados
Area total km2	395
Area urban km2	561.71
Population rank	6th
Population as of	2010
Population total	568507
Population density km2	auto
Population urban	1046279
Elevation m	11
Timezone	CET
Utc offset	+1
Timezone dst	CEST
Utc offset dst	+2
Area code type	Calling code
Area code	+34 (Spain) 95 (Málaga)
Postal code type	Postcode
Postal code	29001-29018
Website	}}

Málaga () is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe. It lies on the Costa del Sol (''Coast of the Sun'') of the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about north of Africa.

Málaga enjoys a subtropical-mediterranean climate. It has one of the warmest winters in Europe, with average temperatures of during the day and at night in the period from December to February. The summer's season lasts about 8 months, from April to November, although also in remaining 4 months temperatures sometimes reach around .

Málaga's history spans about 2,700 years and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded by the Phoenicians as ''Malaka'' about 770 BC, from the 6th century BC in Ancient Carthage, from 218 BC – Roman Republic and later Roman Empire (as latin ''Malaca''), after the fall of the empire of the 800 years under the domination of Arabs (as ''Mālaqah'' (مالقة)), from 1487 under the dominion of the Spaniards. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabian and Christian eras convert the historic center into an "Open Museum" displaying its rich history of more than 3,000 years.

This important cultural infrastructure and the rich artistic heritage have culminated in the nomination of Málaga as a candidate for the 2016 European Capital of Culture.

The internationally acclaimed painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas were born in Málaga. And the magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña", is named for the music of this region of Spain.

The most important business sectors in Málaga are Tourism, Construction and Technology Services, but other sectors such as Transportation and Logistics are beginning to expand. The Technology Park of Andalusia (PTA), located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992. As of 2009, this high-tech, science and industrial park is home to 509 companies and employs over 13,600 people.

History

The Phoenicians from Tyre founded the city as Malaka about 770 BC. The name ''Malaka'' or ''mlk'' is probably derived from the Phoenician word for "salt" because fish was salted near the harbour. (Cf. "salt" in other Semitic languages, e.g. Hebrew מלח '''' or Arabic ملح '''').

After a period of Carthaginian rule, Malaka became part of the Roman Empire. In its Roman stage, the city (Latin name, Malaca) showed a remarkable degree of development. Transformed into a confederated city, it was under a special law, the Lex Flavia Malacitana. A Roman theatre was built at this time. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was ruled first by the Visigoths and then by the Byzantine Empire (550-621).

In the 8th century, during the Muslim Arabic rule over Spain, the city became an important trade center. Málaga was first a possession of the Caliphate of Córdoba. After the fall of the Umayyad dynasty, it became the capital of a distinct kingdom ruled by the Zirids. During this time, the city was called Mālaqah (Arabic مالقة). From 1025 it was the capital of the autonomous Taifa of Málaga, until its conquest by the Taifa of Granada in 1057.

The traveller Ibn Battuta, who passed through around 1325, characterised it as "one of the largest and most beautiful towns of Andalusia [uniting] the conveniences of both sea and land, and is abundantly supplied with foodstuffs and fruits". He praised its grapes, figs, and almonds; "its ruby-coloured Murcian pomegranates have no equal in the world." Another exported product was its "excellent gilded pottery". The town's mosque was large and beautiful, with "exceptionally tall orange trees" in its courtyard.

Málaga was one of the Iberian cities where Muslim rule persisted the longest, having been part of the Emirate of Granada. While most other parts of the peninsula already succumbed to the reconquista, the medieval Christian Spanish struggled to drive the Muslims out. Málaga was conquered by Christian forces on August 18, 1487, five years before the fall of Granada.

On 24 August 1704 the indecisive Battle of Velez-Málaga, the largest naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession, took place in the sea south of Málaga.

Malaga had a strong development in the 19th century, turning into the city most industrialized of Spain, with Barcelona. But that early industry was gradually dismantled, because the different governments were supporting the industrialized centers in the north of the country.

Málaga underwent fierce bombing by Nationalist or Republican air forces and naval units during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The well-known British journalist and writer Arthur Koestler was captured by the Nationalist forces on their entry into Málaga, which formed the material for his book ''Spanish Testament''. The first chapters of ''Spanish Testament'' include an eye-witness account of the 1937 fall of Málaga to Francisco Franco's armies during the Spanish Civil War.

After the war, Malaga, his old neighborhood of Torremolinos and the Costa del Sol were the protagonists of the high growth of the tourism sector in Spain.

Geography

Location

Málaga is located in southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol (''Coast of the Sun'') on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies about 100 km east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km east of Tarifa (the southernmost point of continental Europe) and about 130 km on north of Africa. Lies on a similar latitude (36°N) as Algiers in Algeria, Tunis in Tunisia, Aleppo in Syria, Mosul in Iraq, Tehran in Iran, Kunduz in Afghanistan and Fresno, California in the United States.

Metropolitan area

Málaga, together with the following adjacent towns and municipalities: Rincon de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Alhaurin de la Torre, Mijas, Marbella y San Pedro Alcántara form the urban area with a population of 1,046,279 on 827.33 km² (density 1,264 hab / km²) – 2009 data. The urban area stretches mostly along a narrow strip of coastline. The Málaga metropolitan area includes additional municipalities located mostly in the mountains area north of the coast and also some on the coast: Cártama, Pizarra, Coín, Monda, Ojén, Alhaurín el Grande and Estepona on west; Casabermeja on north; Totalán, Algarrobo, Torrox and Vélez-Málaga eastward from Málaga.thumb|right|250px|Map of [[Málaga (province)|Málaga province, centered Málaga urban area (Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Marbella – density >1000/km² and Mijas, Alhaurin de la Torre).]] Municipalities of the metropolitan area are connected to the road network (including motorways) with the urban area and Málaga city (the urban area can be reached by car in 20 minutes and Málaga city in 45 minutes). Sometimes the metropolitan area includes other municipalities where Málaga's public transportation network extends – establishment Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga (en: ''Consortium of Transportation of Málaga Metropolitan Area''). Together about 1.3 million (max. to 1.5 million) people live in the Málaga metropolitan area and the number grows every year because all the municipalities and cities of the area record an annual increase in population.

Climate

The climate is Subtropical–Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification: ''Csa'') with very mild winters and warm to hot summers. Málaga enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of about 300 days of sunshine and only about 50 days with precipitation each year. Its coastal location with winds blowing from the Mediterranean Sea make the heat manageable during the summer. It experiences the warmest winters of any European city with a population over 500,000 and over 100,000 jointly with two other cities in Spain: Almería and Alicante. The average temperature during the day in the period December–January–February is . During the winter, the Málaga Mountains (''Montes de Málaga'') block out the cold weather from the north.

Annual average relative humidity is 66%, ranging from 59% in June to 73% in December. Yearly sunshine hours is between 2,800 and 3,000 per year, from 5–6 hours of sunshine / day in December to average 11 hours of sunshine / day in July. This is one of the highest results in Europe and almost double more that of cities in the northern half of Europe (for comparison: London – 1,461, Warsaw – 1,571, Paris – 1,630). According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 2007 saw 3,059 hours of sunshine. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. Málaga is one of the few cities in Europe which are "green" all year round.

Main sights

The old historic center of Málaga reaches the harbour to the south and is surrounded by mountains to the north- Montes de Málaga (part of Baetic Cordillera), lying in the southern base of the Axarquía hills, and two rivers, the Guadalmedina – the historic center is located on its left bank – and the Guadalhorce, which flows west of the city into the Mediterranean.

The oldest architectural remains in the city are the walls of the Phoenician city, which are visitables in the basement of Picasso Museum.

