Rivaldo

Sunday, 16 December 2012

Rivaldo Hat Trick Barcelona x Valencia 2001

Rivaldo - All his 34 goals in 74 appearances for Brazil

Rivaldo - Goals and Skills - 2012 (Kabuscorp)

FC Barcelona - Barça Legends: Rivaldo (1st half)

Nitin Gupta (Rivaldo) - Professor in Love

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Austria
Austria (ⁱ/ˈɒstriə/ or /ˈɔːstriə/; German: Österreich [ˈøːstɐˌʁaɪç] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich (help·info)), is a landlocked country of roughly 8.47 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres (32,377 sq mi) and has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speak local Austro-Bavarian dialects of German as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other local official languages are Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene.
The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe and, in response to the coronation of Napoleon I as the Emperor of the French, the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary.

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Bauru
Coordinates: 22°18′53″S 49°03′38″W / 22.31472°S 49.06056°W / -22.31472; -49.06056 Bauru is a Brazilian city and municipality in midwestern region of the state of São Paulo. It is also the capital of the micro-region of Bauru. The population in 2010 is 344 039, the area of the municipality is 675.2 km² and the population density is 464.56/km². Established in 1896, its boundaries are Reginópolis to the north, Arealva to the northeast, Pederneiras to the east, Agudos and Piratininga to the south and Avaí to the west.
The presence of a strong service sector, many college campuses - including the University of São Paulo and Universidade Estadual Paulista - and the city's location at the junction of three railroads and three highways make Bauru a major urban center of the State of São Paulo.
It is the hometown of Marcos César Pontes, the first Brazilian in space. It is also the town where Pelé grew up and learned his football (soccer) skills.
The city is served by two airports: the older Bauru Airport, and the newer Bauru-Arealva Airport, officially known as Moussa Nakhl Tobias Airport, located in the adjoining municipality of Arealva.

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Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˌbɛloɾiˈzõtʃi],Beautiful Horizon) is the capital and largest city in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of the country. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country. Belo Horizonte (also known as "Belô", "Beagá", or "BH") has a population of 2,475,440 inhabitants (2010) in the city and 5,497,922 people in the official Metropolitan Area (2010).
The region was first settled in the early 18th century, but the city as it is known today was planned and constructed in the 1890s, in order to replace Ouro Preto as the capital of Minas Gerais. The city features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings, and is home to several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. In planning the city, Aarão Reis and Francisco Bicalho sought inspiration in the urban planning of Washington, D.C. The city has employed notable programs in urban revitalization and food security, for which it has been awarded international accolades.

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Brazil
Brazil ⁱ/brəˈzɪl/ (Portuguese: Brasil, IPA: [bɾaˈziw]), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: República Federativa do Brasil, listen (help·info)), is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 km (4,655 mi). It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French overseas region of French Guiana; on the northwest by Colombia; on the west by Bolivia and Peru; on the southwest by Argentina and Paraguay and on the south by Uruguay. Numerous archipelagos form part of Brazilian territory, such as Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, and Trindade and Martim Vaz. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile.
Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until 1815, when it was elevated to the rank of kingdom and the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was formed. The colonial bond was in fact broken in 1808, when the capital of the Portuguese colonial empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, after Napoleon invaded Portugal.Independence was achieved in 1822 with the formation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system. The country became a presidential republic in 1889, when a military coup d'état proclaimed the Republic, although the bicameral legislature, now called Congress, dates back to the ratification of the first constitution in 1824. Its current Constitution, formulated in 1988, defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal District, the 26 States, and the 5,564 Municipalities.

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Curitiba
Curitiba (Tupi: "Pine Nut Land", Portuguese pronunciation: [kuɾiˈtibɐ] or [kuɾiˈtʃibɐ]) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. The city's population numbers approximately 1.75 million people, making it the 8th most populous in the country, and the largest in the Brazil's South Region. Its metropolitan area, called Curitiba Metropolitan Area (Região Metropolitana de Curitiba, in Portuguese), comprises 26 municipalities with a total population of over 3.2 million (IBGE estimate in 2010), the seventh most populous in the country.
Curitiba is an important cultural, political and economic centre in the country and in Latin America. The city sits on a plateau at 932 metres (3,058 ft) above sea level. It is located 105 kilometres (65 mi) west of the sea port of Paranaguá and is served by the Afonso Pena International and Bacacheri airports. The city hosts the Federal University of Paraná, established in 1912, one year before electric streetcars were first deployed.
Curitiba's rapid expansion was based on the cattle trade, the city being located half-way between the cattle breeding country to the south and the markets to the north. Waves of European immigrants started arriving after 1850, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles and Ukrainians, contributing to the economic and cultural development of the city. Nowadays, only smaller numbers of foreign immigrants arrive, mainly from Middle Eastern and others Latin American countries, but there is a substantial inward flow of Brazilians from other states of the country (approximately half the population of Curitiba was not born in the city).

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Greece
Greece ⁱ/ˈɡriːs/ (Greek: Ελλάδα, Ellada, IPA: [eˈlaða] ( listen) historically in Katharevousa and Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellas, IPA: [eˈlas] and [helːás] respectively), officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Elliniki Dimokratia, IPA: [eliniˈci ðimokraˈtia]), is a country in Southern Europe, politically considered part of Western Europe.Athens is the capital and the largest city in the country (its urban area also including Piraeus). The population of the country is around 11 million.
Greece has land borders with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring a vast number of islands (approximately 1,400, of which 227 are inhabited), including Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Ionian Islands among others. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest at 2,917 m (9,570 ft).

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Italy
Italy ⁱ/ˈɪtəli/ (Italian: Italia [iˈtaːlja]), officially the Italian Republic or the Republic of Italy (Italian: Repubblica italiana), is a unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe. To the north, it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. To the south, it consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia–the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea–and many other smaller islands. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, while Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers some 301,338 km² (116,347 sq mi) and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.6 million inhabitants, it is the fifth most populous country in Europe, and the 23rd most populous in the world.
Rome, the capital of Italy, was for centuries a political and religious centre of Western civilisation as the capital of the Roman Empire and site of the Holy See. After the decline of the Roman Empire, Italy endured numerous invasions by foreign peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Byzantines and later, the Normans, among others. Centuries later, Italy became the birthplace of Maritime republics and the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of European thought.

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Kobe
Kobe (神戸市, Kōbe-shi^?, Japanese pronunciation: [koːbe]), is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately 30 km (19 mi) west of Osaka. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the Keihanshin (Keihanshin) metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.
The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine by Empress Jingū in AD 201. For most of its history the area was never a single political entity, even during the Tokugawa Period, when the port was controlled directly by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Its name comes from "kanbe" (神戸^?), an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. Kobe became one of Japan's 17 designated cities in 1956.
Kobe was one of the cities to open for trade with the West following the end of the policy of seclusion and has since been known as a cosmopolitan port city. While the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth busiest container port. Companies headquartered in Kobe include ASICS, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Kobe Steel, as well as over 100 international corporations with Asia or Japan headquarters in the city such as Procter & Gamble, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Nestlé. The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, Arima Onsen.

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Korea Republic
South Korea ( listen), officially the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Hanja: 大韓民國; Daehan Minguk listen), is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages (an initial "G" in Korean is pronounced like an English "K").
Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of almost 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9,794,304.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period.Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when it was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy, though political turmoil and times of military rule and martial law characterized much of the period until the foundation of the Sixth Republic in 1987.

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Munsu Cup Stadium
Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, nicknamed Big Crown Stadium, is a stadium in Ulsan in South Korea. It is home to the Ulsan Hyundai FC.
The stadium was built from 18 December 1998 to 28 April 2001 and its total cost was 151.4 billion won (US$116.5 million).
Located in a major industrial city, the Ulsan Munsu football Stadium contains both mechanical and environment-friendly imagery. The overall shape of the stadium is in the shape of skull crown that symbolizes Silla and Bangudae Petroglyphs. The stadium has three floors and 2 basement floors and a seating capacity of 44,466. There is also an auxiliary stadium with 2,590 seats. Next to the stadium is Munsu Park with a lake, a fountain and bicycle courses. It replaced Ulsan Complex Stadium.
Coordinates: 35°32′07″N 129°15′34″E / 35.53528°N 129.25944°E / 35.53528; 129.25944

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Paulista
Paulista is a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, with a population of 303,404 as of 2011. It has the highest HDI of the Recife metropolitan area. It is the birthplace of footballer Rivaldo, and is also famous for its beaches, including Maria Farinha with the giant Veneza water park. It was incorporated as city in 1935.
The land on which the city is built was sold to a bandeirante from São Paulo in 1689, whence the city's name.
The main economic activities in Paulista are based in commerce, tourism and textile industry.
Economy by Sector

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Poland
Poland ⁱ/ˈpoʊlənd/ (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska; Kashubian: Pòlskô Repùblika; Silesian: Polsko Republika), is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres (120,726 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38 million people, which makes it the 34th most populous country in the world and the sixth most populous member of the European Union, being its most populous post-communist member. Poland is a unitary state made up of 16 voivodeships. Poland is a member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Economic Area, International Energy Agency, Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International Atomic Energy Agency, G6, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Visegrád Group, Weimar Triangle and Schengen Agreement.

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Recife
Recife (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁeˈsifi] ( listen), Reef) is the fifth-largestmetropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper was 1,536,934 in 2010.
Recife is located where the Beberibe River meets the Capibaribe River to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. It is a major port on the Atlantic Ocean. Its name is an allusion to the coral reefs that are present by the city's shores. The many rivers, small islands and over 50 bridges found in Recife city center characterize its geography and gives it the moniker of the "Brazilian Venice."
The Metropolitan Region of Recife is the main industrial zone of the State of Pernambuco; most relevant products are those derived from cane (sugar and ethanol), electronics, food, and others; thanks to the fiscal incentives of government, many industrial enterprises were started in the 1970s and 1980s. Recife has a tradition of being the most important commercial center of the North/Northeastern region of Brazil with more than 52,500 business enterprises in Recife itself plus 32,500 in the Metro Area which totals more than 85,000.

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Rosenborg BK
Rosenborg Ballklub (RBK) is a Norwegian professional football club from Trondheim that play in the Norwegian Premier League. Rosenborg is Norway's most successful team, having won 22 league titles, nine Norwegian Football Cup titles and played more UEFA matches than any other Norwegian team. RBK plays its home games at the all-seater Lerkendal Stadion with capacity for 21,116. Jan Jönsson has been manager since 2011.
The club was founded as Odd in 1917, but where not allowed to play amateur league matches until 1928, when they took the present name. They reached the League of Norway in 1937–38, but fell to lower divisions from the 1940s. The club moved to Lerkendal in 1957 and their first title was the 1960 Cup, resulting in the first participation in a UEFA tournament. It was first during the 1960s that RBK established itself as Trondheim's primary football team. From 1967, RBK qualified for the lop league, where they, except for 1978, have remained since. Three league titles were taken between 1967 and 1971. The team's golden era started with the 1985 league title, and from 1991 through 2004 the team won 13 consecutive titles, 10 under manager Nils Arne Eggen. The period also saw 12 participation in the group stage of Champions League and reaching the quarter-finals in 1996–97.

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Seogwipo
Coordinates: 33°15′10″N 126°33′40″E / 33.252816°N 126.561123°E / 33.252816; 126.561123
Seogwipo is a city in Jeju Province, South Korea with population of 155,691 as of December 31, 2011. In July, 2006, Seogwipo city was expanded to include the entire southern half of Jeju island. In 2002, it was one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup. Total budget in 2012 is reported to be KRW 524.6 billion. As one of the World Heritages by UNESCO, it has huge potential to be developed in the third industries including travel one.

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South Korea
South Korea ( listen), officially the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Hanja: 大韓民國; Daehan Minguk listen), is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages (an initial "G" in Korean is pronounced like an English "K").
Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of almost 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9,794,304.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period.Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when it was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy, though political turmoil and times of military rule and martial law characterized much of the period until the foundation of the Sixth Republic in 1987.

wn.com/South_Korea
Spain
Spain (ⁱ/ˈspeɪn/ SPAYN; Spanish: España, pronounced: [esˈpaɲa] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a sovereign state and a member of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north and north east by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.
Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. With an area of 504,030 square kilometres (194,610 sq mi), it is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France, and the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France.

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Suwon
Suwon (Suwon-si; Korean pronunciation: [suwʌn]) is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety".
Suwon has existed in various forms throughout Korea's history, growing from a small settlement in tribal times to a major industrial and cultural city today. Suwon is the only remaining completely walled city in South Korea. As such, the city walls are one of the more popular tourist destinations in Gyeonggi Province. As an industrial centre, Suwon houses a large Samsung Electronics factory. Suwon is served by two motorways, the national railway network and the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, facilitating transport of commuters, tourists and goods alike.
Suwon is a major educational centre, being home to 14 university campuses. This, along with widespread transport links, draws inhabitants from across the country and foreign population of 1.85%.

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São Paulo
São Paulo (/ˌsaʊ ˈpaʊloʊ/; Portuguese pronunciation: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu] ( listen); Saint Paul;), popularly known as Sampa, is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and Americas, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among the five largest metropolitan areas on the planet. São Paulo is the capital of the state of São Paulo, which is the most populous Brazilian state, and exerts strong regional influence in commerce and finance as well as arts and entertainment. São Paulo maintains strong international influence and is considered an Alpha- World City. The name of the city honors Saint Paul.
The metropolis has significant cultural, economic and political influence both nationally and internationally. It houses several important monuments, parks and museums such as the Latin American Memorial, the Museum of the Portuguese Language, São Paulo Museum of Art and the Ibirapuera Park. The Paulista Avenue is the most important financial center of São Paulo. The city holds many high profile events, like the São Paulo Art Biennial, the Brazil Grand Prix Formula 1 Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Fashion Week, ATP Brasil Open, and the São Paulo Indy 300.

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Tehran
Tehran ( pronunciation (help·info)) (Persian: تهران‎ Tehrān; pronounced [tehˈɾɒːn]), sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, the largest city in Western Asia, one of the largest in Southern Asia, and the 19th-largest city globally.
In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to mass-migration of people from all around Iran. The city is home to many historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples. Contemporary Tehran is a modern city featuring many structures, of which the Azadi (Freedom) Tower and the Milad Tower have come to be symbols of Tehran itself. In 2008 Tehran was the least expensive capital in the world and the second-least expensive city globally based on the cost-of-living index presenting the best value for money in the world. Globally it stands 19th by city population, 56th by the size of its GDP and 29th by the population of its metropolitan area. Throughout Iran's history, the capital city has been relocated many times, with Tehran being the 32nd national capital of Iran. Persian is the city's native tongue, with roughly 98% of the population able to speak and understand it. The majority of people in Tehran identify themselves as Persians. In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times, Tehran was called Ray (which in the Avesta occurs in the form of Ragha)^{[citation needed]}.

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Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη [θesaloˈnici] ( listen)), also known as Thessalonica ( /ˌθɛsəlɵˈnaɪkə/) and historically known as Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its honorific title is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévusa), literally "co-capital", and stands as a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa), "co-reigning" city of the Byzantine Empire, alongside Constantinople.
According to the 2011 census the municipality of Thessaloniki today has a population of 322,240, while the Thessaloniki Urban Area (the contiguous built up area forming the "City of Thessaloniki") has a population of 790,824; making it the fifth largest and most populated city in the Balkans and the second most populated city that is not a capital. Furthermore, the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area extends over an area of 1,455.62 km² (562.02 sq mi) and its population in 2011 reached a total of 1,006,730 inhabitants.

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Ulsan
Ulsan (Korean pronunciation: [ul.s͈an]), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east.
Ulsan is the industrial powerhouse of South Korea, forming the heart of the Ulsan Industrial District, which is home to the world's largest automobile assembly plant operated by the Hyundai Motor Company, the world's largest shipyard operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the world's largest^{[citation needed]}oil refinery, owned by SK Energy. In 2008, Ulsan had a GDP per capita of $63,817, the highest by far in South Korea.
Ulsan is divided into 4 gu (districts) and 1 gun (county).
Ulsan is bounded on the east by the Sea of Japan. It is not far from Busan, at only 70 km to the south.
Ulsan has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa/Cwa), with somewhat cold but dry winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly means range from 2.0 °C (35.6 °F) in January to 25.9 °C (78.6 °F) in August, with diurnal temperature ranges generally low. Its location on the Korean peninsula results in a seasonal lag, with the warmest days being in August and averaging very near 30 °C (86 °F). Precipitation is relatively low in the winter months, but is made up by the high rainfall falling from April to September.

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Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan ⁱ/ʊzˌbɛkɨˈstɑːn/, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi, Ўзбекистон Республикаси) is the only doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of only two such countries worldwide. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Before 1991, it was part of the Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia.
Once part of the Persian Samanid and later Timurid empires, the region was conquered in the early 16th century by Uzbek nomads, who spoke an Eastern Turkic language. Most of Uzbekistan’s population today belong to the Uzbek ethnic group and speak the Uzbek language, one of the family of Turkic languages.
Uzbekistan was incorporated into the Russian Empire in the 19th century, and in 1924 became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, known as the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR). It became independent on 31 August 1991 (officially, from the following day).

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Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL (born 13 August 1970) is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team. He is considered by some as one of England's best strikers, being both Newcastle's and the Premier League's record goalscorer. After retiring as a player in 2006, Shearer worked as a television pundit for the BBC. In 2009 he briefly left his BBC role to become Newcastle United's manager in the last eight games of their 2008–09 season, in an unsuccessful attempt to save them from relegation.
A native of Newcastle upon Tyne, Shearer made his professional debut with English top-flight club Southampton in 1988, scoring a hat-trick in the process. During several years on the south coast, he became known for his classic style of play, strength and goalscoring ability; he soon received an international call-up along with a transfer to Blackburn Rovers in 1992. Shearer established himself as a player in northern England; he became a regular in the England squad, and his 34-goal tally helped Blackburn secure the Premier League title in 1994–95. He was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1994 and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995. The 1995–96 season saw Shearer make his first Champions League appearances and finish as the top scorer in the Premier League with 31 goals. He was also top scorer at Euro 1996 with England, scoring five goals, and in the 1996–97 Premier League, with 25 goals. He scored 283 league goals in his career, including a record 260 in the Premier League, and a total of 422 in all competitions including international at all levels. Shearer has amassed a goals to game ratio of 0.667 throughout his career at every level.