The Roman theater of Málaga which dates from the 1st century BC, was fortuitously rediscovered in 1951.

The Moors left the dominating Castillo de Gibralfaro that is connected to the Alcazaba, the lower fortress and regal residence. Both constructions built during the Taifas period (11th century) and extended during the Nasrid period (13th and 14th centuries.). The Alcazaba stands on a hill within the city of Málaga. Originally, the Alcazaba defended the city from the incursions of pirates. Later, in the mid-11th century, it was completely rebuilt by the Hammudid dynasty. Occupying the eastern hillside that rises from the sea and overlooks the city, the Alcazaba was surrounded by palms and pine trees.

Like many of the military fortifications that were constructed in Islamic Spain, the Alcazaba of Málaga featured a quadrangular plan. It was protected by an outer and inner wall, both supported by rectangular towers, between which a covered walkway led up the slope to the Gibralfaro (this was the only exchange between the two sites). Due to its rough and awkward hillside topography, corridors throughout the site provided a means of communications for administrative and defensive operations, also affording privacy to the palatial residential quarters. The entrance of the complex featured a grand tower that led into a sophisticated double bent entrance. After passing through several gates, open yards with beautiful gardens of pine and eucalyptus trees, and the inner wall through the Puerta de Granada, are the 11th and 14th century governor's palace. It was organized around a central rectangular courtyard with a triple-arched gateway and some of the rooms have been preserved to this day. An open 11th century mirador (belvedere), to the south of this area, affords views of the gardens and sea below. Measuring 2.5 square meters, this small structure highlighted scalloped, five-lobed arches. To the north of this area were a waterwheel and Cyclopean well, (penetrating forty meters below ground) a hammam, workshops and the monumental Puerta de la Torre del Homenaje, the northernmost point of the inner walls. Directly beyond was the passage to the Gibralfaro above.

The church of Santiago (St. James) is an example of Gothic vernacular Mudéjar, the hybrid style that evolved after the Reconquista incorporating elements from both Christian and Islamic tradition. Also from the period is the Iglesia del Sagrario, which was built on the site of the old mosque immediately after the city fell to Christian troops. It boasts a richly ornamental portal in the Isabeline-Gothic style, unique in the city.

The Cathedral and the Episcopal palace were planned with Renaissance ideals but fell short of funds and were finished in Baroque style.

The Iglesia de la Victoria, built in the late 17th century, has a chapel in which the vertical volume is filled with elaborate Baroque plasterwork.

Other sights include:

Walls (Phoenician, Roman, Visigothic, Arab and Spanish remains of the defensive compounds of the city).

La Concepción, botanical and historical garden.

Harbour, one of the most important in Spain.

Museo Picasso Málaga, located at the Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista.

Carmen Thyssen Museum., located at ''Palacio de Villalón''.

Museo de Málaga (Fine Arts and Archeology museum) at the Palacio de la Aduana.

CAC Málaga (museum of modern art). The most visited museum in Andalusia.

Fundación Picasso and Picasso Birthplace Museum.

City museum (MUPAM).

Automobile Museum of Málaga.

Museum of Glass and Crystal.

Museo Interactivo de la Música (MIMMA).

Museum of Wine.

Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares (Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions).

Iglesia de San Juan (Gothic church).

Atarazanas Market.

San Felipe Neri Church.

Historic anglican Cemetery of St. George.

San Miguel Cemetery (neoclassical).

Plaza de Toros La Malagueta bullring.

Demographics

Foreign nationalities have been significantly rising in Málaga, especially British and German people who move for the pleasant climate. The majority of foreigners live by the coastline. An estimated 6 million tourists visit the city each year.

Politics and administration

Málaga is divided in 10 municipal districts.

style="width:20px; text-align:center;"	Nº	District	Nº	District	Location
style="text-align:center;"	1	style="text-align:center;"
	style="text-align:center;"
	style="text-align:center;"
	4		Bailén-Miraflores		9		Campanillas
	5		Palma-Palmilla		10		Puerto de la Torre

Economy

The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction and technology services, but other sectors such as transportation and logistics are beginning to expand. The Technology Park of Andalusia (Parque Tecnologico de Andalucia (PTA)), located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992 by H.M. the King of Spain. As of 2010, this high-tech, science and industrial park is home to 509 companies and employs over 14,500 people.

In line with the city's strategic plan, the campaign "Málaga: Open for Business" is directed towards the international promotion of the city on all levels but fundamentally on a business level. The campaign places a special emphasis on new technologies as well as innovation and investigation in order to promote the city as a reference and focal point for many global business initiatives and projects. Málaga is a city of commerce and tourism has a growing source of revenue, driven by the major airport and the improvement of communications and new infrastructure such as the AVE and the maritime station, and new cultural facilities such as the Picasso Museum, the Contemporary Art Center and Trade Fair and Congress, which have increased tourist arrivals.

The city hosts the international association of technology parks International Association of Science Parks (IASP) (es: ''Asociación Internacional de Parques Tecnológicos''), the project Málaga Valley e-27, which seeks to make the Silicon Valley Málaga Europe. It is remarkable the strength of the city in new technology industries, mainly located in the Technological Park of Andalusia, and the construction sector. The city is home to the largest bank in Andalusia, Unicaja and Málaga companies as ''Mayoral'', ''Charanga'', ''Sando'', ''Vera'', ''Ubago'', ''Isofoton'', ''Tedial'', ''Novasoft'', ''Grupo Vértice'' and ''Almeida viajes'', and other multinationals such as Fujitsu Spain, Pernod Ricard Spain, Accenture, Epcos, Oracle Corporation, Huawei or San Miguel.

Culture

Annual cultural events

The Holy Week celebration, the August Málaga Fair (''Feria de Málaga'') and the Málaga Film Festival are the three major events held in the city.

For more than 500 years, ''Holy Week of Málaga'' has been constantly present in the religious and popular feeling of people from Málaga. The Holy Week religious celebrations in Málaga are famous countrywide. Processions start on Palm Sunday and continue until Easter Sunday with the most dramatic and solemn on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Images from the Passion on huge ornate "tronos" (floats or thrones) some weighing more than 5.000 kilos and carried by more than 250 members of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza, shape the processions that go through the streets with penitents dressed in long purple robes, often with pointed hats, followed by women in black carrying candles. Drums and trumpets play solemn music and occasionally someone spontaneously sings a mournful saeta dedicated to the floats as it makes its way slowly round the streets. The Baroque taste of the religious brotherhoods and associations and the great amount of processional materials that they have been accumulating for centuries result in a street stage of exuberant art, full of color and majesty. Every year, the Passion Week in Málaga takes out to the streets a real festival perceptible by the five senses: processional thrones carrying images that are swung all along the entire route, thousands of penitents lighting and giving colour with their candles and robes, processional marches, as well as aromas of incense and flowers filling the air as the processions pass by and thousands of people crowded to see and applaud their favorite tronos. Holy Week in Málaga is very different to that celebrated in other Andalusian or Spanish places, as the Passion Week there is not always lived with meditation and silence, but it is full of happiness, noise, cheer, spontaneous saetas (flamenco verses sung at the processions) and applause as the images pass by. Some tronos (floats) of Holy Week of Málaga are so huge that they must be housed in other places different from the churches, as they are taller than the entrance doors; real walking chapels of over 5,000 kilos swung by dozens of bearers. There are also military parades playing processional marches or singing their anthems along the route. All of this does not imply a lack of religiosity, but it is just the particular way that people from Málaga live their faith and feeling during the Holy Week.

During the celebration of the ''Feria de Málaga'' in August, the streets are transformed into traditional symbols of Spanish culture and history, with sweet wine, tapas, and live flamenco shows. The day events consist of dancing, live music (like Flamenco or ''Verdiales'', traditional music from Málaga) and bullfights at ''La Malagueta'', while the night fair is moved to the Recinto Ferial, consisting of restaurants, clubs, and an entire fair ground with rides and games.

The Malaga Film Festival (''Festival de Málaga Cine Español-FMCE'') is the most important festival dedicated exclusively to cinema made in Spain. It is held annually, during a week of the month of April.

Religion

The most widespread religion in Málaga is the Roman Catholicism. Islam is also represented with the construction of a new mosque.

The Evangelicals also have a presence in Málaga. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is also a growing religion. The Jewish Community in Málaga is represented by its synagogue and the Jewish Association.

Sports

Málaga is home to three major professional sports teams. These include:

Málaga CF – football club plays in Primera División. Honours: UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002, UEFA Cup: 2003 (Quarter-finals).

CB Málaga – basketball club plays in SuperLiga ACB. Honours: Spanish Championship: 2006, runner-up: 1995, 2002; Spanish Cup: 2005, runner-up: 2009; Spanish Super-Cup: runner-up: 2006; Korać Cup: 2001, runner-up: 2000; Euroleague: third place: 2007

Club Atlético Málaga – women's football club plays in Superliga Femenina, Honours: Spain Cup: 1998, runner-up: 1997; Spain Supercup: 1999

The city has four large sports facilities:

Estadio La Rosaleda – football stadium, with a capacity of 28,963. One of the arenas of Primera División (for Málaga CF) and 1982 FIFA World Cup. Final of UEFA Intertoto Cup 2002.

Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena – sports arena, with a capacity of max 14,000. It is home of CB Málaga and arena of Spanish Cup 2001, 2007; Spanish Super-Cup 2004, 2006; NBA Europe Live Tour 2007;

Estadio de Atletismo Ciudad de Málaga – athletics stadium with a capacity of 7,500. Place where the European Cup 2006 was celebrated; 2006 Vuelta a España; Spain Athletics Championships 2005 and 2011;

Centro Acuático de Málaga (Málaga Aquatic Center) – water arena, with a capacity of 17,000. Arena of European Water Polo Championship 2008.

In city and neighbourhood, you can engage in many sports, for example: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, swimming, diving, skydiving, paragliding, running, cycling, rowing, tennis and golf.

Tourism

The city is an important tourist destination, known as ''the capital of the Costa del Sol''. Tourists usually visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the old town or the beaches. The Malaga harbour is also the second cruise port of the Iberian Peninsula.

A popular walk leads up the hill to the Gibralfaro castle (a Parador), offering views over the city. The castle is next to the Alcazaba, the old Muslim palace, which in turn is next to the inner city of Málaga. Other nearby attractions are the Roman Theatre, the old Jewish quarter, the Cathedral, and the Church of Santiago in mudéjar style. A walk takes the Paseo del Parque (a promenade that runs alongside a park with many palm trees and statues) to the harbour, finishing in Calle Larios, the main commercial street of the city. There is a curious museum: Museum of the Holy Week, which includes an impressive display of Baroque ecclesiastical.

Other events

The ''Fiesta Mayor de Verdiales'' takes place every year on 28 December during which Spain's April Fool Day is celebrated.

''Fiestas de Carnaval'' event takes prior to the holy 40 days of Lent every February. People dressed in traditional costumes join the festivities, which include Flamenco dancing, and a parade. One more highlight of this festival is the stalls selling traditional pottery and artifacts.

Transportation

Airport

The city is served by Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport, one of the first in Spain and the oldest still in operation. In 2008, it handled 12,813,472 passengers, making it the fourth busiest in Spain. It is the international airport of Andalusia accounting for 85 percent of its international traffic. The airport, connected to the Costa del Sol, has a daily link with twenty cities in Spain and over a hundred cities in Europe (mainly in United Kingdom, Central Europe and the Nordic countries but also the main cities of Eastern Europe: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Budapest, Sofia, Warsaw, Riga or Bucharest), North Africa, Middle East (Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait) and North America (New York, Toronto and Montreal).

Seaport

The Port of Málaga is the city's seaport, operating continuously at least since 600 BC. The port is one of the busiest ports on the Mediterranean Sea, with a trade volume of over 428,623 TEU's and 642,529 passenger in 2008.

High-speed train

Málaga's main rail station is María Zambrano station which is connected with Madrid and then Barcelona and France. On 24 December 2007, the high-speed train AVE came into service, reducing travel time to Madrid to just two and a half hours (see also Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line and Madrid–Seville high-speed rail line).

Roads and highways

The A45 road leads north to Antequera and Córdoba. The Autovía A-7 parallels the N-340 road, both leading to Cadiz to the west through the Costa del Sol Occidental and Barcelona to the east through the Costa del Sol Oriental.

Urban Bus

Empresa Malagueña de Transportes´ buses are the main form of transport around the city. Málaga's bus station is connected with the city by the bus line number 4, although it is only ten minutes walk to the Alameda from there.

Metropolitan Bus

Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium´s (Consorcio de Tranpsporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga) buses are the main form of transport around the city of Málaga and the villages of the Metropolitan Area.

Mass transit

The city has two commuter train lines Cercanías and a metro system is under construction.

People

Solomon ibn Gabirol (1021-1058), philosopher and poet.

Ruy López de Villalobos (1500-1544), explorer

Diego de Veintimiglia y Rodríguez de Santisteban (??-1706), ''Marquess of Cropani'', politician

Luis de Unzaga (1721–1790), politician

Rita Luna García (1770-1832), actress

Juan María Maury (1772-1845), poet

María Manuela Kirkpatrick (1794-1879), aristocrat

José de Salamanca (1811-1883), ''Marquess of Salamanca and Count of los Llanos'', businessman and politician

Jorge Enrique Loring y Oyarzábal (1822-1900), ''Marquess of the house Loring'', businessman and politician

Eduardo Huelin Reissig (1822-1891), industrial businessman

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (1828-1897), Prime Minister of Alfonso XII

Amalia Heredia y Livermore (1830-1902), collector and investigator

Manuel Domingo Larios y Larios (1836-1895), ''Marquess of Larios'', businessman

José Denis Belgrano (1844–1917), painter

José Moreno Carbonero (1858-1942), painter

Rafael Mitjana y Gordón (1869 -1921), composer

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), artist

Bernardo Giner de los Ríos (1888-1970), architect and politician

Ana María Delgado Briones (1890-1962), ''Maharaní of Kapurthala'', singer

Victoria Kent (1898-1987), lawyer and politician

Emilio Prados (1899-1962), poet

Manuel Altolaguirre (1905-1959), poet

Miguel de Molina (1908-1993), singer

Francisco Palma Burgos (1918-1985), artist

Antonio Molina (1928-1992), singer

María Victoria Atencia (1931 -), poet

Miguel Ortiz Berrocal (1933-2006), sculptor

Marisol (1948 -), singer and actress

Amparo Muñoz (1954-2011), Miss Universe 1974

José Luís Heredia, boxing

Antonio Banderas (1960 -), actor

Miguel Ángel Jiménez (1964 -), professional golfer

Carlos Álvarez (1966 -), baritone

Carlos García Hirschfeld, journalist

Antonio de la Torre (1968 -), actor.

María del Mar Rodríguez Carnero, ''La Mari'' (1975 -), singer

Juan García Postigo (1981 -), Mister World 2007

Pablo Alborán (1989 -), singer

Twin towns – Sister cities

Málaga is twinned with: Aqaba, Jordan Bergen, Norway El Aaiún, W.Sahara managed by Morocco Faro, Portugal Galveston, United States Manila, Philippines Mobile, AL, USA Melilla, Spain Passau, Germany Popayán, Colombia Tyre, Lebanon Zacatecas, Mexico

See also

Malaga (wine)

References

Sources

''The Alhambra from the Ninth Century to Yusuf I (1354)''. vol. 1. Saqi Books, 1997.