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Aldair
Aldair, full name Aldair Nascimento dos Santos (born November 30, 1965 in Ilhéus) is a retired Brazilian footballer who was part of the Brazilian national team that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
He spent the most part of his career at Italian club A.S. Roma, who retired his No.6 jersey number when he left the team in 2003.
Aldair started playing at Flamengo where he won the most important title in Brazil, the Campeonato Brasileiro. He moved to Europe in 1989, playing with Benfica and then AS Roma, staying there until 2003 and playing over 400 Serie A matches with the club, which retired his shirt number, 6. He then briefly joined Genoa CFC. On July 2005, Aldair announced plans of playing for Rio Branco Atlético Clube, and play two games, in the estadual championship. Rio Branco was champion in this championship.
In 1994, he reached the pinnacle of his career when he played for the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 1998 finals. In total, he appeared 81 times for Brazil, scoring three goals.

wn.com/Aldair
Alessandro Del Piero
Alessandro Del Piero (Italian pronunciation: [alesˈsandro del ˈpjɛːro]) Ufficiale OMRI (born 9 November 1974 in Conegliano, Veneto) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Juventus. He will be a free agent from 30 June 2012. Del Piero was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations. Del Piero was also voted in the list of best European players for the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. In the year 2000, Del Piero was the world's best-paid football player from salary, bonuses, and advertising revenue.
Along with three awards in Italy for gentlemanly conduct he has also won the Golden Foot award, which pertains to personality and playing ability.http://www.channel4. May com/sport/football_italia/sep3q.html Del Piero usually plays as a supporting-striker and occasionally between the midfield and the strikers, known in Italy as the "trequartista" position. Del Piero's playing style is regarded by critics as creative in attacking, assisting many goals as well as scoring himself, as opposed to just "goal poaching." His free-kick and penalty taking is also highly regarded. Del Piero has become famous over the years for scoring from a special "Del Piero Zone"("Gol alla Del Piero"), approaching from the left flank and curling a precise lob into the far top corner of the goal.

wn.com/Alessandro_Del_Piero
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen (born 15 December 1952) is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup Winners' Cup. Allan Simonsen is the only footballer to have scored in the European Cup, UEFA Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup finals, and he was named 1977 European Footballer of the Year.
For the Denmark national football team, Simonsen was capped 55 times, scoring 20 goals. He represented Denmark at the 1972 Summer Olympics, 1984 European Championship and 1986 World Cup tournaments. He was voted into the Danish Football Hall of Fame in November 2008.
Born in Vejle, Simonsen started playing football with Vejle FC, before he joined the youth team of local top-flight club Vejle BK (VB) in 1963. He made his senior debut for VB on 24 March 1971 in a 3–1 home win against Karlskoga FF. He won the 1971 and 1972 Danish championship with the club, as well as the 1972 Danish Cup to complete The Double. Following an impressive three goals in six matches at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Simonsen moved to Germany to play professionally for defending German Bundesliga champions Borussia Mönchengladbach.

wn.com/Allan_Simonsen
Ally McCoist
Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist, MBE (/məˈkɔɪst/); 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the manager of Rangers in Scotland.
McCoist began his career with St Johnstone before moving to Sunderland in 1981. He returned to Scotland two years later and signed with Rangers. At Rangers, McCoist became the club's record goalscorer, netting 355 goals. In addition to this McCoist holds the Rangers records for number of league goals scored, number of Scottish League Cup goals scored and the most goals scored by a player in European competitions with 251, 54 and 21 respectively. McCoist is also third in the all-time appearance table for Rangers, having made 581 appearances for the club.
He is second in the Scottish top tier league's all time leading goalscorer having netted 282 times for St. Johnstone, Rangers and Kilmarnock between 1979 and 2001.
Largely thanks to his career at Rangers, McCoist was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He is also a member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame, having gained 61 international caps.

wn.com/Ally_McCoist
André Cruz
André Alves da Cruz, (born September 20, 1968 in Piracicaba) is a retired footballer from Brazil. He played central defender with Flamengo, A.C. Milan, Standard Liège, Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Brazilian national team. He played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
André Cruz had 47 caps (12 non-official) with the Brazilian national team. He was a member of the Football World Cup 1998 squad.

wn.com/André_Cruz
André Luiz Moreira
André Luiz Moreira (born November 14, 1974 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian footballer who most recently played for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.
André Luiz began his career in 1993, and played in Brazil for clubs including São Paulo, Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Fluminense. He relocated to Europe 2001 and subsequently played in Spain for Tenerife, and in France for Olympique de Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain FC and AC Ajaccio.
He won the CONMEBOL Supercup, Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1993, two Recopa in 1993 and 1994, and São Paulo State Championship in 1997.
André Luiz signed with San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer on July 31, 2009. He stayed with the club through the 2011 season. At season's end, San Jose declined his 2012 contract option and he entered the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Luiz was not selected in the draft and became a free agent.
André Luiz has played 19 matches and scored two goals for the Brazilian team. He won bronze medal at 1996 Summer Olympics.

wn.com/André_Luiz_Moreira
Antal Dunai
Antal Dunai, also known as Dunai II (Gara, 21 March 1943) is a former Hungarian footballer. He became a first division player at Pécsi Dózsa, but he spent the majority of his career at Újpesti Dózsa from 1965 to 1977, when he moved to Debreceni VSC. He played 31 games and scored 9 goals for the Hungary national football team. He is most famous for his participation in the gold medal winning Hungarian team on the 1968, and silver medal winning national team on the 1972 Olympics. On both tournaments he finished second top scorer. He was also a member of the Hungarian UEFA Euro 1972 team.
Dunai, being a powerful striker, won the Silver boot for being the second highest scoring player in Europe in 1968 (however in 1967, before the introduction of the award he was the unofficial top scorer of Europe). He also won the Bronze boot in 1969.
At the end of his career he became a coach at Xerez CD, Real Betis, CD Castellón, Zalaegerszegi TE, Real Murcia, Levante UD,Veszprémi LC, Debreceni VSC and the Hungarian Olympic National team.

wn.com/Antal_Dunai
Antonis Antoniadis
Antonis Antoniadis (Greek: Αντώνης Αντωνιάδης, born 1945) is one of the great goal scorers of Greek and European football in the post-war era, scoring about 187 goals in a career which spanned 22 years. He started his career playing for Xanthi before moving on to Panathinaikos. Antoniadis scored his first official goal for Panathinaikos on 27 October 1968 in a 1–0 victory over Apollon Athens. When he was playing in Xanthi, he was a goalkeeper because of his height. His nickname is "The Tall".
Antoniadis scored 187 goals in 242 matches in the Greek Championship, and was top scorer five times: 1970 (25 goals), 1972 (39 – second in Europe), 1973 (22), 1974 (26) and 1975 (20). In 1971 when Panathinaikos reached the European Cup Final at Wembley, Antoniadis was the leading scorer in the tournament with 10 goals.
During the summer of 1978 he was transferred to Olympiakos where he stayed for one season, playing in 13 games and scoring 7 goals. He later went on to play for Atromitos Athens. In 1980 before he retired and became president of PSAP he went full circle and returned to Panathinaikos. Antoniadis was a very accomplished header of the ball and possessed a strong shot. He made 21 appearances and scored 6 goals for the Greek national team between 1970 and 1977. He is the vice-president of the football team of Panathinaikos since the summer of 2008.

wn.com/Antonis_Antoniadis
Antônio Carlos Zago
Antônio Carlos Zago, widely known as "Antônio Carlos" or "A.C.Zago", (born March 14, 1969 in Presidente Prudente) is a former Brazilian footballer and current coach.
Born in Presidente Prudente, a city of the state of São Paulo, also having Italian origins, began professional football in São Paulo FC, where he remained for three years and then signed to Albacete Balompié, Spain, where he stayed for only one season. He returned to his homeland, this time to Palmeiras, another team of São Paulo and a rival to his previous Brazilian team. After three years emigrated again, this time in Japan, Kashiwa Reysol, where once again remained for only one year before returning to play again in São Paulo, but this time at Corinthians, being one of the few players who have played in all the three biggest teams of the city and arch rivals as well.
In January 1998 Zago moved to Rome, wanted by Zdenek Zeman to reinforce the defence line. In his game debut, 11 February 1998 (Lecce-Roma) was expelled after a few minutes of play, but with the club giallorossi improved his quality and skill, so that in 1999 he recalled to his National Assembly. At Rome Zago remained five years and was also part of the training sample of Italy in 2001, a fact which remains an idol to the public romanista, who called him Terminator. That year Zago formed a rocky defence well supported by his compatriot Aldair and Argentinian Walter Samuel as well.

wn.com/Antônio_Carlos_Zago
Anvarjon Soliev
Anvarjon Soliev (born 5 February 1978 in Turakurgan of Namangan region) is an Uzbekistani football striker, playing for Uzbek side Bunyodkor.
Firstly he played in Yoshlik football team. Then he continued in Navbahor Namangan. In 2001 he moved to Pakhtakor.
Soliev played 7 seasons for Pakhtakor, after he moved in 2008 to another rising capital club Kuruvchi. With Pakhtakor he won six times champion of Uzbekistan and Uzbek Cup titles.
In his first season for Bunyodkor Soliev scored 12 goals in league matches. He is currently top scorer of the club in Uzbek League with 39 goals (as of 6 November, 2011), followed by Rivaldo and Server Djeparov. With 13 goals Soliev is one of the all-time topscorers of AFC Champions League, having scored 6 of them for Bunyodkor. He is member of Gennadi Krasnitsky club of uzbek top scorers with over 100 goals, scoring in League, Cup, AFC Champions League and national team official matches 206 goals (as of end 2011 season).
With Ignatiy Nesterov he won ten Uzbek League titles in a row since 2002, playing for two different clubs.

wn.com/Anvarjon_Soliev
Austria
Austria (ⁱ/ˈɒstriə/ or /ˈɔːstriə/; German: Österreich [ˈøːstɐˌʁaɪç] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich (help·info)), is a landlocked country of roughly 8.47 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres (32,377 sq mi) and has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speak local Austro-Bavarian dialects of German as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other local official languages are Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene.
The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe and, in response to the coronation of Napoleon I as the Emperor of the French, the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary.

wn.com/Austria
Bebeto
José Roberto Gama de Oliveira, known as 'Bebeto', (born February 16, 1964 in Salvador, Brazil) is a former football forward, a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup. In the 2010 Brazilian General Elections he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro representing the Democratic Labour Party.
Bebeto started his career in 1983 with Vitória and would go on to play for Flamengo, Vasco da Gama, Cruzeiro and Botafogo in Brazil, Deportivo La Coruña and Sevilla in Spain, Toros Neza in Mexico, Kashima Antlers in Japan, and Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, finally retiring in 2002.
For Brazil, Bebeto scored 39 goals in 75 caps after making his debut in 1985. He played in three World Cups: 1990, 1994, and 1998. In 1994, he was one of the best players of the tournament, scoring three goals for the eventual champions, and then repeated the feat four years later as Brazil finished second.
Bebeto became a household name for his goal celebration in the 1994 World Cup. His wife had delivered their third child just days before a quarter-final match against Holland. After the striker pumped the go-ahead goal into the back of the net Bebeto ran to the sideline, brought his arms together and began rocking an imaginary baby. Teammates Romário and Mazinho quickly joined in. That child, a boy who was named Matheus, now plays with the youth side of Brazilian club Flamengo.

wn.com/Bebeto
Bent Løfqvist
Bent Løfqvist-Hansen (born 26 February 1936) is a Danish former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a striker.
Løfqvist played club football in Denmark for B 1913 and OB, and in France for FC Metz. He was top scorer of the 1962 European Cup, scoring a total of seven goals in the competition.
He also earned one cap for the Danish national side in 1961.

wn.com/Bent_Løfqvist
Bernd Schuster
Bernhard Schuster (born 22 December 1959 in Augsburg) is a German football manager and former player. His nickname is "der Blonde Engel" (the Blond Angel).
Schuster started his professional career with 1. FC Köln at age 18 in 1978 after a number of promising performances with the West German Under-18 National team. Schuster left Köln after the 1980 European campaign to sign with Spain's FC Barcelona, where he flourished. During his career, he played for clubs Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. At his final team, the Mexican side Pumas de la UNAüM he appeared in ten matches in spring 1997.
Schuster was an important part of the FC Barcelona team during the 1980s, leading the game from midfield and scoring many goals. His club president Josep Lluís Núñez and some trainers like Helenio Herrera, Udo Lattek, Terry Venables and Luis Aragonés had difficult relations with him. He won, however, the European Silver Ball in 1980 and Bronze Ball in 1981 and 1985. At age 21, in 1981, he received a bad injury on his right knee by Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Goikoetxea.

wn.com/Bernd_Schuster
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE (born 11 October 1937 in Ashington, Northumberland) is an English former professional football player, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. A member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts and passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot. He was also well known for his fitness and stamina, allowing him to dominate the pitch. His elder brother Jack, who was also in the World Cup-winning team, is an ex-defender for Leeds United and manager.
He began to play for Manchester United's first team in 1956, and over the next two seasons gained a regular place in the team, during which time he survived the Munich air disaster of 1958 after being rescued by Harry Gregg. After helping United to win the Football League in 1965, he won a World Cup medal with England in 1966 and another Football League title with United the following year. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that won the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help his team be the first English side to win the competition. He has scored more goals for England and United than any other player. Charlton held the record for most appearances for Manchester United (758), but this was surpassed by Ryan Giggs on 21 May 2008 (the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final). Charlton also held the club record for most league appearances (606) until this too was overtaken by Ryan Giggs on 6 March 2011.

wn.com/Bobby_Charlton
Borislav Cvetković
Borislav "Boro" Cvetković (Serbian Cyrillic: Бopиcлaв "Бopo" Цвeткoвић; born 30 September 1962 in Karlovac, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian Serb football manager and former player.
During his club career he played for Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade, Ascoli, Maceratese, Casertana and Borac Čačak. He earned 11 caps for the Yugoslavia national football team, and participated in UEFA Euro 1984.
Cvetković is coaching FK Sopot, an expositure of Cvetković's former club Red Star Belgrade. He coached Obilić in one short term, he worked also as assistant to Dragan Okuka in the Serbia U21 side.
Boro is the younger brother of Zvezdan Cvetković, who is the coach of Borac Banja Luka.
He was nicknamed "Lane sa Korane", by legendary sports commentator Ivan Tomić, while playing for Dinamo. When he moved to Belgrade, Tomić just switched his nickname to "Lane sa Marakane", as Red Star Belgrade stadium is colloquially known.

wn.com/Borislav_Cvetković
Carlos Germano
Carlos Germano Schwambach Neto (born 14 August 1970), better known as Carlos Germano, is a former Brazilian footballer who played goalkeeper.
He was a member of the Brazilian squad for France 98 World Cup.
He began his football career in 1985 in his native town, and was discovered by Vasco's manager who proposed that he join the youth team for a test. In the same year he became the first choice goalkeeper for the youth side.
When Vasco's senior goalkeeper Acácio left the club, Carlos Germano became the number 1 immediately. He went to receive all of the club honors and was chosen top goalkeeper of the Brazilian Championship in 1997.
In 1999 he had some disagreements with Vasco's chairman and left the club. He signed with Santos FC in 2000 for four years, but one year later the club couldn't pay the total amount of the contract and he obtained the right to a free transfer, moving to Portuguesa-SP. From then on, he signed one year contracts with different clubs, including his first club (Vasco), until he signed with FC Penafiel (Portuguese side at the time in the second division) in 2005.

wn.com/Carlos_Germano
Claudio Sulser
Claudio Sulser (born 8 October 1955 in Lugano, Switzerland) is a retired football striker.
During his club career, Sulser played for FC Mendrisio-Stabio, FC Vevey Sports 05, Grasshoppers Zürich and FC Lugano. He also represented the Swiss national team.
He is now the chairman of FIFA's ethics committee and is the head of the investigation into the voting scandal haunting the 2018 and 2022 World Cup selections.

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wn.com/Claudio_Sulser
Cláudio Taffarel
Cláudio André Mergen Taffarel (born 8 May 1966 in Santa Rosa, Rio Grande do Sul) is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is of German and Italian descent.
During an 18-year career, he played professionally for five clubs, namely Parma, Atlético Mineiro and Galatasaray.
The recipient of more than 100 caps for Brazil, Taffarel helped the national team win the 1994 World Cup, also appearing in other eight major international tournaments over the course of one full decade.
Taffarel started playing for Sport Club Internacional, but only appeared in a maximum of 50 top division games during his five-year spell, being however awarded the Silver Ball award for the 1988 season. In 1990, he moved abroad and joined Parma A.C. in Italy, freshly promoted to Serie A for the first time in the club's history; he proceeded to appear in all 34 league games in the following season as the Emilia-Romagna outfit overachieved for a final sixth position and qualified to the UEFA Cup.
In 1993 Taffarel, already only a backup at Parma, signed for fellow top-divisioner A.C. Reggiana 1919, being first-choice as the club narrowly avoided relegation. After that season, he returned to his country and played three seasons with Clube Atlético Mineiro.

wn.com/Cláudio_Taffarel
César Belli
César Augusto Belli Michelon (born 16 November 1975 in Bebedouro) is a former Brazilian footballer Defender.

wn.com/César_Belli
César Sampaio
Carlos César Sampaio Campos, (born 31 March 1968 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian former footballer, and is the current Football Director of Palmeiras, where he played from 1991 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2000. He retired as a player in 2004.
César Sampaio is one of the few players who played for the 4 major clubs from São Paulo (Santos, Palmeiras, Corinthians and São Paulo) and one of the greatest idols from Palmeiras' history.
He won the Bola de Ouro (Brazilian Golden Ball award) twice, in 1990 and 1993, and joined the Brazil national football team during the Copa América in 1993, but was not part of the team during the FIFA World Cup finals in neither 1990 nor 1994.
He was later also part of the Brazilian squad that won both the Copa América and FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997, and played for Brazil at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, where he made six appearances in the team's run to the final, which they lost to the hosts of the tournament, France. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, he became remembered for scoring the first goal of the entire tournament in the 4th minute of Brazil's opening match against Scotland. He also scored a brace in Brazil's 4–1 victory against Chile in the round of 16 during the same tournament.

wn.com/César_Sampaio
Danrlei
Danrlei de Deus Hinterholz, or just Danrlei (born 18 April 1973 in Crissiumal) is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
He made his debut for the Brazilian national team against Honduras in March 1995, and played three additional games during the run-up to the 1996 Olympic Games. He did not appear in any Olympic matches. He won many titles with Grêmio, most notably the Copa Libertadores in 1995.
Danrlei was injured in a bus accident on 16 January 2009. The bus plunged off a 130-foot ravine while travelling back from a game. Uruguayan footballer Claudio Milar died in the accident.

wn.com/Danrlei
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English association footballer who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy. He has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance record for an outfield player.
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons, clinching the La Liga championship in his final season with the club. In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a five-year contract with them on 1 July 2007. While a Galaxy player, he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010. On 20 November 2011, he joined an elite group of players to have won three league titles in three different countries, when Los Angeles won their third MLS Cup.

wn.com/David_Beckham
Denis Law
Denis Law CBE (born 24 February 1940) is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Law's career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956. After four years at Huddersfield, Manchester City signed him for a transfer fee of £55,000, setting a new British record. Law spent one year there before Torino bought him for £110,000, this time setting a new record fee for a transfer between an English and an Italian club. Although he played well in Italy, he found it difficult to settle there and signed for Manchester United in 1962, setting another British record transfer fee of £115,000.
He is best known for the eleven years that he spent at United, where he scored 237 goals in 404 appearances and was nicknamed The King and The Lawman by supporters. He is the only Scottish player in history to have won the prestigious European Footballer of the Year award, doing so in 1964, and helped his club win the First Division in 1965 and 1967. Law left Manchester United in 1973 and returned to Manchester City for a season, then represented Scotland in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Law played for Scotland a total of 55 times and jointly holds the Scottish international record goal tally with 30 goals. Law is also United's second highest goalscorer behind Bobby Charlton. Law holds a United record for scoring 46 goals in a single season.

wn.com/Denis_Law
Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdɛnɪs ˈbɛrχkɑmp] ( listen); born 10 May 1969) is a Dutch former professional footballer who is the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. Originally a wide midfielder and subsequently a main striker, he was deployed as a second striker, where he remained throughout his playing career. Bergkamp has been described by Jan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and a "dream for a striker" by teammate Thierry Henry.
The son of an electrician, Bergkamp was born in Amsterdam and played as an amateur in the lower leagues. He was spotted by Ajax at the age of 11 and made his professional debut in 1986. Good form led to an international call-up a year later, attracting the attention of several European clubs. Bergkamp signed for Italian club Internazionale in 1993 where he had two disappointing seasons, before joining Arsenal in 1995. It was at Arsenal where Bergkamp rejuvenated his career, helping the club to win three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and reach the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, which marked his last appearance as a player. With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp surpassed Faas Wilkes's record to become the Netherlands' top goalscorer of all time in 1998, later surpassed by Patrick Kluivert.

wn.com/Dennis_Bergkamp
Dennis Viollet
Dennis Sydney Viollet (20 September 1933 – 6 March 1999) was an English footballer best remembered for his time with Manchester United in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Viollet joined Manchester United on 1 September 1949. He came through the junior ranks at United and turned professional in 1950. His first game for the club came against arch-rivals Newcastle United on 11 April 1953. He is generally considered as one of the most underrated strikers of all time.
He was a striker, along with Tommy Taylor for the Busby Babes of the 1950s. He was a survivor of the Munich air disaster. Viollet was a big part of the two championships that were won by United in 1956 and 1957. Dennis scored 178 goals in 291 games for United. He was a lightning quick player, who combined well with Taylor's height to form a terrific strike force. One of his finest games came on 26 September 1956, in United's European Cup preliminary round second leg tie against Belgian champions Anderlecht, in which he scored four goals in a 10-0 win at Old Trafford.

wn.com/Dennis_Viollet
Dida (goalkeeper)
Nélson de Jesus Silva (born 7 October 1973), better known simply as Dida (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈdʒidɐ]), is a Brazilian footballer goalkeeper who plays for Portuguesa. He first rose to prominence in Brazilian club football in the 1990s with Vitória, Cruzeiro EC and SC Corinthians, where he gained a reputation as a penalty-saving specialist. However, Dida is probably best remembered for his successful and often tumultuous ten-year stint with Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan from 2000 to 2010. During his tenure with the Rossoneri, he became equally known for mistakes as well as excellent gameplay, from a notorious error during a UEFA Champions League match against Leeds United in September 2000, to suffering a lengthy decline in form after being hit with a lit flare in a Champions League quarter-final match against crosstown rival Inter Milan in April 2005, and being tapped on the shoulder by an opposing fan during an October 2007 match with Celtic.
One of only two goalkeepers in Milan history to make over 200 Serie A appearances, Dida won the Champions League twice in 2003 and 2007, with the former coming after he saved three penalties in a shoot-out against Juventus F.C. He is also the first two-time winner of the FIFA Club World Cup, the inaugural winner of the FIFPro Goalkeeper of the Year award, and a five-time nominee of the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award. In 2003, Dida became the first Brazilian keeper to be shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or, with a second nomination in 2005.

wn.com/Dida_(goalkeeper)
Diego Forlán
Diego Forlán Corazo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo foɾˈlan]; born 19 May 1979) is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a striker for Internazionale and the Uruguayan national team. He is a two-time winner of both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe, and also received the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2010 World Cup.
Forlán was born into a family of footballers; his father Pablo having played for São Paulo (1970–1975) and Uruguay in the 1966 and 1974 World Cups and his maternal grandfather, Juan Carlos Corazo, for Independiente in Argentina.
Forlán joined Independiente himself after rising through their youth team, and after a successful four-year spell, he signed for Manchester United of England's Premier League. His form for United was not as successful as at Independiente, although he won the Premier League in 2003 and the FA Cup in 2004. In the Summer of 2004 he moved on to La Liga side Villarreal.
In his first season in Spanish football with Villarreal, Forlán scored 25 league goals and won the Pichichi Trophy. After two more successful seasons with Villarreal, Forlán joined Atlético Madrid, where he once again became the league's top scorer, and became the first player to win the Pichichi Trophy twice since Ronaldo achieved this feat in 2003–04. Forlán scored in Atlético's 2010 Europa League final victory against Fulham. In 2011 he joined Internazionale of Italy's Serie A.

wn.com/Diego_Forlán
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona Franco (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo maɾaˈðona]; born 30 October 1960) is a retired Argentine football player, and current manager of Al Wasl FC in Dubai. Many experts, football critics, former and current players consider Maradona the greatest football player of all time. He won FIFA Player of the Century award which was to be decided by votes on their official website, their official magazine and a grand jury.
He is the only player in football history who set world-record contract fees twice. The first, when he was transferred to Barcelona for a then world record £5m and the second, when he was transferred to Napoli for another record fee £6.9m. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys. In his international career, playing for Argentina, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals.
He played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments, including the 1986 tournament, where he captained Argentina and led them to their victory over West Germany in the final, winning the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player. In that same tournament's quarterfinal round, he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over England that entered football history, though for two different reasons. The first goal was via an unpenalized handball known as the "Hand of God", while the second goal followed a 60 m (66 yd) dribble past five England players, voted "The Goal of the Century" by FIFA.com voters in 2002.

wn.com/Diego_Maradona
Diego Simeone
Diego Pablo Simeone (born April 28, 1970 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine football manager and former player. A defensive midfielder, he was once the most capped player for Argentina. He is the current manager of Atlético Madrid.
When Simeone was 14, his youth coach Victorio Spinetto nicknamed him Cholo as his energetic play reminded him of former Boca Juniors player and Argentine international Carmelo Simeone (no relation) who had that nickname.
In his club career that started in 1987, Simeone played for Vélez Sársfield, Pisa, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Internazionale, and Lazio.
Simeone spent most of his career in Italy with Pisa his first European club in 1990 in which he was brought in by manager Mircea Lucescu. After spells at Atlético Madrid where he was part of the club's 1996 La Liga and Copa Del Rey double triumph and Sevilla, Simeone returned to Serie A with Internazionale in 1997 and played two full seasons, winning the UEFA Cup in 1998 in a side spearheaded by Ronaldo up front. They beat his future club Lazio 3–0 in the final.

wn.com/Diego_Simeone
Dieter Hoeneß
Dieter Hoeneß (born 7 January 1953) is a retired German footballer who played as a striker.
In his playing career, he was mainly associated with Bayern Munich. After retiring, he stayed connected with football, working extensively in directorial capacities for several clubs.
Hoeneß represented West Germany at the 1986 World Cup.
Born in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany, Hoeneß played on amateur level for VfB Ulm, TSG Ulm 1846 and VfR Aalen, before he moved to the professionals in 1975 with VfB Stuttgart, with the club then in the second division. After two seasons and 19 league goals, he promoted to the Bundesliga.
After the 1978–79 season, where he netted 16 goals to help Stuttgart finish in second place, Hoeneß signed with FC Bayern Munich. There, he was highly successful both individually and collectively, winning five leagues and three cups. A powerful striker whose main strength was his heading ability, he scored five times in double digits during his stint with the Bavarians, for a total of 127 goals in 288 league matches, in the German top division alone; he retired in 1987, at 34.

wn.com/Dieter_Hoeneß
Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff (born February 28, 1942 in Mariano del Friuli) is an Italian former football goalkeeper and is the oldest winner ever of the World Cup, which he earned as captain of the Italian team in the 1982 tournament in Spain, at the age of 40 years, 4 months and 13 days.
Zoff was a goalkeeper of outstanding ability and has a place in the history of the sport among the very best in this role, being named the 3rd greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS behind Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks. He holds the record for the longest playing time without allowing goals in international tournaments (1142 minutes) set between 1972 and 1974. With 112 caps, he is the fourth most capped player for the Azzurri. In 2004 Pelé named him as one of the 125 greatest living footballers.
After retiring as a footballer, Zoff went on to become coach for the Italian national team and several other Italian clubs.
Dino Zoff was born in Mariano del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy), and was elected in a poll by the IFFHS as the third best goalkeeper of the 20th Century - after Lev Yashin (1st) and Gordon Banks (2nd).

wn.com/Dino_Zoff
Domingos da Guia
Domingos Antônio da Guia (born in Rio de Janeiro, November 19, 1912 – dead in Rio, May 18, 2000), nicknamed "the Divine Master" was a Brazilian footballer. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in Flamengo and Corinthians history, as well as the all time best Brazilian defender.
He quickly rose to fame as one of Bangu's key players (central defender) between 1929-1932. Despite the fact Bangu had a history of fielding black players (Francisco Carregal was the first in 1905) Domingos might have witnessed racism in football . After Bangu, Domingos moved to Uruguay's Nacional de Montevideo for a season, before brief periods at Vasco da Gama (Brazil), Boca Juniors (Argentina) and then finding a home at Rio giants Flamengo (1937–1943). A brief spell at Corinthians left Domingos to return to his beloved Bangu where he stay until he retired in 1948.
Domingos also enjoyed a successful international career, getting 30 caps for Brazil. He came to the world's attention in the 1938 FIFA World Cup finals, where he was the linchpin of Brazil's defence. Domingo's son Ademir da Guia also played for Bangu 1959–1961 before becoming an idol at São Paulo's Palmeiras.

wn.com/Domingos_da_Guia
Doriva
Doriva, full name Dorival Guidoni Jr. (born 28 May 1972 in Nhandeara, São Paulo) is a retired Brazilian footballer who played midfielder, who last played for América-SP in the Brazilian league. From 2003 until 2006, he played for English Premier League club Middlesbrough, where he had previously been on loan.
Prior to joining to Middlesbrough, Doriva played for São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro, Porto, Sampdoria, and Celta Vigo. His transfer from Atlético to Porto cost $4 million.
Doriva was signed on loan by Middlesbrough manager Steve McLaren in January 2003. He made his debut on 5 April 2003 in a 3-0 home win over West Bromwich Albion.
After five appearances for the club, Doriva was given a one-year contract with Middlesbrough on 21 July 2003. In his first full season at Middlesbrough, Doriva was first choice in midfield alongside George Boateng. He found his chances limited after this, however, due to the emergence of Stewart Downing and the conversion of Boudewijn Zenden to central midfield. On 29 February 2004 Doriva started as Middlesbrough won their first major trophy, the 2004 Football League Cup Final, with a 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. His only goal for Middlesbrough came in a 2–1 victory at Notts County in the third round of the FA Cup on 8 January 2005.

wn.com/Doriva
Dunga
Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri (born October 31, 1963 in Ijuí, Rio Grande do Sul), commonly known as Dunga (pronounced Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈdũɡɐ]), is a former Brazilian football defensive midfielder and a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup. Dunga coached the national team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was dismissed by the Brazilian Football Confederation following the team's elimination in the quarter finals.
His nickname is derived from the Portuguese translation of Dopey, a dwarf from the Snow White tale, and was given to him by his uncle due to his short height during his childhood. It was believed that he would be a short adult and the nickname remained in use even after he grew up and became taller. He is of Italian and German descent.
At the club level, Dunga played for Internacional (1980–84, 1999–2000), Corinthians (1984–85), Santos (1985–87), Vasco da Gama (1987), Pisa (1987–88), Fiorentina (1988–92), Pescara (1992–93), Stuttgart (1993–95), and Jubilo Iwata (1995–98).

wn.com/Dunga
Dwight Yorke
Dwight Eversley Yorke (born 3 November 1971 in Canaan, Tobago) is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player and assistant coach of the Manchester United reserve side. He played for Aston Villa, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland. He was the assistant manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team until the completion of the qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Along with Russell Latapy and Pat Jennings, Yorke holds the record number of participations in different World Cup competitions, including qualifying stages – six in total (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010). Yorke was nicknamed The Smiling Assassin because of his goal scoring abilities and his constant smile.
Yorke was first discovered by Graham Taylor, at the time the Aston Villa manager, on a tour of the West Indies in 1989. Yorke appeared in a team that played a friendly match against Aston Villa, Taylor was impressed and offered Yorke a trial at Villa. Yorke was subsequently given a permanent contract and he made his First Division debut for Aston Villa against Crystal Palace on 24 March 1990: Crystal Palace won the game 1–0. During his time with Aston Villa, from 1989 to 1998, Yorke played initially as a right winger until the 1995–96 season, he then switched to centre forward and quickly established himself as one of the Premiership's top strikers.

wn.com/Dwight_Yorke
Edgar Davids
Edgar Steven Davids (born 13 March 1973) is a retired Dutch footballer. After beginning his career with Ajax, he subsequently played in Italy for Milan and Juventus before a loan spell with Barcelona. He went on to play for Internazionale and Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Ajax. Having struggled with injuries for two years, Davids returned to competitive football during a brief spell with Crystal Palace before retiring at the age of 37.
He was capped 74 times by the Netherlands at international level, scoring six goals, and represented his country at the FIFA World Cup (once) and the UEFA European Football Championship (three times). His dreadlocked hair and protective goggles – which he wore due to glaucoma – made Davids one of the most recognisable players of his generation. A combative and creative midfielder, Davids was nicknamed "the Pitbull" by Louis van Gaal because of his marking ability. He was one of the players chosen by Pelé to feature in the FIFA 100, a list of the world's greatest living footballers. He was born in Suriname to an African father and Jewish mother. His cousin Lorenzo is also a footballer.

wn.com/Edgar_Davids
Eduard Markarov
Eduard Artyomovich Markarov (Russian: Эдуард Артёмович Маркаров) (born on 20 June 1942 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union) is an Armenian football manager and former player of Jewish ancestry. He managed the Armenia national team in 1992-1994 period. He also played for the USSR national team, earning 3 caps and participated in the 1966 FIFA World Cup.

wn.com/Eduard_Markarov
Edílson
Edílson, full name Edílson da Silva Ferreira, (born September 17, 1971 in Salvador) is a former football player from Brazil. He played as a forward, mainly in the past with SE Palmeiras and Corinthians. In 1998, he received the Bola de Ouro award (« Golden Ball ») given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Brazilian championship). He was dubbed Capetinha, Portuguese for « Little Devil ».
He had 21 caps and managed to score 6 goals with the Brazilian national team and won the World Cup in 2002.