Guia Viva, Andalucia, Anaya Touring Club, April 2001.

External links

Málaga images

University of Málaga

Málaga Tourism

Montes de Málaga Natural Park Málaga.diwiki.org Periódico digital

Feria de Málaga 2010

Málaga Forum

Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium

Category:Málaga Category:8th-century BC establishments Category:Municipalities in Málaga Category:Málaga Province Category:Ancient cities Category:Phoenician colonies in Spain Category:Historic Jewish communities Category:Ancient Greek sites in Spain Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Spain Category:Ancient mints Category:Archaeological sites in Spain Category:Roman sites in Spain Category:Tourism in Spain Category:Populated coastal places in Spain

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Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
playername	Júlio Baptista
fullname	Júlio Cesar Baptista
dateofbirth	October 01, 1981
cityofbirth	São Paulo
countryofbirth	Brazil
height
currentclub	Málaga
clubnumber	19
position	Attacking midfielder / Forward
years1	2000–2003
years2	2003–2005
years3	2005–2008
years4	2006–2007
years5	2008–2011
years6	2011–
clubs1	São Paulo
clubs2	Sevilla
clubs3	Real Madrid
clubs4	→ Arsenal (loan)
clubs5	Roma
clubs6	Málaga
caps1	75
caps2	63
caps3	59
caps4	24
caps5	57
caps6	11
goals1	10
goals2	38
goals3	11
goals4	3
goals5	12
goals6	9
nationalyears1	2003
nationalyears2	2001–
nationalteam1	Brazil U20
nationalteam2	Brazil
nationalcaps1	5
nationalcaps2	47
nationalgoals1	3
nationalgoals2	5
pcupdate	10 May 2011
ntupdate	28 June 2010 }}

Júlio César Baptista (born 1 October 1981) is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga. Baptista is nicknamed "The Beast" due to his physique.

Baptista began his career as a defensive midfielder, and after a series of impressive performances for his home town squad São Paulo FC, Baptista signed for Sevilla FC in 2003. Upon signing for Sevilla, he was converted into a forward, and in his two seasons, he scored 50 goals, leading to his 2005 transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid. After two unsuccessful seasons at Real Madrid with a loan spell at Arsenal sandwiched in between, Baptista transferred to Roma in Italy. On 3 January 2011, Baptista completed a move to Spanish club Málaga, signing on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Club career

Sevilla

On 3 August 2003, Sevilla FC unveiled Baptista as their newest signing. He cost the Spanish club £1.75 million (US$3.75 million). Baptista made it clear he was confident that he would succeed in Spain. He donned the No.19 jersey and began playing as an attacking midfielder. Baptista settled in quickly, bagging a double in Sevilla's 4–0 victory over Racing de Santander. As the season progressed, his good form continued, including a double against Levante UD and once more hitting the back of the net against Racing de Santander, this time with four goals as Sevilla picked up a 5–2 victory at home.

His form attracted the attention of several big name clubs, but despite interest from English giants Arsenal, Baptista remained at Sevilla for the following season, in which he once more showed his worth registering 25 goals in all competitions.

Between 2003 and 2005, Baptista made 81 appearances in all competitions for Sevilla and scored 50 goals in total, a terrific return that began a summer of transfer rumours in which Real Madrid battled it out with Arsenal for his signature.

Real Madrid

On 25 July 2005, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of the long-time Arsenal target for a fee of £13.8 million (€20 million), rising to £16.9 million (€24.5 million); Baptista signed a five-year deal. Baptista said he had chosen to remain in Spain at least one more year, as transferring to Real Madrid would allow him to gain dual citizenship (in Spain as well as Brazil), which would enable him to travel across Europe freely. He also explained he did not want to move to England at this time. Upon his arrival at Real Madrid, Baptista was awarded the No.8 jersey.

The season looked very promising for Real Madrid; the big-money signings of Robinho from Santos FC, Baptista, and Sergio Ramos from Sevilla meant that Real Madrid were tipped to end their trophy drought. It was not to be, however. At Real, Baptista was often played out of position as a left-winger to accommodate the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Guti in the Spanish side's attacking line-up. For this reason, he was unable to find the form that led many of Europe's top clubs to sign him. He managed to score just eight league goals throughout the 2006 league campaign. The season ended in disappointment as Real Madrid yet again ended the season without a trophy.

Baptista insisted that Arsenal were still in pursuit of him, but he made it clear he wanted to fulfill his contract with Real Madrid.

Arsenal

At the end of August 2006, with the transfer window about to close, press reports linked him with a move to either or Arsenal, with the latter as part of a possible swap deal including José Antonio Reyes; Baptista himself had strenuously claimed that he was not interested in a move away from Real Madrid. On 31 August 2006, however, the day of the transfer deadline, Baptista moved to Arsenal in exchange for José Antonio Reyes, the deal involved the two players swapping clubs on 12 month loan deals. He scored his first goal for Arsenal against Hamburg in the Champions League on 21 November 2006.

Baptista struggled to score in the Premier League, managing just three goals in 24 league matches. Baptista, however, found scoring form in the League Cup, with six goals in the competition, including a club record four goals in Arsenal's quarter-final victory against on 9 January 2007, in a 6–3 win for Arsenal; beside his four goals, he also missed a penalty kick. Baptista also scored twice in Arsenal's semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur (having also scored an own goal at the other end), but they lost 2–1 to in the final.

In total, Baptista scored 10 goals in 35 appearances for Arsenal.

Return to Real Madrid

At the end of the 2006–07 season, he was no longer required by Arsenal and returned to Real Madrid, as the loan deal finished. After the appointment of Bernd Schuster as head coach of Madrid, Baptista played far more often and in his preferred central position.

Baptista scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Lazio. Baptista then proceeded to score his second league goal of the campaign, bagging a magnificent first half goal off a one-two pass from Ruud van Nistelrooy in ''El Clasico'' against FC Barcelona. His goal proved to be vital as it was the only goal in a game that finished 1–0. This was only the second time Real Madrid had beaten rivals Barcelona at the Camp Nou in 24 years.

During the season, Baptista continued his good form. This led to many praising his good performances as he continued to keep Guti on the bench. However, towards the end of the campaign, he lost his place in the squad, leading to another summer of speculation regarding his future.

Roma

Roma ended their search for another forward on 14 August, when they signed Baptista from Real Madrid. The Serie A club said in a statement that the 26-year-old had cost an initial €9 million plus bonuses and had penned a four-year deal worth €4.5million before tax and exclude bonuses.

Baptista made his debut for Roma in the Supercoppa Italiana on 25 August 2008, but the team lost to Internazionale on penalties. Baptista converted his penalty kick. On 1 October 2008, he scored his first Champions League goals for the club, scoring a double against Bordeaux to give his side a 3–1 victory. Baptista scored Roma's winning goal in the his first Rome derby against Lazio.

In the Champions League, Roma drew Baptista's former club, Arsenal. He played in both games, the first at the Emirates Stadium, a ground he used to call home, and the return leg at the Stadio Olimpico. In the return leg, Baptista came on as an early substitute, following the early injury to Roma's goalscorer Juan. Baptista had a couple of chances to give Roma the two goal advantage that would have sent them through to the quarter-final stage of the Champions League, most notably a chance in the 79th minute, where he missed from 10 yards out with just Manuel Almunia to beat. Roma lost 7–6 in the ensuing penalty shootout.