(Portuguese) Official Page

wn.com/Edílson
Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño Santos (born 22 July 1963 in Madrid) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.
He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid. Nicknamed El Buitre (The Vulture), he was a member of the legendary Quinta del Buitre, along with Manolo Sanchís, Rafael Martín Vázquez, Míchel and Miguel Pardeza.
Butragueño amassed La Liga totals of 341 games and 123 goals for his main club, in 12 seasons, and represented the Spanish national team in two World Cups (being the second top scorer in the 1986 edition) and as many European Championships, scoring 26 international goals for his country, a record that stood for several years.
In 1981, skilled Butragueño joined Real Madrid's youth system, and played first for its reserve side, before being given his senior debut by Alfredo Di Stéfano on 5 February 1984 against Cádiz CF. He made an instant impact, scoring twice and assisting for the third goal in a 3–2 away turnaround, after Real trailed by 0–2. On 12 December that year, he made his European competition debut, contributing to a 6–1 home triumph against R.S.C. Anderlecht for the UEFA Cup third round (after a 0–3 loss in Brussels), as the Merengues went on to win the competition.

wn.com/Emilio_Butragueño
Eric Cantona
Éric Daniel Pierre Cantona (French pronunciation: [kantɔna]) (born 24 May 1966) is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in five years and two League and FA Cup Doubles.
Cantona is often regarded as having played a key role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing force and he enjoys iconic status at the club. He wore the number 7 shirt at United, which was previously worn by George Best and Bryan Robson, and subsequently worn by David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Cantona is affectionately nicknamed by Manchester United fans as "King Eric", and was voted as Manchester United's greatest ever player by Inside United magazine. Set against his footballing achievements was a poor disciplinary record throughout his career, including a conviction for assault on a fan in 1995.

wn.com/Eric_Cantona
Eusébio
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM (Portuguese pronunciation: [ewˈzɛbiu dɐ ˈsiɫvɐ fɨˈʁɐjɾɐ]; born 25 January 1942), commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans. He helped the Portuguese national team reach third place at the 1966 World Cup, being the top goalscorer of the tournament with nine goals (six of which were scored at Goodison Park) and receiving the Bronze Ball award. He won the Ballon d'Or award in 1965 and was runner-up in 1962 and 1966. He played for Benfica for 15 years out of his 22 as a footballer, thus being mainly associated with the Portuguese club, and is the team's all-time top scorer with 638 goals scored in 614 official games. There, he won 11 Primeira Liga titles (1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1974–75), 5 Portuguese Cup titles (1961–62, 1963–64, 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1971–72), 1 European Cup title (1961–62) and managed to help them reach three additional European Cup finals (1962–63, 1964–65 and 1967–68). He was the European Cup top scorer in 1965, 1966 and 1968. He also won the Bola de Prata (Primeira Liga top scorer award) seven times (a national record) in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1973. He was the first ever player to win the European Golden Boot award, in 1968, a feat he later replicated in 1973.

wn.com/Eusébio
Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro, Ufficiale OMRI (born 13 September 1973 in Naples) is a retired Italian footballer. He is considered one of the greatest defenders of his generation and was given the name "Muro di Berlino," which means "The Berlin Wall," by Italian supporters. He spent the majority of his career in Italy. He started his career at Napoli, before spending seven years at Parma, with whom he won two Coppa Italias and the 1999 UEFA Cup. After spells at Internazionale and Juventus, Cannavaro transferred along with manager Fabio Capello from Juventus to Real Madrid, with whom he won consecutive La Liga titles in 2007 and 2008. After returning to Juventus for one season in 2009–10, he joined Al-Ahli in Dubai. He retired from professional football in 2011 due to an injury troubled season in Al-Ahli.
Cannavaro has also achieved success with the Italian national team. He was part of the Italy team that won consecutive Under-21 European Championships in 1994 and 1996. After earning his first senior cap in 1997, he eventually became captain. Cannavaro led Italy to victory in the 2006 World Cup, and in 2009 overtook Paolo Maldini as the most capped player in the country's history. He announced his retirement from international football on 25 June 2010 following Italy's failure to qualify for the knock-out stages of the 2010 World Cup, having amassed 136 caps and scored two goals for the senior national team.

wn.com/Fabio_Cannavaro
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈfɛrɛnt͡s ˈpuʃkaːʃ]; born Ferenc Purczeld; 1 April 1927 – 17 November 2006) was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954. He won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), 10 national championships (5 Hungarian & 5 Spanish Primera División) and 8 top individual scoring honors. He is regarded as the best Hungarian football player ever and one of the best football players of all time.
Puskás started his career in Hungary playing for Kispest and Budapest Honvéd. He was top scorer in the Hungarian League on four occasions, and in 1948, he was the top goal scorer in Europe. During the 1950s, he was both a prominent member and captain of the Hungarian national team, known as the Mighty Magyars. In 1958, two years after the Hungarian Revolution, he emigrated to Spain where he played for Real Madrid.

wn.com/Ferenc_Puskás
Fernando Morientes
Fernando Morientes Sánchez (born 5 April 1976) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.
His main asset was his aerial and strong goalscoring abilities. He played for a number of clubs during his career, including Real Madrid, AS Monaco, Liverpool, and Valencia CF. In La Liga, he scored 124 goals in 337 games, over the course of 15 seasons.
Morientes scored 27 goals in 47 appearances for the Spanish national team, representing the country in two World Cups (totalling five goals) and one European Championship.
Born in Cáceres, Extremadura, Morientes moved to Sonseca, Toledo, at the age of four. He began his professional career at Albacete Balompié, making his La Liga debut in 1993–94, spending two seasons at the club and scoring five goals in 22 matches (nine starts and 13 substitute appearances). Morientes transferred to Real Zaragoza in 1995, where he spent another two seasons, often being partnered up front by Dani, a Real Madrid youth graduate.
Morientes' performances for Zaragoza caught the eye of Spanish giants Real Madrid, which bought the player in the summer of 1997 for approximately €6.6 million. Initially backing up established Predrag Mijatović and Davor Šuker, he finished as starter, and managed 12 goals in his debut season in 33 matches, squad-best (with the two players who fought with him for a starting berth netting 10 apiece, as youth system prodigy Raúl). Real finished fourth in the league, but won the season's UEFA Champions League.

wn.com/Fernando_Morientes
Flávio Conceição
Flávio da Conceição (born 13 June 1974 in Santa Maria da Serra, São Paulo) is a Brazilian retired footballer who played as a central midfielder.
Conceição enjoyed a successful career in Spain, where he played for two clubs – including Real Madrid with which he won six major titles – and also represented Brazil on more than 40 occasions.
Conceição began his career with Rio Branco Esporte Clube in 1992. He then joined Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras a year later, and racked up over 100 first team appearances in three years. This caught the attention of Deportivo de La Coruña, who paid €6.3 million for him after the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Playing alongside compatriot Mauro Silva in central midfield, Conceição gradually developed into a key force in the Galicians' rise in Spanish football, as he netted four times in 27 appearances in the side's 1999–2000 league conquest. This led to a 2000 move to La Liga giants Real Madrid, worth €26 million.
Although he appeared sparingly, he did amass two league titles and won the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League - in that competition, he setup Steve McManaman for the closing 2–0 win against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou - spending 2003–04 on loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he was also irregularly played.

wn.com/Flávio_Conceição
Flórián Albert
Flórián Albert (15 September 1941 – 31 October 2011) was a Hungarian international football player, later manager and sports official, who was named European Footballer of the Year in 1967. Nicknamed "The Emperor", he has been described as one of the most elegant footballers of all time.
A club legend of Ferencvárosi TC, Albert joined the team yet as a schoolboy and spent his whole playing career at Fradi. He also starred for Hungary, winning 75 international caps and scoring 31 goals. He was joint top-scorer at the 1962 World Cup with four goals and played a key role in Hungary's third-place finish at the European Championship in 1964.
He stayed loyal to Ferencváros after his retirement as well, actively participated in the club's life and also held administrative positions. Since 2007 the stadium of Ferencváros wears his name.
Albert died in October 2011, aged 70, in a hospital in Budapest after complications following heart surgery carried out a few days earlier.
The son of a blacksmith, Albert was born and brought up in the little town of Hercegszántó near the border with the former Yugoslavia, where he got his first taste of the game playing with his two brothers. His mother was Hungarian Croat, from the group of Šokci. She died when he was 2. When the family later moved to Budapest, Albert participated on a talent day by Ferencvárosi TC. He impressed the coaches and was selected by club. Albert was 11 years old at the time.

wn.com/Flórián_Albert
Franco Baresi
Franco Baresi (born 8 May 1960 in Travagliato, Italy) is an Italian football youth team coach and former player. He played as a sweeper and spent his entire career with Serie A club AC Milan. Baresi was nicknamed "Piscinin", Milanese for "Little one". In 1999, Baresi was voted AC Milan Player of the Century and is widely regarded as one of the finest defenders of all time.
He is also the younger brother of Internazionale legend and current vice coach Giuseppe Baresi.
Baresi was brought by his older brother Giuseppe for a trial in Inter's youth team, but was rejected. Despite this setback, Baresi refused to give up his dream and tried out for the Milan youth team, where he was accepted.
Baresi led the Milan team and its defence for the best part of a decade. During that time, the back four consisting of him, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti gained a reputation for being of the meanest defenses in Europe. He is also one of the few players who spent his entire career at one club, AC Milan, for whom he played 719 games, scoring 33 goals. Unconventional for an Italian defender trained in the catenaccio tradition, Baresi was an attacking defender who often assisted the team in counterattacks but without neglecting his defensive duties.

wn.com/Franco_Baresi
Franco Cucinotta
Franco Cucinotta (born 22 June 1952) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker.
While playing for Swiss club FC Zürich, Cucinotta was top scorer of the 1977 European Cup, scoring a total of five goals in the competition.
Cucinotta also played in Switzerland for FC Lausanne-Sport, FC Sion, FC Chiasso and Servette FC.

wn.com/Franco_Cucinotta
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer [fʁants ˈbɛkənˌbaʊ̯ɐ] (born 11 September 1945 in Munich) is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. He is generally regarded as the greatest German footballer of all time and one of the greatest and most decorated footballers in the history of the game. Beckenbauer was a versatile player who started out as a midfielder but made his name as a defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero.
Twice selected the European Footballer of the Year, he appeared 103 times for West Germany and played in three World Cups. He lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974, and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. With the club Bayern Munich, he won three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976, and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1967. He is one of only two footballers, along with Brazil's Mário Zagallo, to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach. Beckenbauer is one of two players (along with Carles Puyol) to captain three European Cup winning sides. He went on to become coach and president of the institution. He is also a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

wn.com/Franz_Beckenbauer
Garrincha
Manuel Francisco dos Santos (October 28, 1933 – January 20, 1983), known by the nickname "Garrincha" (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɡaˈʁĩʃɐ], "little bird"), was an association football right winger and forward who helped the Brazil national team win the World Cups of 1958 and 1962. He played the majority of his professional career for the Brazilian club Botafogo.
The word garrincha itself means wren. Garrincha was also known as Mané (short for Manuel) by his friends. The combined "Mané Garrincha" is common among fans in Brazil. Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was also called Alegria do Povo (Joy of the People) and Anjo de Pernas Tortas (Angel with Bent Legs).
Garrincha is regarded as the best dribbler in football history. In the Estádio do Maracanã the home team room is known as "Garrincha," while the visiting team room is known as "Pelé."
Garrincha was born in Pau Grande, a district of Magé, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in 1933. His father was an alcoholic, drinking cachaça heavily, a problem which Garrincha would inherit. He had several birth defects: his spine was deformed, his right leg bent inwards and his left leg six centimeters shorter and curved outwards, none of which impeded his ability to play football at the highest level.

wn.com/Garrincha
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960), is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live. He remains England's top scorer in the FIFA World Cup finals, with ten goals.
Lineker began his football career at Leicester City and became known as a prolific goalscorer; despite failing to score in his first ten games, he finished as the First Division's joint top goalscorer in 1984–85 and earned his first England cap. He then moved to League Champions Everton where he remained a clinical finisher, scoring 40 goals in 57 games. His first team honours came at Barcelona, where he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1989. He returned to England in 1989, joining Tottenham Hotspur, and over three seasons he scored 67 goals in 105 games and won the FA Cup. Lineker's final club was Nagoya Grampus Eight and he retired in 1994 after two seasons at the Japanese side.

wn.com/Gary_Lineker
George Best
George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. In 1968 he won the European Cup with United, and was named the European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers' Association Player of the Year. He is described by the national team's governing body, the Irish Football Association, as the "greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland".
Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Best began his club career in England with Manchester United, who had spotted his talent at the age of 15. He went on to see success with United scoring 179 goals from 470 appearances over 11 years. His playing style combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders. Best unexpectedly quit United relatively early in 1974 at age 27, but returned to football for a number of clubs around the world in short spells, until finally retiring in 1983, age 37. In international football, he was an automatic choice when fit, being capped 37 times and scoring nine goals from 1964 to 1977, although the team's performance never allowed his talent to be displayed in the finals of a European Championship or World Cup.

wn.com/George_Best
Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈɡe̯orɡe ˈhad͡ʒi] ( listen); born 5 February 1965 in Săcele) is a former Romanian footballer. He was one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time.Galatasaray fans called him 'Commandante' (The Commander) and the Romanians called him 'Regele' (The King).
Nicknamed "The Maradona of the Carpathians", he is considered a hero in his homeland. He has won his country's "Player of the Year" award six times, and is regarded as one of the best football players of the 20th century.
He played for the Romanian national team in three World Cups in 1990, 1994 and 1998, as well as in three European Football Championships in 1984, 1996 and 2000. He won a total of 125 caps for Romania, being ranked second after Dorinel Munteanu, and scored 35 goals, being ranked first.
In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Romania by the Romanian Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. Hagi is one of the few footballers to have played for both the Spanish rival clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

wn.com/Gheorghe_Hagi
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli (born 9 July 1964 in Cremona) is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia.
Vialli started his career at Cremonese in 1980 in his native Italy where he made 105 league appearances scoring 23 goals. His performances impressed Sampdoria who signed him in 1984. During which time he scored 85 league goals, won 3 Italian cups, the Serie A and the European Cup Winners Cup. Vialli transferred to Juventus for a World record £12.5 million in 1992. During this time he won the Italian Cup, the Serie A, Italian Supercup, UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup. In 1996 Vialli joined Chelsea and became Chelsea player manager the following season. In England he won the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup. He is one of nine footballers to have won the three main European club competitions and is the only player in European footballing history to have winner's and runner's up medals in all three main European club competitions. During his twenty years long career as a professional footballer he has scored 259 goals at club level, 16 goals with the national team, 11 goals with the under 21 national team for a total of 286 goals in more than 500 appearances.

wn.com/Gianluca_Vialli
Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Aparecido da Silva (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒiɫˈbeʁtu ˈsiɫvɐ]; born 7 October 1976), commonly known as Gilberto Silva, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Grêmio as a midfielder.
Gilberto was raised in a poor family and as a child he balanced playing football with various labour jobs. He began his football career in 1997 with América Mineiro, where good form earned him a move to Atlético Mineiro in 2000. He became a star player for Atlético, playing for three years in the Brazilian Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. He came to particular prominence when he helped the Brazilian national team win the 2002 FIFA World Cup, playing in all seven of Brazil's matches.
In August 2002, for a fee of £4.5 million, he joined Arsenal, with whom he won the 2004 FA Premier League as an 'Invincible', and two FA Cup trophies. In his first five seasons with the club, he played 208 games and scored 23 goals. On 19 August 2006 he scored Arsenal's first competitive goal at the newly built Emirates Stadium. He was made vice-captain of Arsenal in 2006. He has also scored Arsenal's fastest ever goal coming in at just 20 seconds in a game against PSV in the champions league. During his time with the Gunners, Gilberto developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. In 2007, he was selected as Brazil captain for the Copa América tournament, which Brazil went on to win.

wn.com/Gilberto_Silva
Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks, OBE (born 30 December 1937) is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin (1st) and ahead of Dino Zoff (3rd).
Banks was a member of the England national team that won the 1966 World Cup. In March 2004 Pelé listed Banks as one of the 125 greatest living footballers. His most famous moment occurred in the 1970 World Cup against Brazil, where he pulled off a stunning save from a goalbound header from Pelé, which is often regarded as arguably the greatest save ever. Banks' consistent performances in goal led to the re-wording of a common English idiom to "Safe as the Banks of England".
Banks, born in Sheffield, was a careful student of goalkeepers during childhood. Banks played in local colliery football as a boy and was offered an apprenticeship by Chesterfield after initially going to work as a coal bagger and then as a bricklayer on leaving school. After performances in the youth and A teams gained him promotion to the reserves, Banks was posted to Germany with the Royal Signals on National service, winning the Rhine Cup with his regimental team. On his return he was offered a full-time contract by the Chesterfield manager, Teddy Davison.

wn.com/Gordon_Banks
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness ( /ˈsuːnɨs/; born 6 May 1953) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.
Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough and Sampdoria in a long career. Following his retirement from playing he managed Rangers, Liverpool, Southampton, Benfica, Galatasaray, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.
Souness now does media work and divides his time working as a pundit for RTÉ, ESPN, Sky Sports and Al Jazeera Sports.
Souness was brought up in the Saughton Mains area of Edinburgh, and supported local side Hearts and Rangers. As a teenager Souness played for local boys' club North Merchiston.
Souness's career began as an apprentice at Tottenham Hotspur under Bill Nicholson. He signed professional forms as a 15 year-old in 1968. Frustrated at a lack of first team opportunities, the teenage Souness reputedly informed Nicholson that he was the best player at the club. Souness made one solitary appearance for Spurs in the UEFA cup as a substitute.

wn.com/Graeme_Souness
Hakan Ünsal
Hakan Ünsal (born 14 May 1973) is a Turkish former international footballer.
Hakan Ünsal is remembered by many for his rocket left foot and his pinpoint passing as well as his nonstop desire for victory. He played most of his career at Galatasaray after joining from Karabükspor in 1993/94. After being a part of the squad that won the UEFA Cup in 2000, Hakan moved to Blackburn Rovers of the English Premiership in January 2002. His return to Galatasaray was rapid as he was once again in Galatasaray colours for the 2002/03 season. After leaving Galatasaray following the 2004/05 season, he had a brief stint with Çaykur Rizespor before retiring from football.
He played for Turkey national football team and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he collected his third place medal.
He is most famous for an incident during the World Cup when Brazil played Turkey. Rivaldo was about to take a corner and Hakan kicked the ball at him as he was annoyed about the time Rivaldo was taking, delaying the game, as Brazil was winning 2-1. The ball hit Rivaldo on his legs but he collapsed dramatically holding his face and consequently Ünsal was sent off and Brazil went on to win the match. Rivaldo was fined, but the sanctions were criticized by many as being too lenient.

wn.com/Hakan_Ünsal
Heinz Strehl
Heinz Strehl (20 July 1938 – 11 August 1986) was a German football player.
A Bundesliga title-winner with 1. FC Nuremberg in 1968, Heinz Strehl was one of the proven goalscorers in West Germany in the 1960s and able to cap his West Germany debut against Yugoslavia on 30 September 1962, with a hat-trick in between the 23rd and the 62nd minute. An effort that still lists Strehl among the fastest fifteen hat-trick outputs in West German football history. Thanks to Strehl's goals West Germany came out 3–2 winner in Zagreb that day.
Beforehand, Strehl had already been part of Sepp Herberger's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, not making any appearance. He added a fourth goal to his West German tally in spring 1965 against Cyprus (5–0) in a World Cup qualifier that remained his final match for West Germany.
Nominally a center forward, Strehl's international career was hindered by Uwe Seeler, who played in the same position, which meant that Strehl would only get first team action when Seeler was not available. As a player, he was resilient and great at heading but also technically sound. Oftentimes he was used as an inside forward due to his good passing skills and vision. Apart from winning the Bundesliga in 1968, Strehl also won the West German football championship in 1961 and the West German Cup in 1962.

wn.com/Heinz_Strehl
Hernán Crespo
Hernán Jorge Crespo (born 5 July 1975) is an Argentine footballer who is currently out of contract. Crespo has scored over 300 goals in a career spanning 18 years. His honors include an Olympic Games silver medal, a Copa Libertadores, an English Premier League title and three Scudettos. He was topscorer in the 2000–01 Serie A with 26 goals, while playing for Lazio. Crespo once held the world record in transfer fee, when he was bought by Lazio from Parma in July 2000.
Crespo made his debut with River Plate during the 1993–94 season, scoring 13 goals in 25 league appearances as River Plate won the Apertura league title. In 1996, Crespo helped River win the Copa Libertadores, scoring twice in the home leg of the final in Buenos Aires.
Crespo left River Plate for Parma on 14 August 1996 after he won the silver medal with Argentina at the 1996 Summer Olympics and finished as the top scorer with six goals. He failed to score in his first six months at the club and was routinely booed with head coach Carlo Ancelotti coming in for much criticism for keeping faith with the selection of Crespo. His faith was, however, vindicated: the young Argentine went on to score 12 times in 27 matches in his first Serie A season and Parma finished runners-up to Juventus. The turning point was the standing applause he received for his brace against Calcio in March 1997. Parma won the 1998–99 Italian Cup and he scored the opening goal in Parma's 3–0 UEFA Cup final victory over Olympique de Marseille. He had scored 80 goals in four seasons.

wn.com/Hernán_Crespo
Hidetoshi Nakata
Hidetoshi Nakata, Cavaliere OSSI (中田英寿, Nakata Hidetoshi^?, born January 22, 1977 in Yamanashi Prefecture), is a retired Japanese football player. He was one of the most famous Asian footballers of his generation.
Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S. Roma in 2001, played for Japan in three FIFA World Cup tournaments (1998, 2002 and 2006) and played in the Olympics twice (1996 and 2000). In 2005, he was made the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity, one of Italy's highest honors, for improving the country's image overseas. Nakata has also been involved in fashion, regularly attending runway shows and wearing designer clothing.
Nakata announced his retirement at age 29 on July 3, 2006 after a ten-year career that included seven seasons in the Italian Serie A and a season in the English Premier League. In March 2004, Pelé named Nakata in his FIFA 100, a list of the top living footballers at the time.

wn.com/Hidetoshi_Nakata
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez (born July 11, 1958), popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and participated in three World Cups. He is currently manager of Pachuca of the Primera División de México.
As a coach, he won two championships as head coach of the club Pumas de la UNAM and briefly with Club Necaxa, both teams in the Mexican Primera División. He also had a sixteen-month stint with the Mexican national team, but was fired on March 31, 2008. Hugo Sanchez has signed up to start coaching again, now in Europe, for UD Almería [1] from the Spanish First Division starting December 29, in an attempt to save the team from descending to the 2nd Division by the Summer. He has succeeded in keeping UD Almeria free from relegation from La Liga for the 2009–2010 season.
In 1999, the IFFHS voted him the 26th best footballer of the 20th century, and the best footballer from the CONCACAF region.

wn.com/Hugo_Sánchez
Igor Shkvyrin
Igor Shkvyrin (Russian: Игорь Анатольевич Шквырин, Igor Anatolievich Shkvyrin (born 29 April 1963 in Tashkent) is a retired Uzbek professional footballer who played for several clubs in Europe and Asia and the Uzbekistan national football team.
He played several seasons in the Soviet Top League with FC Pakhtakor Tashkent and moved to Israel where he played for Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. and Malaysia where he played for Pahang FA. He scored totally 275 goals in career and is member of Club 200 of Berador Abduraimov.
Shkyrin made 31 appearances for the Uzbekistan national football team and scored 20 goals from 1992 and 2000. He played in the 1994 Asian Games football tournament in Hiroshima, Japan (the first time Uzbekistan national team participated in an official football tournament following its independence from the Soviet Union, and the team won the gold medal).
In 2002 he began managing career and worked in 2003-04 as assistant coach to Aleksandr Tarkhanov in FC Krylia Sovetov Samara. From 2005 to 2007 he was head coach of Uzbek League club Qizilqum Zarafshon. In 2007 he was appointed as assistant coach to Vadim Abramov for Uzbekistan U-23 national team and in 2008-2010 worked as co-trainer to Rauf Inileev and later Mirjalol Kasymov for Uzbekistan national team.

wn.com/Igor_Shkvyrin
Ihor Belanov
Ihor Ivanovych (or Ivanovich) Belanov (Ukrainian: Ігор Іванович Беланов, Russian: Игорь Иванович Беланов; born 25 September 1960) is a retired Ukrainian footballer who played as a striker.
He made a name for himself at Dynamo Kyiv, winning five major titles and being named European Footballer of the Year in 1986. He then spent six years in Germany with two teams, with little success.
Belanov represented the Soviet Union at one World Cup and one European Championship.
Belanov was born in Odessa, Ukraine, Soviet Union. He started playing professionally in his hometown, with SKA Odessa and FC Chornomorets Odessa, joining country giants FC Dynamo Kyiv in 1985, and scoring ten goals in his first season, which ended with league and cup conquest.
Alongside with teammates Oleg Blokhin and Oleksandr Zavarov, Belanov led the scoring charts at the 1985–86 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (five apiece) as Dynamo won the competition for the second time. He played the full 90 minutes in the final against Atlético Madrid (3–0).

wn.com/Ihor_Belanov
Iván Zamorano
Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora (born January 18, 1967 in Santiago) is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with Marcelo Salas and Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers.
He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998 World Cup. He played for several clubs, notably Spanish clubs Sevilla and Real Madrid C.F. as well as Italian club Internazionale. He won the 1994-95 La Liga title and was the season's top scorer with Real Madrid. He also won the UEFA Cup with Internazionale.
In 2004, Zamorano was selected among the FIFA 100, a list of the best living football players in the world compiled by Pelé.
Zamorano started his career at the club Trasandino then he moved to Cobresal in Chile in 1985. In 1988, he moved to Europe to Swiss team FC St. Gallen, scoring 34 goals in 56 matches in three seasons. In 1991 Zamorano debuted in the Spanish Primera División with Sevilla, where he would play 59 matches and score 21 goals before he was sold to Real Madrid for $5 million.

wn.com/Iván_Zamorano
Jafar Irismetov
Jafar Irismetov (Russian: Джафар Ирисметов) (born 23 August 1976) is an Uzbekistan footballer currently playing for Navbahor Namangan.
On January 5, 2012 IFFHS published list of The World's most successful Top Division Goal Scorer among the still active Players. Jafar Irismetov ranked 9th in list, scoring 239 goals in 428 matches in his career.
He played 36 matches and scored 15 goals for the Uzbekistan between 1997 and 2007 [1].
Irismetov, Dinamo, 2010 ( for first foto) in Dinamo Sam. 2010

wn.com/Jafar_Irismetov
Jairzinho
Jair Ventura Filho, better known as Jairzinho (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒaˌiʁˈzĩɲu]; born December 25, 1944), is a former association footballer. A quick, powerful forward or winger, he was a member of the legendary Brazilian national team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup, during which he scored in every game Brazil played. In doing so, he became one of only 3 players – the others being Alcides Ghiggia and Just Fontaine – in the history of the World Cup to have scored in every game of the tournament. He was listed at number 27 in World Soccer Magazine's list of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century, one place ahead of Zinedine Zidane.
Due to the economic and political situation of the time^{[clarification needed]}, as well as the Sport Legislation, he played most of his club football in South America where he spent eleven years at Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo. He went on to play in Europe during the final years of his career, a common pattern for South American players until the 1980s, when the economic and political situation changed. Jairzinho replaced his footballing idol Garrincha in both the Botafogo and Brazil teams, and played in three consecutive World Cups.

wn.com/Jairzinho
Jari Litmanen
Jari Olavi Litmanen ( pronunciation (help·info)) (born 20 February 1971 in Lahti) is a Finnish footballer who last played for HJK. He also played for the Finland national football team, where he served as a first choice captain between 1996–2008. His international career ran from 1989 to 2010, making him the only footballer to play an International in four different decades.^{[citation needed]}
He is widely considered to be Finland's greatest football player of all time. He was chosen as the best Finnish player of the last 50 years by the Football Association of Finland in the UEFA Jubilee Awards in November 2003. Litmanen also finished 42nd in the 100 Greatest Finns voting in 2004. The Association of Football Statisticians' (The AFS) compendium of 'Greatest Ever Footballers' listed Litmanen as the 53rd best footballer ever.
In Finland he is often called "Litti" (after Pierre Littbarski), which dates from his early years in Finland; his childhood playmate Tommi Kautonen was "Auge" after Klaus Augenthaler. He is very often also called "Kuningas" ("The King").

wn.com/Jari_Litmanen
Javier Saviola
Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández (born 11 December 1981) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a striker.
Known for his speed, he represented both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid during his career (amongst others), and was named, as the youngest player, to Pelé's FIFA 100 list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Due to his Spanish ancestors, he also holds Spanish nationality since 2004.
An Argentine international in the 2000s, Saviola represented the country at the 2006 World Cup and the 2004 Copa América.
Nicknamed El Conejo (The Rabbit), Buenos Aires-born Saviola made his debut for Club Atlético River Plate at the age of 16, and went on to be a prolific goalscorer for the club.
He helped River to the 1999 Apertura and 2000 Clausura championships, and earned the 1999 South American Footballer of the Year award. Still only 18, he gained a reputation as a phenomenal prospect.
In 2001, aged 19, Saviola moved abroad to play for FC Barcelona in a £15 million transfer. He obtained Spanish citizenship shortly after, thereby not being restricted by the Spanish league maximum on the number of non-European Union citizens allowed in each club. Under coach Louis van Gaal, he scored 17 goals in his first season, finishing third best scorer in La Liga.

wn.com/Javier_Saviola
Jay-Jay Okocha
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha (born 14 August 1973 in Enugu) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder. Okocha is due to play in the newly formed Indian Soccer League in March 2012 and is up for auction for £351,000. He is known for his stepovers, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice' (a line immortalised in a terrace chant while Okocha played for Bolton Wanderers). While playing at Süper Lig team Fenerbahçe, he became a Turkish citizen as "Muhammet Yavuz".
Okocha's "Jay-Jay" name was actually passed down from his older brother James, who started playing football first. His immediate older brother Emmanuel was also called Emma Jay-jay, but the name stuck with Augustine. Okocha first began playing football on the street just like many other football stars, usually with a makeshift ball. Jay Jay Okocha was born in Enugu, Nigeria to Mr. & Mrs Okocha of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, Nigeria. In an interview with BBC Sport he said "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!" Known for making the move,"Sombrero Flick." In 1990 he joined Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara in a match against BCC Lions. Later he travelled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen.

wn.com/Jay-Jay_Okocha
Jean-Marc Ferreri
Jean-Marc Ferreri (born 26 December 1962 in Charlieu) is a former French footballer of Italian origin, who earned 37 caps and scored 3 goals for the France national football team. He played in the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship, where France won the title, and the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where France finished third.

wn.com/Jean-Marc_Ferreri
Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON (Dutch: [ˈjoˑɦɑn ˈkrœy̆f]) born 25 April 1947 in Amsterdam), known as Johan Cruyff, is a former Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Lionel Messi. Cruyff was one of the most famous exponents of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in association football.
After his retirement from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later FC Barcelona; he remains an influential advisor to both clubs. His son Jordi has also gone on to play football professionally.
In 1999, Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the IFFHS, and came second behind Pelé in their World Player of the Century poll. He came third in a vote organised by the French weekly magazine France Football consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect their Football Player of the Century. He was named as the greatest football player of all time by the Bleacher Report for the combination of his skill and his revolutionary application of Rinus Michels's total football to the sport.

wn.com/Johan_Cruyff
José Altafini
José João Altafini, (also known as "Mazzola" in Brazil) (born August 24, 1938) is an Italian Brazilian former footballer. He is the joint-third highest scorer in Italian Serie A history (along with Giuseppe Meazza) with 216 goals. He currently holds, together with Lionel Messi, the record for the highest no. of goals scored by any individual in a single Champions league/European Champion Clubs' Cup season with 14 goals.
He is currently a well-known football pundit on Italian TV SKY Italia and a speaker on Italian radio RTL 102.5. He's also the second speaker on Pro Evolution Soccer video games in Italy.
Altafini played for Palmeiras in Brazil, before he began his career in Italy with AC Milan in 1958. He made his debut on September 21, 1958, and, in his first season, played 32 games and scored 28 goals, winning the title along the way. His first league goal came on October 5 in a win against Bari. Milan won the title again in 1962, when Altafini was the league's joint top scorer with 22 goals in 33 games.

wn.com/José_Altafini
José Augusto Torres
José Augusto da Costa Séneca Torres (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈzɛ ˈtoʁɨʃ]; 8 September 1938 – 3 September 2010) was a Portuguese football centre forward and coach.
Nicknamed O Bom Gigante (The Kind Giant), most of his 21-year senior career was spent at Benfica, with great individual and team success (13 major titles). With the Portuguese national team, he participated in two World Cups separated by 20 years, one as player and the other as manager.
Born in Torres Novas, Santarém District, Torres signed with national powerhouse S.L. Benfica in 1959, from local side Clube Desportivo de Torres Novas. Even though he appeared rarely in his first three seasons combined, he managed to score six league goals in as many matches, paving the way for a bright future at the Reds.
In the 1962–63 season, in only 21 games, Torres was crowned the competition's top scorer, netting 26 goals, whilst also helping champions Benfica to the domestic cup final. It was also during this decade that he would be an instrumental figure as the club reached three European Cup finals - losing all - alongside offensive partners José Augusto, Mário Coluna, Eusébio and António Simões.

wn.com/José_Augusto_Torres
José Kléberson
José Kléberson Pereira (born 19 June 1979 in Uraí), commonly known as José Kléberson or simply Kléberson, is a Brazilian football centre midfielder who plays for Brazilian club Flamengo.
Kléberson was born and raised in the provincial town of Uraí in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná.
He began his football career with Atlético Paranaense. While at Atlético Paranaense, Kléberson won the Paraná State League in 2000 and 2001, and the Brazilian Série A title in 2001. His performances for Atlético Paranaense led to Luiz Felipe Scolari bringing him into the Brazilian national team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
His World Cup performances led to Scolari declaring Kléberson the driving force behind Brazil's Cup winning side, and drew interest from several English and Scottish teams. Newcastle United, Leeds United and Celtic all expressed an interest. Leeds failed to secure the signing after Kléberson decided against leaving Brazil without his girlfriend, who he was unable to marry until her 16th birthday. Eventually, it was Manchester United who signed Kléberson for a fee of £6.5 million on 12 August 2003. Seen as a replacement for Juan Sebastián Verón, Kléberson was injured in his second appearance for the club and made only 20 appearances in two seasons. He scored two league goals in his time at Manchester United, both coming in home wins against Blackburn Rovers and Everton.

wn.com/José_Kléberson
José Águas
José Pinto de Carvalho Santos Águas (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈzɛ ˈaɡwɐʃ]; 9 November 1930 – 10 December 2000) was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker.
He endured a lengthy professional spell with Benfica, never scoring less than 18 goals in his first division seasons.
Born in Luanda, Portuguese Angola, Portuguese Empire, from a white colonial family, Águas started his footballing career with local team Lusitano do Lobito, before moving to S.L. Benfica in 1950, where he played until 1963, where he gained legendary status.
With Benfica, he won the league five times (1955, 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1963), the domestic cup seven times, also being crowned national league's top scorer on five occasions. In the years previous to Eusébio's explosion at the Lisbon side, he was also instrumental in Benfica's back-to-back European Cup conquests, in 1961 against FC Barcelona (3–2), and the next season against Real Madrid (5–3), scoring his team's first goal on both occasions, and being club captain; he failed to complete a hat-trick of wins in the competition, after the 1–2 defeat to A.C. Milan in the 1963 final (he did not play).

wn.com/José_Águas
Juan Barbas
Juan Alberto Barbas (born August 23, 1959 in San Martín, Buenos Aires) is a retired Argentine football defensive midfielder, He played for a number of clubs in Argentina, Spain, Italy and Switzerland before turning his hand to management in 2009 with Racing Club de Avellaneda.
Barbas started his career in 1977 at Racing Club de Avellaneda in the Primera Division Argentina. He then went on to play for Real Zaragoza in Spain, U.S. Lecce in Italy, FC Locarno and FC Sion in Switzerland.
Barbas was a part of the Sion team that won the 1991-1992 Swiss Championship.
After another spell at Locarno Barbas returned to Argentina where he had a short spell with Club Atlético Huracán before dropping down to the lower leagues to play for Alvarado de Mar del Plata and then All Boys where he retired in 1997.
Barbas was part of the Argentina Under-20 squad that won the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, he went on to play for Argentina 33 times including appearances at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
On 13 October 2009 Racing Club de Avellaneda officials hired their former player as their caretaker coach, replacing Ricardo Caruso Lombardi.