Málaga

On 3 January 2011, Málaga CF announced the signing of Júlio Baptista. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. On 14 January 2011, Roma announced that the transfer fee was €2.5 million. He made his debut for Málaga on 16 January 2011 in a 4–1 defeat at Barcelona. One week later, on 22 January, he scored his first goal in a thrilling 4–3 defeat at Valencia CF.

Baptista, however, was injured during the match between Málaga and Getafe CF (and scoring from penalty in a 2–2 draw) and was operated in Brazil couple of days later. He returned to action on 16 April 2011 by scoring twice in a 3–0 home win over RCD Mallorca, taking the team out of the relegation zone.

International career

Baptista has 46 caps with Brazil and has netted five goals. His first cap came on 4 June 2001 in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, a 0–0 draw against Japan. He also played a limited part in the 2005 edition of the competition.

As Baptista often played out of position at Real Madrid, his form dipped, and he was not included on the 2006 World Cup roster. However, Baptista was re-called to the Brazil squad for the Copa América 2007 and scored the opening goal in Brazil's 3–0 victory over Argentina in the final on 15 July 2007. Baptista ended the competition with three goals.

Honours

Real Madrid

La Liga:2007,2008

Brazil

Copa América: 2004, 2007

FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009

Arsenal

League Cup: Runner Up, 2007

Career statistics

|- |2000||rowspan="4"|São Paulo||rowspan="4"|Série A||14||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||14||0 |- |2001||25||4||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||25||4 |- |2002||21||3||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||21||3 |- |2003||15||3||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||15||3 |- |2003/04||rowspan="2"|Sevilla||rowspan="2"|La Liga||30||20||6||4||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||36||24 |- |2004/05||33||18||2||0||colspan="2"|-||8||5||43||23 |- |2005/06||Real Madrid||La Liga||32||8||6||1||colspan="2"|-||7||0||45||9 |- |2006/07||Arsenal||Premier League||24||3||4||0||3||6||4||1||35||10 |- |2007/08||Real Madrid||La Liga||27||3||1||0||colspan="2"|-||3||1||31||4 |- |2008/09||rowspan="3"|Roma||rowspan="3"|Serie A||27||9||2||0||colspan="2"|-||7||2||36||11 |- |2009/10||23||3||2||1||colspan="2"|-||0||0||25||4 |- |2010/11||7||0||||||||||1||0||8||0 |- |- |2010/11||Málaga||La Liga||11||9||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0||11||9 |- 75||10||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||75||10 133||58||15||5||colspan="2"|-||18||6||166||69 24||3||4||0||3||6||4||1||35||10 57||12||4||1||colspan="2"|-||8||2||69||15 289||83||23||6||3||6||30||9||345||104 |}

International statistics

:''As of 2 July 2010.

National team !! Club !! Season !! Apps !! Goals
rowspan="10" valign="center"	Brazil	rowspan="3" valign="center"	2001	2	0
2002	0
2003	5
rowspan="2" valign="center"	Sevilla	2003–2004	6
2004–2005	4
rowspan="1" valign="center"	Real Madrid	2005–2006	2
rowspan="1" valign="center"		2006–2007	8
rowspan="1" valign="center"	Real Madrid	2007–2008	9
rowspan="2" valign="center"	Roma	2008–2009	5
2009–2010	6
Total !! 47 !! 5

Tokyo, Japan 4 June 2001 4 June 2001 14 January 2003 16 January 2003 20 January 2003 22 January 2003 24 January 2003 13 July 2003 16 July 2003 19 July 2003 23 July 2003 27 July 2003 18 February 2004 28 April 2004 20 May 2004 25 May 2004 2 June 2004 6 June 2004 21 July 2004 8 September 2004 9 February 2005 22 June 2005 25 June 2005 17 August 2005 6 September 2005 9 October 2005 16 August 2006 3 September 2006 5 September 2006 1 July 2007 4 July 2007 7 July 2007 10 July 2007 15 July 2007 22 August 2007 9 September 2007 12 September 2007 14 October 2007 6 February 2008 26 March 2008 31 May 2008 15 June 2008 18 June 2008 10 September 2008 10 February 2009 29 March 2009 6 June 2009 18 June 2009 12 August 2009 9 September 2009 14 November 2009 17 November 2009 2 June 2010 25 June 2010

International appearances and goals
# !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Goal !! Competition
2001
	26 May 2001	|	Tokyo Verdy	2–0	1	Exhibition game>Unofficial friendly
1.	|	Ibaraki, Ibaraki>Ibaraki, Japan		0–0	0	2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
2.	|	Ulsan, South Korea		0–1	0	2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
2003
	|	Doha, Qatar		1–1	0	[[Exhibition game
	|	Doha, Qatar		2–0	0	[[Exhibition game
	|	Doha, Qatar		1–1	0	[[Exhibition game
	|	Doha, Qatar		3–2	2	[[Exhibition game
	|	Doha, Qatar		4–2	1	[[Exhibition game
3.	|	Mexico City, Mexico		0–1	0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4.	|	Mexico City, Mexico		2–1	0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
5.	|	Miami, United States		2–0	0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
6.	|	Miami, United States		2–1	0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
7.	|	Mexico City, Mexico		0–1	0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2003–2004
8.	|	Dublin, Ireland		0–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
9.	|	Budapest, Hungary		4–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
10.	|	Saint-Denis, France		0–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
	|	Barcelona, Spain	Catalonia national football team>Catalonia	5–2	2	Exhibition game>Unofficial friendly
11.	|	Belo Horizonte, Brazil		3–1	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.	|	Santiago, Chile>Santiago, Chile		1–1	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
13.	|	Lima, Peru		1–1	0	Copa América 2004
2004–2005
14.	|	Berlin, Germany		1–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
15.	|	Hong Kong, Hong Kong		7–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
16.	|	Cologne, Germany		2–2	0	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
17.	|	Nuremberg, Germany		3–2	0	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2005–2006
18.	|	Split (city)>Split, Croatia		1–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
	|	Seville, Spain	Sevilla FC	1–1	0	Exhibition game>Unofficial friendly
19.	|	La Paz, Bolivia		1–1	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2006–2007
20.	|	Oslo, Norway		1–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
21.	|	London, England		3–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
22.	|	London, England		2–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
23.	|	Maturín, Venezuela		3–0	0	Copa América 2007
24.	|	Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela		1–0	0	Copa América 2007
25.	|	Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela		6–1	1	Copa América 2007
26.	|	Maracaibo, Venezuela		2–2	1	Copa América 2007
27.	|	Maracaibo, Venezuela		3–0	1	Copa América 2007
2007–2008
28.	|	Montpellier, France		2–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
29.	|	Chicago, United States		4–2	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
30.	|	Boston, United States		3–1	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
31.	|	Bogotá, Colombia		0–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
32.	|	Dublin, Ireland		1–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
33.	|	London, England		1–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
34.	|	Seattle, United States		3–2	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
35.	|	Asunción, Paraguay		0–2	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
36.	|	Belo Horizonte, Brazil		0–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2008–2009
37.	|	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil		0–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
38.	|	London, England		2–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
39.	|	Quito, Ecuador		1–1	1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
40.	|	Montevideo, Uruguay		4–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
41.	|	Pretoria, South Africa		3–0	0	2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
2009–2010
42.	|	Tallinn, Estonia		1–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
43.	|	Salvador, Bahia>Salvador, Brazil		4–2	1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
44.	|	Doha, Qatar		1–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
45.	|	Muscat, Oman>Muscat, Oman		2–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
46.	|	Harare, Zimbabwe		3–0	0	Exhibition game>Friendly
47.	|	Durban, South Africa		0–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup

Quotations

"Technically, he brings the quality of a Brazilian player but he also brings his personality: he is very strong, very strong-willed. He is a winner, He can defend, he can attack and he can score goals and this is very important." – Dunga

References

External links

Profile – SambaFoot.com

{{navboxes colour |title=Brazil squad |bg= #FBEC5D |fg= #008000 |list1= |}}

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:2001 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup players Category:2004 Copa América players Category:2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2007 Copa América players Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:A.S. Roma players Category:Brazilian footballers Category:Brazilian people of Black African descent Category:Brazil international footballers Category:Brazilian expatriate footballers Category:Brazilian expatriates in Italy Category:Brazilian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Expatriate footballers in England Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Brazilian expatriates in Spain Category:FIFA Confederations Cup-winning players Category:Association football forwards Category:Association football midfielders Category:Association football utility players Category:Naturalised citizens of Spain Category:La Liga footballers Category:Málaga CF footballers Category:People from São Paulo (city) Category:Premier League players Category:Real Madrid C.F. players Category:São Paulo FC players Category:Serie A footballers Category:Sevilla FC footballers

ar:جوليو بابتيستا bn:হুলিও বাপতিস্তা be:Жуліё Баптыста be-x-old:Жуліё Баптыста bg:Жулио Баптища ca:Júlio César Clement Baptista da:Júlio Baptista de:Júlio Baptista es:Júlio Baptista fa:خولیو باپتیستا fr:Júlio César Baptista gl:Júlio Baptista ko:줄리우 바프티스타 hr:Júlio Baptista id:Júlio Baptista it:Júlio Baptista he:ז'וליו בפטיסטה la:Iulius Baptista hu:Júlio Baptista mr:हुलियो बाप्तिस्ता nl:Júlio Baptista ja:ジュリオ・バティスタ no:Júlio Baptista pl:Júlio Baptista pt:Júlio Baptista ro:Júlio Baptista ru:Жулио Баптиста simple:Júlio Baptista sr:Жулио Баптиста fi:Júlio Baptista sv:Júlio Baptista tr:Júlio Baptista zh:儒利奥·巴普蒂斯塔

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
playername	Kaká
fullname	Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
height
dateofbirth	April 22, 1982
cityofbirth	Brasília
countryofbirth	Brazil
currentclub	Real Madrid
clubnumber	8
position	Attacking midfielder
youthyears1	1994–2000
youthclubs1	São Paulo
years1	2001–2003
years2	2003–2009
years3	2009–
clubs1	São Paulo
clubs2	Milan
clubs3	Real Madrid
caps1	59
goals1	23
caps2	193
goals2	70
caps3	40
goals3	16
nationalyears1	2002–
nationalteam1	Brazil
nationalcaps1	82
nationalgoals1	27
pcupdate	19:41, 28 August 2011 (UTC)
ntupdate	2 July 2010 }}

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (; born 22 April 1982), commonly known as Kaká, is a Brazilian football midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club. At the time, he also played tennis, and it was not until he moved on to São Paulo FC and signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of fifteen that he chose to focus on football.

In 2003 he joined Milan for a fee of €8.5 million. While at Milan, Kaká won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007. After his success with Milan, Kaká joined Real Madrid for a world record fee of £56 million, smashing the previous record of Zidane, £49 million. Kaká's record was later broken by Cristiano Ronaldo when he joined Real Madrid for a fee of £80 million. In addition to his contributions on the pitch, Kaká is known for his humanitarian work. In 2004, by the time of his appointment, he became the youngest ambassador of the UN' World Food Programme.

Early life

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite was born in Brasília to Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite (a civil engineer) and Simone dos Santos (an elementary school teacher). He had a financially secure upbringing that allowed him to focus on both school and football at the same time. His younger brother Rodrigo (best known as Digão) and cousin Eduardo Delani are also professional footballers.

When he was seven, Kaká's family moved to São Paulo. His school had arranged him in a local youth club called ''"Alphaville,"'' who qualified to the final in a local tournament. There he was discovered by hometown club São Paulo FC, who offered an assignment.

At the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.

Club career

São Paulo

Kaká began his career with São Paulo at the age of eight. He signed a contract at fifteen and led the São Paulo youth squad to ''Copa de Juvenil'' glory. He made his senior side debut on 1 Feb 2001 and scored 12 goals in 27 appearances, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship, in which he scored two goals in two minutes as a substitute against Botafogo in the final, which São Paulo won 2–1.

He scored 10 goals in 22 matches the following season, and by this time his performance was soon attracting attention from European clubs. Kaká made a total of 58 appearances for São Paulo, scoring 23 times.

Milan

The steady European interest in Kaká culminated in his signing with Italian club AC Milan in 2003 for a fee of €8.5 million, described in retrospect as ''"peanuts"'' by club owner Silvio Berlusconi. Within a month, he cracked the starting lineup, and his Serie A debut was in a 2–0 win over Ancona. He scored 10 goals in 30 appearances that season, as Milan won the ''Scudetto'' and the UEFA Super Cup.

Kaká was a part of the five-man midfield in the 2004–05 season, usually playing in a withdrawn role behind striker Andriy Shevchenko. He scored seven goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up in the ''Scudetto'' race. Despite Milan losing the 2004–05 Champions League final to Liverpool on penalties, he was nonetheless was voted the best midfielder of the tournament.

2005–06 saw Kaká score his first hat-tricks in domestic competition. On 9 April 2006, he scored his first ''Rossoneri'' hat-trick against Chievo; all three goals were scored in the second half. The following season, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4–1 group stage win over the Belgian side Anderlecht.

Andriy Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea for the 2006–07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan's offense as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006–07 Champions League campaign with ten goals. One of them helped the ''Rossoneri'' eliminate Celtic in the quarter-finals on a 1–0 aggregate, and three others proved fatal for Manchester United in the semi-finals, despite Milan losing the first leg.

Kaká added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeated Liverpool on 23 May 2007. Though he went scoreless, he won a free kick that led to the first of Filippo Inzaghi's two goals, and provided the assist for the second. For his stellar play throughout the competition, he was voted the Vodafone Fans' Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 ''UEFA.com'' visitors. On 30 August, Kaká was named by UEFA as both the top forward of the 2006–07 Champions League season and UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.

He played his 200th career match with Milan in a 1–1 home draw with Catania on 30 September, and on 5 October, he was named the 2006–07 FIFPro World Player of the Year. On 2 December 2007, Kaká became the eighth Milan player to win the Ballon d'Or, as he finished with a decisive 444 votes, long ahead of runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo. He signed a contract extension through 2013 with Milan on 29 February 2008.

Due to his contributions on and off the pitch, ''Time'' magazine named Kaká in the Time 100, a list of the world's 100 most influential people, on 2 May. On 14 October, he cast his footprints into the Estádio do Maracanã's sidewalk of fame, in a section dedicated to the memory of the country's top players. He won the honor again in 2009.

BBC reported on 13 January 2009 that Manchester City made a bid for Kaká for over £100 million. Milan director Umberto Gandini replied that Milan would only discuss the matter if Kaká and Manchester City agreed to personal terms. Kaká initially responded by telling reporters he wanted to ''"grow old"'' at Milan and dreamed of captaining the club one day, but later said, ''"If Milan want to sell me, I’ll sit down and talk. I can say that as long as the club don’t want to sell me, I'll definitely stay."'' On 19 January, Silvio Berlusconi announced that Manchester City had officially ended their bid after a discussion between the clubs, and that Kaká would remain with Milan. Milan supporters had protested outside the club headquarters earlier that evening, and later chanted outside Kaká's home, where he saluted them by flashing his jersey outside a window.