wn.com/Juan_Barbas
Juan Román Riquelme
Juan Román Riquelme (born 24 June 1978) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Boca Juniors as an attacking midfielder.
A playmaker, he combines passing, vision and skills with goalscoring ability from midfield. He spent most of his career with Boca Juniors, but also had a significant spell in Spain with Villarreal. He was named the Argentine Footballer of the Year four times.
A longtime Argentine international, Riquelme represented the nation at the 2006 World Cup and two Copa América tournaments.
Born in San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Riquelme was born into a family of ten in poverty, and grew up in Don Torcuato. Boca Juniors and Club Atlético River Plate spotted him when he was a youth player for Argentinos Juniors, and he chose to move to the former in 1995 for US$800,000, as he had been a fan of the club since childhood.
On 10 November 1996, aged 18, Riquelme made his Primera División debut, in a 2–0 win against Unión de Santa Fe. Two weeks later, he scored his first senior goal, in a 6–0 triumph over Club Atlético Huracán.

wn.com/Juan_Román_Riquelme
Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón (born 9 March 1975) is an Argentinian professional football player who is the current captain and midfielder for Estudiantes de La Plata in the Argentine Primera División. Verón's career started in Estudiantes, continued in Argentina's Boca Juniors, and included stints in several Serie A clubs (where he won the Scudetto with Lazio and with Internazionale, and a UEFA Cup with Parma), and England's Manchester United and Chelsea. In 2006, Verón returned to Estudiantes.
In 2004, he was included in the FIFA 100 centenary list of the 125 greatest living footballers, selected by Pelé as part of FIFA's centenary celebrations. Verón has both Argentine and Italian citizenship. His nickname is La Brujita (Little Witch), a nod to his father Juan Ramón who was known as La Bruja (The Witch) and was also a championship winning player with Estudiantes.
Juan Sebastián Verón is the eldest son of former Argentina striker Juan Ramón Verón, who scored against Manchester United in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup at Old Trafford for Estudiantes. He was born the day his father played a derby for Estudiantes against cross-town rivals Gimnasia y Esgrima. As a boy, Verón dreamed of playing for English club Sheffield United, as his uncle, Pedro Verde, played for the club at the time. When his son started to play professionally, his father tried to persuade one of his former clubs Panathinaikos to sign him. However, after a short trial with them, they finally decided that he was not good enough for their team. After his transfer to Manchester United, Verón said, "So there I was hoping to play for Sheffield United and here I am at Manchester United!"

wn.com/Juan_Sebastián_Verón
Juliano Belletti
Juliano Haus Belletti (born 20 June 1976) is a former Brazilian footballer who mostly played as a right-back. He was awarded the Silver Ball by Placar for his consistently great performances for Atlético Mineiro during the 1999 Brazilian Série A. Belletti has Italian origins, his distant relatives coming from Longiano, a small village near Cesena, Emilia-Romagna. He is currently 35-years-old.
Born in Cascavel, Belletti started his career playing as a central midfielder in Brazil for the youth team of Cruzeiro in 1992. His professional debut happened in November 1994. In March 1996, he was involved in a deal that sent him and Serginho to São Paulo FC in exchange for five players: Aílton, Donizete, Gilmar, Palhinha and Vitor. Playing for São Paulo, he eventually became a right-back.
In 1999, he was loaned to Atlético Mineiro. Playing as an attacking-midfielder, Belletti helped the club to finish second in the Brazilian League and managed to win a Silver Ball, award handed by Placar Magazine to the players nominated to the Brazilian League Squad of The Year (except for the best one, who takes a Golden Ball).

wn.com/Juliano_Belletti
Juninho Paulista
Osvaldo Giroldo Júnior (born 22 February 1973 in São Paulo), better known as Juninho Paulista or simply Juninho, is a former Brazilian footballer. During his professional career, he played for Brazilian clubs São Paulo FC, Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras, CR Flamengo, as well as English club Middlesbrough, Spanish club Atlético Madrid, Celtic in Scotland and Sydney FC in Australia.
Juninho also played nearly 50 international matches with the Brazilian national team from 1995 to 2003, winning the 2002 FIFA World Cup championship and the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic tournament.
Born in São Paulo, Juninho played youth football for FC curvados e Orgulhoso, a local club set up in São Paulo, and then futsal at EC Juventus .
Juninho began his senior career with Ituano FC, from city of Itu, state of São Paulo in 1990. In 1993 playing for Ituano FC against São Paulo FC, Juninho scored and was awarded the player of the match, helping Ituano FC beat São Paulo in a Paulista Championship match, fact which got attention of the São Paulo FC's head coach Telê Santana, who requested its team to buy the young talent. After being awarded the best rookie of the 1993's Paulista Championship playing by Ituano FC.

wn.com/Juninho_Paulista
Jupp Heynckes
Josef "Jupp" Heynckes (born 9 May 1945 in Mönchengladbach) is a former football player and manager currently the manager of Bayern Munich of the Fußball-Bundesliga. As player he belonged to the core of the team of Borussia Mönchengladbach in its golden era of the 1960s and 1970s where he won many national championships and the Cup as well as the UEFA Cup. He was a member of the West German national squad that won the European Championship and the World Cup in the first half of the 1970s. As manager he won two German championships with Bayern Munich and the 1997–98 UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, their first title in the competition in more than thirty years.
Heynckes played 369 matches in the German Bundesliga, scoring 220 goals. His tally is the third highest in this league, after Gerd Müller's 365 goals and Klaus Fischer's 268 goals.
He started his playing career in 1964 with Borussia Mönchengladbach who were in the second division. In 1965 the club, managed by the legendary Hennes Weisweiler, achieved promotion to the Bundesliga. Heynckes stayed on for two more years and then left for Hannover 96, where he spent three years.

wn.com/Jupp_Heynckes
Justo Tejada
Justo Tejada Martínez (born 6 January 1933 in Barcelona) is a former Spanish footballer. He was capped by Spain 8 games scoring 4 goals.

wn.com/Justo_Tejada
Júlio Botelho
Júlio Botelho, also known as Julinho (29 July 1929, in São Paulo – 10 January 2003) was a Brazilian football (soccer) player. He was primarily a winger.
During his career (1951–1967) he played for Portuguesa, Fluminense and Palmeiras. In Italy, he was a team member of Fiorentina and was a key member in the 1956 Italian title. In 1957, he participated in the 1957 European Cup final, a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid. Julinho played at the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland, scoring two goals. He was nominated the best player in the history of Fiorentina in 1996. He died at the age of 73.

wn.com/Júlio_Botelho
Júnior Baiano
Raimundo Ferreira Ramos Jr. (also known as Júnior or Júnior Baiano [by adding the demonym of Bahia, his home state]) (born 14 March 1970 in Feira de Santana) is a retired Brazilian footballer.
Júnior Baiano began his career in the late 1980s, playing with Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Over the course of the next 15 years Júnior Baiano's career took him to Germany, China, and all over Brazil. He is most remembered in Germany for the ten-match ban he received after punching an opponent in a game, which caused his club Werder Bremen to cancel his contract. He won the Campeonato Carioca twice in two stints with Flamengo in 1991 and 2004, as well as the Copa do Brasil and the Campeonato Brasileiro. He also won the Copa Conmebol and the Recopa Sul-Americana with São Paulo in 1994m and the Copa Libertadores with Palmeiras in 1999.
He retired in the end of 2005, but in December 2006 he signed a professional contract with América from Rio de Janeiro to defend the club in Rio State Championship in the beginning of 2007. Baiano signed a contract with Brasiliense to play Série B Brazilian League in 2007.

wn.com/Júnior_Baiano
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann (born 30 July 1964 in Göppingen) is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States men's National team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that won the 1996 UEFA European Championship. One of West Germany's/Germany's premier strikers during the 1990s, Klinsmann scored in all six major international tournaments he participated, from Euro 1988 to 1998 World Cup.
He managed the German national team to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup. On 12 July 2006, Klinsmann officially announced that he would step down as Germany's coach after two years in charge and be replaced by assistant coach Joachim Löw. He took over as coach of Bayern Munich in July 2008, when Ottmar Hitzfeld stepped down to take over as the head coach of the Swiss National Team. On 27 April 2009 he was released early, even though he had won five of the previous seven league games and was only three points behind league leader VfL Wolfsburg. In the jointly initiated reforms at Bayern it emerged there was a severe clash of opinions between coach and club management.

wn.com/Jürgen_Klinsmann
Jürgen Piepenburg
Jürgen Piepenburg (born June 10, 1941) is a German former footballer who played as a forward. He spent his entire top level career with ASV Vorwärts, the team of the East German Army, playing for Vorwärts Berlin from 1963 to 1971, and continuing with the club for another four years after it had moved to Frankfurt (Oder). In total he made 236 appearances in the DDR-Oberliga, scoring 88 times, and scored 11 goals in 22 appearances in the European Cup, a record for an East German player. He was the competition's joint top scorer in 1966–67, along with Paul van Himst, with six goals.

wn.com/Jürgen_Piepenburg
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiˈkaɾdu iˈzɛksõw duˈsɐ̃tus ˈlejtʃi]; born 22 April 1982), commonly known as Kaká (Portuguese: [kaˈka] ( listen)), is a Brazilian football attacking 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 15 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 transfer fee of €65 million, second only to that of Zinedine Zidane, €75 million. Later Real Madrid transferred Cristiano Ronaldo for a fee of €96 million, setting a new transfer fee record, making Kaka's fee the third highest ever. 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. Kaka is the first sportsperson to amass 10 million followers in twitter.

wn.com/Kaká
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish (Scottish pronunciation: [dɛlɡliːʃ]) MBE (born 4 March 1951) is a Scottish former footballer and manager. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two clubs, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is Scotland's most capped player, with 102 appearances, and joint leading goal scorer, with 30 international goals. Dalglish was voted PFA Player of the Year for the 1982–83 season, and Football Writers' Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1983. In 2009 FourFourTwo magazine named Dalglish as the greatest striker in post-war British football, and in 2006 he topped a Liverpool fans' poll of "100 Players Who Shook the Kop". He has been inducted into both the Scottish and English football Halls of Fame.
Dalglish began his career with Celtic and between 1971 and 1977 he won four Scottish First Division titles, four Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup with the club. In 1977, Bob Paisley paid a British transfer record of £440,000 to bring Dalglish to Liverpool. His years at Liverpool marked one of the club's most successful periods: he won seven league titles, three European Cups and five domestic trophies. For these achievements and his style of play he was given the name King Kenny by Liverpool supporters. Dalglish became player-manager of Liverpool in 1985 and in a six-year tenure won three league titles and two FA Cups. He resigned as Liverpool manager in 1991.

wn.com/Kenny_Dalglish
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE (born 14 February 1951) is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United.
As a player in the 1970s and 1980s, he has been described as "arguably the first superstar English player to attract the modern media spotlight". He began his playing career at Scunthorpe United in 1968, before moving to Liverpool of Division One in 1971. At Liverpool, Keegan won three First Division titles, two UEFA Cups, one FA Cup and the European Cup. He also gained his first England cap in 1972, and moved to German top-flight club Hamburger SV in the summer of 1977. At Hamburg he was crowned European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979, won the Bundesliga title in 1978–79, and reached the European Cup final the following year. Keegan moved to Southampton that summer, and spent two seasons at the club before a transfer to second-tier Newcastle United in 1982. He helped Newcastle to promotion in his second season, and retired from football in 1984, having been capped 63 times for England, scoring 21 goals.

wn.com/Kevin_Keegan
Leonardo Araújo
Leonardo Nascimento de Araújo, known as Leonardo (born 5 September 1969 in Niterói, Brazil), is a football manager and a former midfielder. He is currently active as director of football of French club Paris Saint-Germain.
A former Brazil international, he also served as player and manager of Italian side Milan, and successively as manager of crosstown rivals Internazionale. He played in the 1994 World Cup winning side, as well as the runners up team in 1998.
Leonardo began his career with the Brazilian club Flamengo in 1987; at just 17, he was given the opportunity to play with his hero Zico plus Leandro, Bebeto and Renato Gaúcho, and to take part in winning his first Brazilian championship. In 1990, Leonardo signed with São Paulo FC, and in 1991, Leonardo, Raí, and other young talents were assembled as part of the so-called 'esquadrão tricolor' ("three-coloured squad") under the command of Brazilian legend Telê Santana, giving Leonardo his second Brazilian championship.
Later that year, he made the switch to European football, signing with the Spanish club Valencia CF. After two seasons with Valencia, he returned to Brazil for a brief stint with São Paulo in 1993, during which time the team won several titles, including the prestigious Copa Libertadores and International Cup.

wn.com/Leonardo_Araújo
Lev Yashin
Lev Ivanovich Yashin (Russian: Лев Ива́нович Я́шин) (22 October 1929 – 20 March 1990) nicknamed as "The Black Spider", "The Black Octopus" or "The Lion", was a Soviet-Russian football goalkeeper, considered by many to be the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the game. He was known for his superior athleticism in goal, imposing stature, amazing reflex saves and inventing the idea of goalkeeper sweeping. Yashin was voted the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS.
Yashin was born in Moscow into a family of industrial workers. At twelve years of age, the Second World War forced him to turn to factory work to aid in the war effort. He was sent to work in a military factory in Moscow, where he played for its football team. It was there that he was spotted and invited to join the Dynamo Moscow youth team. Yashin’s debut for Dynamo came in 1950 in a friendly match. It was not the debut he would have hoped for, as he conceded a soft goal scored straight from a clearance by the opposing keeper. That year he played in only two league games, and did not appear in a senior match again until 1953. But he remained determined, and stayed at Dynamo in the reserves waiting for another opportunity. Yashin also played goalie for the Dynamo ice hockey team during those early years of trying to break into the senior squad. He managed to win a USSR ice hockey cup in 1953 and was third in the USSR hockey championship as goalkeeper.

wn.com/Lev_Yashin
Leônidas da Silva
Leônidas da Silva (Portuguese pronunciation: [leˈõnidɐz dɐ ˈsiwvɐ]; born Rio de Janeiro, 6 September 1913 – died, Cotia, 24 January 2004) was an association footballer and commentator. He is regarded to be one of the most important players of the first half of the 20th century. He played for Brazil in two World Cups, and was the top scorer of the 1938 World Cup.
He was known as the "Black Diamond", and as the "Rubber Man" – due to his elasticity. He is known for having created the bicycle kick.
Leônidas, born in Rio de Janeiro, started his career at São Cristóvão. In 1931 and in 1932, he played for Bonsucesso.
He joined Peñarol in Uruguay in 1933. After one year, he came back to Brazil to play for Vasco da Gama. He helped them win the Rio State Championship. After playing in the World Cup in 1934 he joined Botafogo and won another Rio State Championship in 1935. On the following year, he joined Flamengo, where he stayed until 1941. Once again, in 1939, he won Rio State Championship. He also fought prejudice, being one of the first black players to join the then-elitist Flamengo team.

wn.com/Leônidas_da_Silva
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi], born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine footballer who plays in La Liga for FC Barcelona and is the captain of the Argentina national team, mainly as a forward.
By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year in 2009 he won both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, and won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010 and 2011. He also won the 2010–11 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. Messi is the fourth football player to win three Ballons d'Or, after Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten and the second player to win three consecutive Ballons d'Or, after Michel Platini. His playing style and small stature have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".
Messi has won five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles. In 2012, Messi made UEFA Champions League history by becoming the first player to score five goals in one match, in a 7–1 win against Bayer Leverkusen. With two goals in the next round against A.C. Milan, he matched José Altafini's record of 14 goals in a single UEFA Champions League/European Cup season. He also became the first player to top-score in four successive European Champion Clubs' Cup campaigns. He set the world record for most goals scored in a season during the 2011–12 season, with 73 goals.

wn.com/Lionel_Messi
Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus German pronunciation: [ˈloːtaɐ̯ maˈtɛːʊs], (born 21 March 1961 in Erlangen, West Germany) is a German football manager and former player.
In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup. One year later, he was also named the first ever FIFA World Player of the Year.
He has played in five World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) more than any other outfield player, and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played (25 games). He also won Euro 80, and played in Euro 84, Euro 88, and Euro 2000. In 1999, he was again voted German Footballer of the Year despite being 38 years old. He is the most capped German player of all time, retiring with a total of 150 appearances (83 of them when the team was called West Germany) and 23 goals for the German national team. Matthäus is a member of the FIFA 100 – a list of 125 of the greatest living football players chosen by Pelé. Maradona said about Matthäus "he is the best rival I've ever had. I guess that's enough to define him" in his book Yo soy el Diego (I am Diego).

wn.com/Lothar_Matthäus
Lou Macari
Luigi "Lou" Macari (born 4 June 1949 in Largs, North Ayrshire) is a Scottish former footballer and football manager of Italian descent.
After a promising start to his playing career with Celtic, he moved south of the border in 1973 for £200,000 to sign for Manchester United, where he would spend the bulk of his playing career.
During his time with Celtic he had scored 57 goals in 100 appearances since making his first team debut in 1970.
His first game for Manchester United came in January 1973 against West Ham United in which he scored a point-saving goal in a 2–2 draw. In 1977, his deflected shot off team mate Jimmy Greenhoff won Manchester United the FA Cup final against Liverpool (and ultimately denied Liverpool the European treble). He made 400 appearances for the club, scoring 98 goals.
Macari's early career at Old Trafford was spent trying to lead an attack that struggled to achieve anything. Relegation to the Second division in 1974 was the low point but Macari blossomed as a midfielder in the following seasons under Tommy Docherty, as United began to win back a large following with superb attacking football in which Macari enjoyed popularity alongside players such as Gordon Hill, Steve Coppell and the Greenhoff brothers.