Real Madrid

On 3 June 2009, ''Football Italia'' reported that newly-elected Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez had offered Milan a €68.5 million deal for Kaká, two days after the player had left for international duty with Brazil. Milan vice president Adriano Galliani did not deny the reports, and confirmed that he and Kaká's father, Bosco Leite, had traveled to Mexico to meet with ''La Volpe''. ''"We had lunch and spoke about Kaká. I don't deny it. Negotiations exist, but a deal has yet to be done."'' On 4 June, Galliani told ''Gazzetta dello Sport'' that financial reasons were his motive for the talks with ''La Volpe''. ''"We cannot allow [Milan] to lose €70 million [...] The reasons behind Kaká's departure would be economic."''

Kaká made his unofficial debut on 7 August 2009, in a 5–1 friendly victory against Toronto FC. He scored his first goal for Madrid during a pre-season match on 19 August 2009, in a 5–0 victory against Borussia Dortmund. Kaká later made his league debut on 29 August 2009 in a 3–2 win against Deportivo La Coruña. He scored his first goal, a penalty kick, on 23 September, in a 2–0 against Villarreal. On 5 August 2010, Real Madrid announced that Kaká had undergone a successful surgery on a long-standing left knee injury and would face up to four months on the sidelines. Kaká returned to training after a long lay-off and manager Jose Mourinho said that having Kaká back was like a new signing.

After an eight-month absence, Kaká returned to play by entering as a substitute for Karim Benzema on the 77th minute of a 3–2 victory over Getafe on 3 January 2011. He said he was "(...) happy for playing a game again and for stepping onto a pitch." His first league goal (and his first of the season) after his return from injury came with an assist from Cristiano Ronaldo on a 4–2 victory over Villareal on 9 January.

In March 2011 Kaká suffered from Iliotibial band syndrome which kept him sidelined for a few weeks. Kaka, after returning from injury, appeared in a convincing win over Valencia, scoring two goals.

International career

Kaká was called up for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, but the Brazilians crashed out to Ghana in the quarter-finals. Several months later, he made his debut for the senior Brazil squad in a friendly match against Bolivia on 31 January 2002. He was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, but played only 25 minutes, all of which were in the first round match against Costa Rica.

In 2003, Kaká was the captain for the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil, competing with their under-23 team, finished as runner-up to Mexico. He scored three goals during the tournament. He was included in Brazil's squad for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany. He appeared in all five matches and scored one goal in a 4–1 win over Argentina in the final.

Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and scored his first and only goal of the tournament in Brazil's 1–0 victory over Croatia in Brazil's opener, for which he was named Man of the Match. He was unable to keep up the momentum for the remainder of the tournament, as Brazil was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. In a friendly against rivals Argentina on 3 September 2006, after entering as a substitute, he received the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and outran Lionel Messi while taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score.

On 12 May 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League, and national team play, Kaká bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which Brazil won. After missing out on the Copa América, he returned to play in Brazil's friendly match against Algeria on 22 August 2007.

Kaká participated in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, marking his first international tournament since the 2006 World Cup. His only two goals came in Brazil's group stage opener against Egypt on 14 June, when he scored a goal in the fifth minute and then added a 90th-minute penalty in Brazil's 4–3 victory. He received the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup and was also named the Man of the Match in the final after helping Brazil to a 3–2 win against the United States.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, during the 20 June match against Côte d'Ivoire, Kaká received a red card after receiving two yellow cards. The second card was given for an elbow in the direction of Abdul Kader Keïta. Kaká was innocent in the incident leading to the second yellow card, ''The Telegraph'' called this "an innocuous off the-the-ball incident". Kaká ended the tournament with three assists in total, and Brazil eventually ended up losing 2–1 to the Netherlands.

Personal life

Kaká married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 at a Rebirth in Christ church in São Paulo. Their first child, Luca Celico Leite, was born in São Paulo on 10 June 2008. On 8 December 2010, Kaká announced Celico was pregnant with their second child, a daughter. She was born late at night on 23 April 2011 and named Isabella.

Kaká was sworn in as an Italian citizen on 12 February 2007. He features prominently in Adidas advertising and also has a modeling contract with Armani, the latter preventing him from appearing in a photo collection alongside his Milan teammates that was published by Dolce & Gabbana in early 2007.

Raí, the former Brazilian and São Paulo FC captain, has always been the footballing role model of Kaká.

Kaká's best friend is fellow Brazilian Marcelo Saragosa who plays as a midfielder for the team FC Absheron in Azerbaijan. They both served as best man at each other's wedding.

Kaká is a follower of the evangelical Rebirth in Christ Church and devout evangelical Christian. Kaká became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: ''"I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not."'' He removed his jersey to reveal an ''"I Belong to Jesus"'' t-shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Brazil's 2002 World Cup, and Milan's 2004 Scudetto and 2007 Champions League triumphs. He also had the same phrase, along with ''"God Is Faithful,"'' stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the postmatch celebration following Brazil's 4–1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates wore t-shirts that read ''"Jesus Loves You"'' in various languages.

Though sharing a common goal, Kaká is not currently a formal member of the organization ''Atletas de Cristo'' ("Athletes of Christ"). In goal celebrations he usually points to the sky as a gesture of thanks to God. Kaká's favourite music is gospel, and his favourite book is the Bible. Since November 2004, he has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN' World Food Programme, the youngest to do so at the time of his appointment.

On August 2010, EA Sports announceed that Kaká has been chosen for the cover of FIFA 11.

Kaká has a musical side to himself as he performed a song with his wife, Caroline, on her debut album. The song, entitled Presente de Deus, was written by Kaká himself for his wife and was resonated in the church during their wedding in 2005.

His nickname is pronounced as it is spelled, with stress on the second syllable (), and is a common term of endearment of "Ricardo" in Brazil. In Kaká's case, it was created by his younger brother Digão calling him ''"Caca"'' due to his inability to pronounce "Ricardo" when they were young; it eventually evolved into ''Kaká.''

Career statistics

Club

|- |2001||rowspan="3"|São Paulo||rowspan="3"|Série A||27||12||7||1||5||0||39||13 |- |2002||22||9||9||6||colspan="2" |—||31||15 |- |2003||10||2||5||0||colspan="2" |—||15||2 |- |2003–04||rowspan="6"|Milan||rowspan="6"|Serie A||30||10||4||0||10||4||44||14 |- |2004–05||36||7||1||0||13||2||50||9 |- |2005–06||35||14||2||0||12||5||49||19 |- |2006–07||31||8||2||0||15||10||48||18 |- |2007–08||30||15||0||0||9||3||39||18 |- |2008–09||31||16||1||0||4||0||36||16 |- |2009–10||rowspan="3"|Real Madrid||rowspan="3"|La Liga||25||8||1||0||7||1||33||9 |- |2010–11||14||7||3||0||3||0||20||7 |- |2011–12||1||1||1||0||0||0||2||1 59||23||21||7||5||0||85||30 193||70||10||0||63||24||266||94 40||16||4||0||10||1||55||17 292||109||36||7||78||25||406||141 ''Statistics accurate as of 28 August 2011.'' ¹Continental competitions include the Copa Libertadores, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Cup ²Other tournaments include the Supercoppa Italiana, Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup

_{Source: Realmadrid.com – Kaká}

International goals

Cuiabá, Brazil 19 July 2003 19 July 2003 23 July 2003 7 September 2003 11 October 2003 28 April 2004 10 October 2004 10 October 2004 27 March 2005 29 June 2005 10 November 2005 4 June 2006 13 June 2006 3 September 2006 10 October 2006 15 November 2006 24 March 2007 12 September 2007 17 October 2007 17 October 2007 18 November 2007 11 October 2008 6 June 2009 15 June 2009 15 June 2009 7 June 2010