wn.com/Lou_Macari
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON (Dutch pronunciation: [luˈwi vɑn ˈɣaːɫ]; born 8 August 1951 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich. Before his career as coach van Gaal played as a midfielder for Royal Antwerp, Telstar, Sparta Rotterdam and AZ. Van Gaal is also a fully qualified gymnastics teacher, and has worked as such at high-schools during various stages of his career as a semi-professional football-player.
After a brief spell as coach at AZ, Van Gaal served as assistant coach under Leo Beenhakker at Ajax, and eventually took over as head coach in 1991. Under his lead, the club won three league titles, the UEFA Cup, and the Champions League. Van Gaal moved to Barcelona in 1997 and won two Spanish league titles and one Spanish Cup. After some disagreements at Barcelona, he was appointed coach of the Dutch national team, but then failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Another brief spell at Barcelona followed, before he became manager of AZ. After having won the Dutch championship with AZ in 2008–09, he was hired by Bayern Munich on 1 July 2009. In his first season at Munich, he secured the German league title and won the German Cup, and made it to the final of the Champions League.

wn.com/Louis_van_Gaal
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari (Portuguese pronunciation: [luˈiz fiˈlipi iskoˈlaɾi]), ComIH (born 9 November 1948 in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul), also known as Felipão in Brazil and Phil Scolari in the United Kingdom, is a World Cup-winning Brazilian football manager. He is currently the manager of Palmeiras. He served as the manager of the Portuguese national team from July 12, 2003 to June 30, 2008. As Portugal's manager he led them to the Euro 2004 final which they lost 1-0 to Greece as well as leading them to 4th place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Scolari led Portugal in Euro 2008, but resigned after Portugal lost 3-2 to Germany in the 2nd Round. He was succeeded by Carlos Queiroz on July 5, 2008.
A defender regarded as more uncompromising than skilful, he was known among his contemporaries as "perna-de-pau" (literally translated as "wooden leg", a Brazilian-Portuguese term for a bad player), Scolari followed in the footsteps of his father Benjamin, who was also a Brazilian professional footballer. His playing career encompassed spells with Caxias, Juventude, Novo Hamburgo, and CSA, and often captained his sides. It was with CSA that he won his only major title as a player - the Alagoano state championship.

wn.com/Luiz_Felipe_Scolari
Luís Fabiano
Luís Fabiano Clemente (born 8 November 1980), commonly known as Luís Fabiano, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for São Paulo as a striker.
Luís Fabiano enjoyed great success during two spells with Brazilian side São Paulo FC, with a disappointing period at French side Rennes sandwiched in between. His strength on the ball, accurate finishing, and pace made him a vital part of the side that fell in the semi-finals of the 2004 Copa Libertadores de América. Luís Fabiano was labeled the "bad boy" of Brazilian football when playing for São Paulo after a number of brawls. During a 2003 Copa Sudamericana match for São Paulo against River Plate of Argentina, a fight between the players broke out. Luís Fabiano ran behind a River player and kicked him just below the neck. While being escorted off the field, Luís Fabiano said that he "would rather fight than take a penalty." He was given a three-match ban from all competitions.
Luís Fabiano moved to Portugal to play for FC Porto in 2004 for a €1.875 million transfer fee; Porto, however, only bought 25% of his rights, the other 75% belonging to Global Soccer Investments (later renamed to Rio Football Services). There, Luís Fabiano was reunited with his international teammate Diego, who he played with on the Copa América 2004. He had a troublesome season, however, scoring only three goals in 22 matches. This led to Luís Fabiano being transferred to La Liga side Sevilla FC. Sevilla signed 25% economic right from Porto and later signed a further 10% from Rio Football Services for €1.2 million, with a pre-set price of remains 65% rights for €7.15 million to be excised on or before 15 April 2007, however it was never excised.

wn.com/Luís_Fabiano
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, (born 4 November 1972) is a former Portuguese international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009. He won 127 caps for the Portuguese national football team, a number that makes him the most capped Portuguese player in history.
Figo was the 2000 European Footballer of the Year, the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, and was named amongst the FIFA 100.
Figo is one of the few football players to have played for both the Spanish rival clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. He had a successful career highlighted by several trophy wins, such as one Portuguese Cup, four La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups, three Spanish Super Cups, one UEFA Champions League title, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, four Serie A titles, one Italian Cup and three Italian Super Cups.
Figo started his career at Sporting CP. He won his first senior international cap in 1991. Prior to that, he won the Under-21 World Championships and Under-16 European Championships with Portugal junior sides, alongside Rui Costa, João Pinto and he was also a significant part of Portugal's "Golden Generation".

wn.com/Luís_Figo
Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl dəsaji]; born Odenke Abbey 7 September 1968 in Accra, Ghana) is a retired Ghanaian born French footballer and star of the France national football team squad, with whom he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. He also enjoyed a distinguished career at club level with several major European clubs.
Born as Odenke Abbey to Ghanaian parents, Marcel had his name changed when his mother married the head of the French Consulate in Accra who adopted all the children (the former professional footballer Seth Adonkor, seven years his elder, was a half-brother of his). He arrived in France as a four-year-old and, following Adonkor's lead, began his career at FC Nantes. There, as part of the famed FC Nantes youth programme, he played alongside a young Didier Deschamps, who became his closest friend. Desailly turned professional in 1986, two years after his half-brother had died in a car accident. In 1992, he moved to Olympique de Marseille, where he reunited with Deschamps, and won the UEFA Champions League the following year. In 1994, while playing for AC Milan, he again won the Cup (scoring in the final himself), being the first player to win the Cup in consecutive seasons with different clubs. During his time in Milan he won two Italian league titles, in 1994 and 1996. Although he prefers to be a central defender, he also played as a defensive midfield for some time while being at A.C. Milan.

wn.com/Marcel_Desailly
Marcelinho Paulista
Marcelo José de Souza, nicknamed Marcelinho Paulista (born 13 September 1973 in Cotia) is a Brazilian football midfielder.
He made his debut for the Brazilian national team in 1994, and played four additional matches in the run-up to the 1996 Olympic Games. At the Olympics he only played against Portugal in what would be his final international match.

wn.com/Marcelinho_Paulista
Marco van Basten
Marcel "Marco" van Basten (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑr.koʊ̯ vɑm.ˈbɑs.tə(n)]; 31 October 1964) is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played for Ajax and Milan, as well as the Dutch national team, in the 1980s and early 1990s. He is regarded as one of the greatest forwards of all time and has scored 277 goals in a high-profile career, which ended in 1995 as a result of an injury suffered two years earlier. He was later the head coach of Ajax and the Dutch national team.
Known for his strength on the ball, his tactical awareness and spectacular strikes and volleys, van Basten was named European Footballer of the Year three times (1988, '89 and '92) and FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992. Van Basten was voted eighth in a poll organised by the French weekly magazine France Football consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect the Football Player of the Century. In 2004, a nationwide poll was held for the 100 greatest Dutch people (De Grootste Nederlander) and van Basten was number 25, the second highest for a football player^{[citation needed]}. In March 2007, Sky Sports ranked van Basten first on its list of great athletes who had their careers cut short.

wn.com/Marco_van_Basten
Mario Zagallo
Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo (born August 9, 1931 in Maceió) is a Brazilian former football player and manager.

Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo was born in Maceió, Alagoas, to a family of Lebanese heritage.
Zagallo started his football career with América in 1948, and he later played for Flamengo and Botafogo.
He won the World Cup as a player with Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
He also won the World Cup as a manager (1970), and as assistant coach (World Cup 1994), both with the Brazilian national team. He also coached his country to a fourth-place finish in the 1974 World Cup and to a second-place finish in the 1998 World Cup
Zagallo is one of only two footballers, along with West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach. .
Zagallo guided the United Arab Emirates to their first World Cup in 1990, but was dismissed from his post before the tournament. Zagallo was assistant coach (as in 1994, the main coach was Carlos Alberto Parreira) of the Brazilian team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which was eliminated by France.

wn.com/Mario_Zagallo
Martín Herrera
Martín Horacio Herrera (born 13 September 1970 in Río Cuarto, Córdoba) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Herrera started his career with Argentine giants Club Atlético Boca Juniors in 1991 but things didn't work out for him there, and he moved to Club Atlético Atlanta of the third division three seasons after. There, he helped to the 1995 championship, as the club achieved promotion.
In 1998, Herrera moved to Mexico to play for Club Toluca but he soon returned to Argentina, representing Ferro Carril Oeste during two seasons. The following year, he signed with Spain's Deportivo Alavés, being an undisputed starter in two of his three campaigns at the Basque club, only missing two La Liga games out of 76; in his first year he was awarded the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, with only 37 goals conceded (all 38 matches played).
On 16 May 2001, Herrera was in goal during the 4–5 extra time loss against Liverpool in the season's UEFA Cup final. In 2002, no longer an automatic first-choice with Alavés, he was signed by Premier League team Fulham on a three-year contract, but he only made two appearances for the club before being loaned to Estudiantes de La Plata and eventually released.

wn.com/Martín_Herrera
Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer (born September 5, 1967 in Dresden) is a retired German football player and coach who is now working as technical director of the DFB (German Football Association). He played as a midfielder, and later in his career as a sweeper.
With Borussia Dortmund, he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1996, the year he led Germany to victory in the European Championship. Sammer retired with 74 total caps, 23 for East Germany and 51 for the unified side.
Sammer played for his hometown club Dynamo Dresden from 1987 to 1990, the club his father, Klaus had played for and managed. He was one of the first notable East German players to join a Western club after the German re-unification when he signed with VfB Stuttgart in 1990 (the first being Andreas Thom, who joined Bayer Leverkusen from BFC Dynamo). He then went on to play with Italian club Internazionale (1992–1993), and Borussia Dortmund (1993–1998). He won two East German championships with Dynamo Dresden (1989, 1990), and three German championships, (1992 with VfB Stuttgart, 1995 and 1996 with Borussia Dortmund). During his time in Dortmund he also won the UEFA Champions League in 1997. Sammer also scored the last ever goal for the East Germany football team before re-unification.

wn.com/Matthias_Sammer
Mia Hamm
Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm (born on March 17, 1972, in Selma, Alabama) is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female, in the history of U.S. soccer (158). She is the second most capped female player in soccer history behind Kristine Lilly, appearing in 275 international matches throughout her career.
Hamm was named the women's FIFA World Player of the Year the first two times that award was given (in 2001 and 2002), and is listed as one of FIFA's 125 best living players (as chosen by Pelé). Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon called Hamm, "Perhaps the most important athlete of the last 15 years."
She retired from the sport in 2004, when she played her last game in the 2004 Fan Celebration Tour to commemorate the U.S. women's national team's victory in the 2004 Olympics. In 2007, her first year of eligibility, she was selected for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame by having 137 votes of the 141 ballots cast. Women's Professional Soccer, a professional soccer league that launched in 2009, features Hamm's silhouette in its logo.

wn.com/Mia_Hamm
Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack (born 26 September 1976) is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He has won the German Footballer of the Year award three times – in 2002, 2003 and 2005. In his prime, Ballack was known for his passing range, scoring ability, ball skills and commanding presence in the midfield.
Ballack began his career as a youth at Chemnitz, his local team, and made his professional debut in 1995. Although the team were relegated in his first season, his performances in the Regionalliga the following season led to a transfer to Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club; his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for Germany. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4.1 million in 1999. The 2002 season saw him win a slew of runners-up medals: Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, German Cup, UEFA Champions League and Germany lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup Final.

wn.com/Michael_Ballack
Michael Laudrup
Michael Laudrup (born 15 June 1964 in Frederiksberg) is a retired Danish footballer, who works as a manager and last coached La Liga side RCD Mallorca. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. His most prominent run of football came with Spanish club Barcelona, with whom he won four straight La Liga championships. He famously moved to arch rivals Real Madrid in 1994, with whom he won his fifth La Liga title in a row. He made his debut for the Denmark national football team on his 18th birthday in 1982, and scored 37 goals in a total of 104 appearances for his country. From November 1994, he captained Denmark for a total of 28 matches, including the victorious 1995 Confederations Cup tournament. He retired as an active player in June 1998.
In 1999, he was voted the Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football over the preceding 25-year period and in April 2000 he was knighted, receiving the Order of the Dannebrog. In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Denmark by the Danish Football Association; their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. He was officially named the best Danish footballer of all time by the Danish Football Association (DBU) in November 2006.

wn.com/Michael_Laudrup
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen (born 14 December 1979 in Chester) is an English professional footballer who is currently a free agent after being released by Manchester United in June 2012.
The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997. In his first full season in the Premier League he finished as joint top scorer with 18 goals. He repeated this the following year and was Liverpool's top goal scorer from 1997–2004, despite a recurring hamstring injury. In 2001, Liverpool won a cup treble of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and Football League Cup, and Owen was the recipient of the Ballon d'Or. He went on to score 118 goals in 216 appearances in the Premier League for Liverpool.
Owen moved to Real Madrid for £8 million in mid-2004; he was frequently used as a substitute. He scored 13 goals in La Liga and had the season's highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played. He returned to England the following season, joining Newcastle United for £16 million. After a promising start to the 2005–06 season, injuries largely ruled him out over the next 18 months. After his return he became team captain and was the team's top scorer for the 2007–08 season. After the final season of his four-year contract, Newcastle were relegated, and Owen moved to Manchester United as a free agent.

wn.com/Michael_Owen
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini (born 21 June 1955) is a former French football player and manager, and the president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 2007.
During his professional footballing career, Platini played for the clubs Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus, and was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He also participated in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in the latter two. Platini, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana together made up the "carré magique" (French for "magic square"), the group of midfield players that formed the heart of the French national team throughout the 1980s.
Considered one of the best passers in football history as well as one the best free kick specialists and finishers, he holds the record for most goals (9) scored in European Championship final tournaments despite only appearing in the 1984 edition. Despite being a midfielder, he held the national team top scorer record until striker Thierry Henry surpassed the 41 goals mark in 2007.

wn.com/Michel_Platini
Michelle Akers
Michelle Akers (born February 1, 1966 in Santa Clara, California) is a former leading American association football player, who starred in the historic 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup victory by the U.S.. She won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the 1991 tournament. She is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Michelle Akers was born on February 1, 1966 to Robert and Anne Akers in Santa Clara, California. She grew up in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. She went to and played soccer at Shorecrest High School. She was named an All-American three times while attending that school.
Akers attended the University of Central Florida on a scholarship where she was selected as four-time NCAA All-American. She was Central Florida's Athlete of the Year in 1988-89, the all-time leading scorer in UCF history, won the Hermann Trophy in 1988, and had her #10 jersey retired by the school.
She played for the first-ever U.S. Women's National team in August 1985 on the first international trip for the US Women. Due to an ankle injury, she did not play in the first game. However, she played in the second ever international game and scored the second goal in the history of the program against Denmark, in a 2-2 tie.

wn.com/Michelle_Akers
Milinko Pantić
Milinko Pantić (Serbian Cyrillic: Mилинкo Пaнтић, born September 5, 1966 in Loznica) is a former Serbian footballer.
Pantić spent the first six seasons of his professional career with FK Partizan between 1985 and 1991.
He then moved on to Greek Alpha Ethniki league where he played until 1995 for Athens side Panionios FC.
At almost 29 years of age, he was brought to Atlético de Madrid by their new coach Radomir Antić who knew Pantić well from his Partizan days. The move turned out to be a hit as Pantić's creative midfield presence provided the extra edge to Atletico side that won the La Liga/Copa del Rey double in the 1995/96 season. Pantić contributed with 10 goals in 41 appearances, and countless assists. He spent two more seasons in Madrid with a total of 18 goals in 106 matches in his career there, before moving on to Le Havre AC during summer 1998 for a season. In the summer of 1999, Pantić transferred back to Panionios where he spent the last two years of his playing career.
He earned 2 caps for the FR Yugoslavia national football team in 1996.

wn.com/Milinko_Pantić
Miloš Milutinović
Miloš Milutinović (Serbian: Милош Милутиновић) (born 5 February 1933 in Bajina Bašta, Serbia; died 28 January 2003 in Belgrade, Serbia) was a Serbian football player and manager. He is regarded as one of the most talented players in Yugoslavia's history and one of the most talented wingers/forwards of all time.
During his club career he played for FK Bor, FK Partizan, OFK Beograd, FC Bayern Munich, RCF Paris, and Stade Français Paris. In the 1955-56 season, he scored 2 goals in the first ever European Champion Clubs' Cup match, a 3-3 draw between FK Partizan and Sporting Clube de Portugal, then scored 4 goals in the return leg which Partizan won 5-2 in Belgrade. In the quarter-finals second leg, he scored 2 goals in a 3-0 win over eventual champions Real Madrid, but that was not enough to overcome Real Madrid's 4-0 win in the first leg.
In total, he played 213 matches and scored 231 goals for FK Partizan, winning 2 national cup (1954 and 1957). He then moved to OFK Beograd and later to Bayern Munich. In 1959, he underwent surgery for his ongoing lung problems. He stayed one year in Germany before playing in Paris.

wn.com/Miloš_Milutinović
Miloš Trifunović
Miloš Trifunović (Serbian Cyrillic: Mилoш Tpифунoвић; born October 15, 1984 in Belgrade) is a Serbian footballer currently playing for Liaoning Whowin F.C. in Chinese Super League.
After playing in the youth squad of the giants Red Star Belgrade, he started his senior career at minor clubs FK Ribnica Mionica and FK Beograd. In summer 2004 he moved to Montenegrin club FK Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje where he will play for two years, playing the second, 2005-06, in the First League of Serbia and Montenegro. In spring of 2006, he had a short spell at Swedish Carlstad United BK, before signing with Serbian SuperLiga club FK Borac Čačak, in the next season. After six months there, he was loaned for the rest of the season to FK Javor who will end up signing him permanently, and where he would stay until December 2009, when he transferred to Red Star, the club where he started playing. Since begin of 2011 he played on loan for FC Bunyodkor in the season 2011. He transferred to Chinese club Liaoning Whowin F.C. at January 2012.