# !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1.	7 March 2002	|		6–1	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
2.	|	Miami, FL>Miami, USA		2–0	Win	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup>CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003
3.	|	Miami, FL>Miami, USA		2–0	Win	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup>CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003
4.	|	Miami, FL>Miami, USA		2–1	Win	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup>CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003
5.	|	Barranquilla>Barranquilla, Colombia		1–2	Win	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006
6.	|	Curitiba, Brazil		3–3	Draw	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006
7.	|	Budapest, Hungary		1–4	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
8.	|	Maracaibo, Venezuela		2–5	Win	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006
9.	|	Maracaibo, Venezuela		2–5	Win	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006
10.	|	Goiânia>Goiânia, Brazil		1–0	Win	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006
11.	|	Frankfurt, Germany		4–1	Win	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup>FIFA Confederations Cup 2005
12.	|	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates		0–8	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
13.	|	Geneva, Switzerland		4–0	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
14.	|	Berlin, Germany		1–0	Win	FIFA World Cup 2006
15.	|	London, England		3–0	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
16.	|	Stockholm, Sweden		2–1	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
17.	|	Basel, Switzerland		1–2	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
18.	|	Göteborg, Sweden		4–0	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
19.	|	Foxborough, Massachusetts>Foxborough, USA		3–1	Win	Friendly match>Friendly
20.	|	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil		5–0	Win	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2010
21.	|	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil		5–0	Win	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2010
22.	|	Lima, Peru		1–1	Draw	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2010
23.	|	San Cristobal, Venezuela		4–0	Win	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2010
24.	|	Montevideo, Uruguay		4–0	Win	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)>FIFA World Cup Qualification 2010
25.	|	Bloemfontein, South Africa		4–3	Win	2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
26.	|	Bloemfontein, South Africa		4–3	Win	2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
27.	|	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania		1–5	Win	Friendly match>Friendly

Honours

Club

;São Paulo

Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 2001

Supercampeonato Paulista: 2002

Copa São Paulo de Juniores: 2000

;Milan

Serie A: 2003–04

Supercoppa Italiana: 2004

UEFA Champions League: 2006–07

UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007

FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

;Real Madrid

Copa del Rey: 2010–11

Country

FIFA World Cup: 2002

FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009

Individual

''Revista Placar Bola de Ouro'': 2002

''Campeonato Brasileiro Bola de Prata'' (best player by position): 2002

CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2003

Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2007

Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2007

UEFA Champions League Bronze Top scorer: 2005–06

UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder: 2005

UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2007,2009

FIFPro World XI: 2006, 2007, 2008

Pallone d'Argento: 2006–07

UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2006–07

UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 2006–07

UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2006–07

FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2007

Ballon d'Or: 2007

FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2007

Toyota Award: 2007

FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007

Onze d'Or: 2007

World Soccer Player of the Year: 2007

IFFHS World‘s Best Playmaker: 2007

IAAF Latin Sportsman of the Year: 2007

Time 100: 2008, 2009

Maracanã Hall Of Fame: 2008

Samba d'Or: 2008

FIFA Team of the Year: 2008

FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2009

FIFA Confederations Cup Best XI: 2009

Marca Leyenda: 2009

FIFA World Cup Top Assister : 2010

Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Man-of-the-Match

References

External links

Profile on Real Madrid official website

Kaka profile on SambaFoot

Career timeline, photo gallery and detailed statistics – Football Database

Tactical Profile – Football-Lineups.com

Category:Article Feedback Pilot Category:A.C. Milan players Category:Association football midfielders Category:Brazil international footballers Category:Brazilian expatriate footballers Category:Brazilian evangelicals Category:Brazilian footballers Category:European Footballer of the Year winners Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:FIFA Confederations Cup-winning players Category:FIFA World Cup-winning players Category:FIFA World Player of the Year winners Category:La Liga footballers Category:Living people Category:Italian people of Brazilian descent Category:Naturalised citizens of Italy Category:People from Brasília Category:Real Madrid C.F. players Category:São Paulo FC players Category:Serie A footballers Category:World Soccer Magazine World Player of the Year winners Category:1982 births Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players Category:2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup players Category:2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players

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Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
name	Diego Buonanotte
fullname	Diego Mario Buonanotte Rende
birth date	April 19, 1988
height
birthplace	Teodelina, Santa Fe, Argentina
currentclub	Málaga
clubnumber	20
position	Attacking midfielder / Winger
youthyears1	2001–2006
youthclubs1	River Plate
years1	2006–2011
clubs1	River Plate
caps1	99
goals1	25
years2	2011–
clubs2	Málaga
caps2	0
goals2	0
years3	2011
clubs3	→ River Plate (loan)
caps3	6
goals3	0
nationalyears1	2007–2008
nationalteam1	Argentina U20
nationalcaps1	5
nationalgoals1	4
nationalyears2	2008
nationalteam2	Argentina U23
nationalcaps2	1
nationalgoals2	1
medaltemplates	}}

| pcupdate = 12:42, 15 December 2010 (UTC) }}

Diego Mario Buonanotte Rende (born 19 April 1988), is an Argentine footballer who plays for Málaga CF, as a attacking midfielder or winger.

Club career

River Plate

The short attacking midfielder made his debut as a 17-year old on 9 April 2006, in the 3–1 win against Instituto. On 7 October 2007, only one week after his first game, he scored his first goal at senior level. Buonanotte was picked by coach Daniel Passarella to start in the derby against Boca Juniors. River Plate won 2–0, with Buonanotte playing a key role in the victory. He was named by World Soccer Magazine as one of the '50 most exciting teenagers in the world game'. Buonanotte was part of the 2008 Apertura winning team.

Málaga

On 21 January 2011 Buonanotte signed a five-year contract with Málaga CF, but he was loaned to River Plate until July 2011.

International career

Buonanotte was selected by Sergio Batista to be one of the 18 players to represent Argentina in the 2008 Olympics. He only played in the third group-stage game against Serbia, scoring from a long-range free-kick. He won the gold medal with his national team at that tournament.

Personal life

Car crash

In December 2009, Buonanotte was involved in a fatal car crash after he lost control of his car on an Argentine freeway. He was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries while three friends who were traveling with him in the car died at the scene of the crash. The footballer was driving his father's Peugeot 307 back from a night out when he veered off the 65th highway and collided with a tree. The accident occurred about 15 km outside Clementina, Santa Fe. Another car carrying more friends of Buonanotte also arrived on the scene of the accident afterwards eager to find out what had happened. The footballer is said to have been conscious when he was pulled from the wreckage but had sustained serious injuries.

Eduardo Allegrini, director of the hospital where Buonanotte was taken after the crash, said "(Buonanotte) has fractured his right humerus, right clavicle and has bruised his right lung". Allegrini clarified that the River player's condition was stable but he remained in intensive care under observation. Guillermo Fernández, a firefighter who helped pull Buonanotte from the crash site said: "Diego told us he lost control of the car".

Back to the pitch

It was initially thought that Buonanotte's convalescence would require up to seven months for complete recovery, but he was able to return to the pitch on 17 April 2010, when he replaced Diego Barrado in the second half of a match against Godoy Cruz. River won 2-1 at home. On 30 April, he scored for the first time since his accident, clinching a 2-1 victory against Vélez Sársfield at the Monumental.

Achievements

Club

;River Plate

Primera División: 1

:: 2008 Clausura

National team

;Argentina U-23

Summer Olympics Gold Medal: 1

:: 2008

References

External links

Argentine Primera statistics at Futbol XXI

Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:People from Santa Fe Province Category:Argentine people of Italian descent Category:Primera División Argentina players Category:Association football midfielders Category:Argentine footballers Category:Argentine expatriate footballers Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Málaga CF footballers Category:River Plate footballers Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic footballers of Argentina Category:Olympic gold medalists for Argentina Category:Olympic medalists in football

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