wn.com/Miloš_Trifunović
Mirjalol Qosimov
Mirjalol Kushakovich Qosimov (Uzbek: Mirjalol Qoʻshoqovich Qosimov, Russian: Мирджалол Кушакович Касымов) (born 17 September 1970) is a former head coach for the Uzbekistan national football team. He is coach of FC Bunyodkor and played for the national team as a midfielder.
Kasimov finished his career in 2005 with FK Mash'al Mubarek, which played and plays in Uzbek League (Uzbek: O'zbekiston Oliy Ligasi). He played a vital role in Mashal becoming runner-ups during 2005 Uzbek national football club championship, which was the club's best ever finish. 2005 he decided to finish his career. Kasimov previously starred for FC Pakhtakor Tashkent and FC Alania Vladikavkaz in Russia. With over 210 goals in his playing career he is member of Club 200 of Berador Abduraimov. He is one of the most successful and famous players of Uzbek football of modern period.
Kasimov is first Uzbekistani and Asian player to have scored in UEFA football competitions. On 12 September 1995 in 1995-1996 UEFA Cup he scored in match Alania - Liverpool.

wn.com/Mirjalol_Qosimov
Miroslav Đukić
Miroslav Đukić (Serbian: Мирослав Ђукић; born 19 February 1966) is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a sweeper, and the current coach of Real Valladolid.
He spent 14 years of his professional career in Spain, notably at the service of Deportivo de La Coruña and Valencia, amassing La Liga totals of 368 games and 11 goals, and winning six major titles for the two clubs combined.
Đukić represented Serbia in one World Cup and one European Championship. After retiring, he embarked in a managerial career, at both club and international level.
Born in Šabac, Serbia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Đukić began his playing career with hometown club FK Mačva Šabac, moving in 1988 to Belgrade with FK Rad, after reported interest from both national giants, FK Partizan and Red Star Belgrade.
In the 1990 summer, Đukić signed for Deportivo de La Coruña in Spain, who purchased him for 40 million pesetas in 1990. He only appeared in five league games for the Galicians in his first season, which ended in La Liga promotion, but, from there onwards, became an undisputed starter, never totalling less than 35 games and 3,000 minutes of action in five consecutive campaigns, as Super Depor was coming to fruition.

wn.com/Miroslav_Đukić
Márcio Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso dos Santos (born 5 July 1974 in Brasília) is a retired Brazilian footballer. He has played his football for several teams in Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain and Greece while representing Brazil at international level.
Amoroso started his career at homeland club Guarani FC at 1992. In July 1992, he was loaned to a Japanese outfit Verdy Kawasaki (J. League Division 1), and returned to Guarani FC two years later. In 1996, he transferred to Flamengo, but he came to prominence playing in the Italian Serie A for unfashionable Udinese in the late-1990s. There he starred alongside Oliver Bierhoff in a side which played an adventurous 3–4–3 formation. When Oliver Bierhoff left the club for AC Milan, many thought Udinese Calcio would struggle to repeat their success, but that very next season Amoroso himself became the focus of the team, and was the top scorer in Serie A. A big-money move to Parma followed. The AC Parma side never quite fulfilled their potential to win the league title, and Amoroso was soon on the move again, this time to Borussia Dortmund in Germany where he won the Bundesliga title in 2001–02 and was the top scorer in the season. He helped them to the 2002 UEFA Cup Final where his goal (a penalty) could not prevent them from losing 3–2 to Feyenoord. Amoroso played for Malaga during the 2004–05 season.

wn.com/Márcio_Amoroso
Mário Jardel
Mário Jardel de Almeida Ribeiro (born 18 September 1973) is a former Brazilian/Portuguese professional footballer.
Jardel was most noted for his positioning on the field and "being at the right place, at the right time".^{[citation needed]} With this exceptional positioning ability, Jardel was able to become one of Europe's most prolific strikers during his time at FC Porto, Galatasaray, and Sporting CP.
Jardel played first for Vasco da Gama, but moved in 1995 to Grêmio, where he won the 1995 Copa Libertadores.
In 1996, he was linked to several teams, and after failing to transfer to Benfica and Rangers (due to the strict British rules involving non-EU players), he signed with Portuguese side FC Porto, where with help from players such as Zlatko Zahovič, Sérgio Conceição, and Ljubinko Drulović, he was the top goalscorer in Europe for three years (1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02), with a goal average of slightly over one goal per match (130 goals in 125 games, avg: 1.04). Although he was top scorer three times, due to the use of coefficients based on each European league's standards, he only won twice, the 1998–99 and 2001–02 European Golden Boots. He lost out to Kevin Phillips in 1999–2000 despite Phillips having scored six fewer goals than Jardel.

wn.com/Mário_Jardel
Mário Zagallo
Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo (born August 9, 1931 in Maceió) is a Brazilian former football player and manager.

Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo was born in Maceió, Alagoas, to a family of Lebanese heritage.
Zagallo started his football career with América in 1948, and he later played for Flamengo and Botafogo.
He won the World Cup as a player with Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
He also won the World Cup as a manager (1970), and as assistant coach (World Cup 1994), both with the Brazilian national team. He also coached his country to a fourth-place finish in the 1974 World Cup and to a second-place finish in the 1998 World Cup
Zagallo is one of only two footballers, along with West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach. .
Zagallo guided the United Arab Emirates to their first World Cup in 1990, but was dismissed from his post before the tournament. Zagallo was assistant coach (as in 1994, the main coach was Carlos Alberto Parreira) of the Brazilian team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which was eliminated by France.

wn.com/Mário_Zagallo
Míchel (footballer)
José Miguel González Martín del Campo, aka Míchel (born 23 March 1963 in Madrid), is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right midfielder, and a current coach.
He was most noted for his stellar crossing ability, also contributing with a fair share of goals. During his career, he mainly represented Real Madrid - over a decade - achieving great team and individual success, and subsequently becoming a coach.
Míchel gained nearly 70 caps for Spain during the 80's/90's, and represented the nation in two World Cups (scoring four goals in the 1990 edition) and one European Championship.
The son of a footballer who had to retire from the game at 27 after a road accident, Míchel joined Real Madrid at the age of thirteen, his technique and physicality on the pitch quickly standing out, and he moved quickly through the ranks to the first team, appearing - and scoring - once in 1981–82 (at CD Castellón, on 11 April 1982).
A member of the renowned Quinta del Buitre, which also featured Emilio Butragueño, Miguel Pardeza, Rafael Martín Vázquez and Manuel Sanchís, Míchel never played less than 31 La Liga contests from 1985–94. After helping Castilla CF to the second division title in 1984, he was instrumental in the capital side's conquests, which included six leagues and two consecutive UEFA Cups (he opened the score in the 1985 edition, against Videoton FC).

wn.com/Míchel_(footballer)
Narciso dos Santos
Narciso dos Santos, or just Narciso (born 23 December 1973 in Neópolis, Sergipe) is a former Brazilian football midfielder.
He made his debut for the Brazilian national team between 1995 and played his last match in 1998. He appeared in one game at the 1996 Summer Olympics; versus Portugal.
In 2000, Narciso was diagnosed with leukemia, and all evidences pointed towards his retirement from football. However, he managed to recover and returned to his footballing activities soon thereafter, the only sportsman in the world to ever do so. [1]

wn.com/Narciso_dos_Santos
Nihat Kahveci
Nihat Kahveci (born 23 November 1979 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a former Turkish footballer. Nihat played as a Forward.
Nihat's family name, Kahveci, means "coffee maker." Many people in Turkey adopted the name of their profession as their family name in the early 20th century, suggesting that Nihat's ancestors were in the coffee business. Like most Turkish players, his shirt carries his first name, Nihat, rather than his family name, Kahveci. He married Pınar Kaşgören on 5 July 2003. Their daughter Selin was born in May 2008.
Nihat is a product of Beşiktaş's youth system and was discovered by Hürser Mustafa Cindir when Nihat played in Beşiktaş in the 1996–97 season. He joined the first team at Beşiktaş in the 1997–98 season when he was just 17, at the time John Toshack was the coach.
In January 2002, he was transferred to Real Sociedad in Spain by former Beşiktaş coach Toshack. While at Real Sociedad, Nihat scored 57 goals in 115 appearances. In the 2002–03 season, Nihat scored 23 goals making him the league's joint-second highest scorer for the season behind Roy Makaay (29 goals) and tied with Ronaldo. Real Sociedad finished 2nd in the league that season, just 2 points behind Real Madrid. He had a very fruitful strike partnership with Serbian forward Darko Kovačević, such that sports journalist Phil Ball nicknamed the pair "Little and large", in reference to the height difference between them (Nihat's height is 1.75 m and Kovačević's is 1.87 m).

wn.com/Nihat_Kahveci
Nosirbek Otakuziyev
Nosirbek Otakuziyev is an Uzbekistan footballer who currently plays for Nasaf Qarshi in the Uzbek League. He plays as a Striker.
Otakuziyev scored an important goal in the opening round of the group stage in the 2011 AFC Cup when he scored in the 77th minute against Al-Ansar Club.

wn.com/Nosirbek_Otakuziyev
Odvan
Odvan Gomes Silva (born 26 March 1974 in Campos dos Goytacazes) is a Brazilian football player who plays for EC São João da Barra. He formerly played for Americano,Mineiros,Mimosense,Vasco da Gama,Santos,Botafogo,Coritiba,Fluminense,D.C. United,Náutico,Estrela da Amadora,Madureira,Bangu,Rio Bananal,Ituano,Cabofriense,União Rondonópolis and Armando Zanata, as well as for the Brazilian national side.

wn.com/Odvan
Oleg Blokhin
Oleh Volodymyrovych "Oleg" Blokhin (Ukrainian: Олег Володимирович Блохін) (born 5 November 1952 in Kiev) is a Ukrainian football coach and current head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Blokhin was formerly a standout striker for Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet national team. In 1975 he was named European Footballer of the Year, winning the Ballon d'Or, becoming the second Soviet and the first Ukrainian player to achieve such a feat.
Blokhin was born in Kiev, the capital of the Ukrainian SSR, in 1952 to a Russian father and Ukrainian mother.
Blokhin was one of the greatest strikers in the world throughout the 1970s, hitting the target regularly through a period of great success at his hometown club Dynamo Kiev and becoming the greatest goalscorer in the history of the Soviet League. Only the regime in the Soviet Union prevented him from moving abroad to play in Europe's strongest leagues.
Blokhin played during most of his career for Dynamo Kyiv, becoming the USSR national championship's all-time leader and goalscorer with 211 goals, as well as making more appearances than any other player with 432 appearances. He won the championship 8 times. He led Dynamo to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1975 and 1986, scoring a goal in each final. Blokhin is also the USSR national football team's most capped player with 112 caps, as well as their all time leading goalscorer with 42 goals; he played in the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups where he scored 1 goal in each. He was one of the first Soviet players to play abroad, signing for Austria's Vorwärts Steyr in 1988, he also played in Cyprus with Aris.

wn.com/Oleg_Blokhin
Oliver Kahn
Oliver Rolf Kahn (German pronunciation: [ˈɔ.lɪ.vɐ ˈkʰaːn], byname Der Titan [deɐ̯ ti.ˈtʰaːn] (the Titan); born 15 June 1969) is a former German football goalkeeper. He started his career in the Karlsruher SC Junior team. He had his debut game in the professional squad in 1987. In 1994, he was transferred to Bayern Munich for the fee of 4,600,000 DM, where he played until the end of his career in 2008.
He is one of the most successful German players in recent history, having won eight German championships, six German cups, the UEFA Cup (1996), the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup (both 2001). His individual contributions have earned him four consecutive UEFA Best European Goalkeeper awards, three IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper awards, and two German Footballer of the Year trophies. At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he became the first and only goalkeeper in the tournament's history to win the Golden Ball.
From 1994 to 2006, Kahn was part of the German national team, in which he played as a starter after the retirement of Andreas Köpke. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the team reached the Finals. While the team was several times derided for their poor performance, Kahn's prowess proved to be the deciding factor in several games up until the final, where Germany lost to Brazil 0–2 and Kahn received criticism for two blunders. Nonetheless, he was named the tournament's best player and received the Golden Ball award.

wn.com/Oliver_Kahn
Pablo Aimar
Pablo César Aimar Giordano (born 3 November 1979) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the Portuguese first division. An attacking midfielder with a vast array of skills, he also holds a Spanish passport.
He amassed La Liga totals of 215 games and 32 goals over the course of eight seasons, mainly with Valencia. He also played several years in Portugal with Benfica.
Aimar gained more than 50 caps for Argentina during one full decade, representing the nation in two World Cups and as many Copa América tournaments.
Born in Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Aimar began his ascent to stardom with Club Atlético River Plate, whose first team he joined for the 1997–98 season, after rejecting a place at medical school, and with whom he quickly established himself as one of the best young players in Argentina.
Valencia CF of Spain signed Aimar in January 2001, at a price of €24 million. The purchase proved justified, as Aimar helped lead the team to a first-place finish in La Liga in 2001–02 (with 33 matches and four goals), as well as to a runners-up finish in the previous seasons's UEFA Champions League, being defeated by FC Bayern Munich. Aimar also won the 2004 UEFA Cup, appearing in eight (scoreless) matches during the campaign; this included the final against Olympique de Marseille, where he replaced Francisco Rufete with 30 minutes to go.

wn.com/Pablo_Aimar
Paolo Maldini
Paolo Cesare Maldini (born 26 June 1968) is an Italian former footballer who played as a left or central defender, being adept with either foot although naturally right footed. He spent all 25 seasons of his career at Serie A club Milan, before retiring at the age of 41 in 2009, becoming a symbol and a legend of the club. During that period, he won the Champions League five times, as well as seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups. He played for 14 years for the Italian national team, making his debut in 1988 before retiring in 2002 with 126 caps and four World Cup participations.
Maldini played at a world class level for his entire career spanning 2 and a half decades, and won the Best Defender trophy at the UEFA Club Football Awards at the age of 39. He came second to George Weah for the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 1995, the closest a defender had ever reached to winning the award at the time. He was also the Milan and Italy captain for many years and was considered a leader amongst leaders by fellow footballers, leading to the nickname "Il Capitano" (the Captain). Paolo's father Cesare formerly played for and captained Milan, and is a successful national U-21 manager.

wn.com/Paolo_Maldini
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira (born 23 June 1976 in Dakar, Senegal) is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City in the English Premier League.
He rose to prominence during his time at Arsenal from 1996 to 2005, where he won three Premier League titles – one unbeaten – and four FA Cups, eventually becoming club captain. After leaving Arsenal in 2005, he spent one season at Juventus before joining Internazionale in 2006, following Juventus' relegation for their part in a match-fixing scandal. He has 107 caps for France, and was part of their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides.
In May 2010, Vieira was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He announced his retirement from professional football on 14 July 2011. Vieira is currently Football Development Executive at Manchester City with a role to oversee aspects such as youth development, commercial partners and the club's social responsibility programme, "City in the Community".

wn.com/Patrick_Vieira
Paul Breitner
Paul Breitner (born 5 September 1951 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria) is a former German football player. One of Germany's most controversial players, he was capped 48 times for his country.
His football career lasted from 1970 until 1983, mainly playing for Bayern Munich (1970–74 and 1978–83) and Real Madrid (1974–78), with one season playing for Eintracht Braunschweig. His early success was as a free roaming left back, as likely to score from the right midfield as to stop an attacker in his own penalty area. Later in his career he moved to midfield and became one of the top midfielders through the early 1980s.
The early peak of Breitner's long and successful career was at age 21 in 1972 as part of the winning German European Championship team. This was followed two years later with victory as a member of the German World Cup squad. The final was played in Munich against the Netherlands, and Breitner scored the first German goal on a penalty kick. In the final, he, Franz Beckenbauer and Berti Vogts formed a slick unit at the back and their water-tight defense prevented the Dutch from winning the World Cup. He moved to Real Madrid following the World Cup and quit the West German squad, remaining off the side until enticed to return by Jupp Derwall in 1981. Breitner is one of only four footballers to have achieved the feat of scoring in two different World Cup final matches, sharing that honour with Pelé, Vavá, and Zinédine Zidane. He achieved this in 1974 against the Netherlands and in 1982 against Italy.

wn.com/Paul_Breitner
Paul Van Himst
Paul van Himst (born in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, 2 October 1943) is a former talented Belgian football midfielder and a football manager. Now retired, he still supports R.S.C. Anderlecht, his former team. He was nicknamed Polle Gazon (Polle is Paul in Brussels dialect, and Gazon means lawn in French) due to the large number of fouls committed on him. In 1964, he played in the Belgium-Netherlands match alongside 10 Anderlecht players after the substitution of goalkeeper Delhasse by Jean Trappeniers.
Van Himst won the Belgian championship 8 times, all of them with Anderlecht, a club for which he started playing his first professional season in 1959-60. With Anderlecht, he scored 233 goals in 457 matches (16 seasons). He then played for RWDM (another Brussels club) in 1975-76 and for Eendracht Aalst (then in second division) in the following season.
Between 1960 and 1974, "Polle Gazon" scored 30 goals (in 81 matches) for the Belgian national team. This performance made him Belgium's topscorer—along with Bernard Voorhoof -- and the fifth most capped player for his country. He made his debut on 19 October 1960 in a match against Sweden and he was part of Belgium's team which qualified for the 1970 World Cup. Van Himst then helped Belgium reach third place at the Euro 1972. He also holds the record of Golden Shoe, awarded to him four times.

wn.com/Paul_Van_Himst
Paulo Roberto Falcão
Paulo Roberto Falcão (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpawlu ʁoˈbɛʁtu fawˈkɐ̃w̃]; born October 16, 1953) is a Brazilian head coach and former footballer, currently managing Bahia. He is widely considered one of the best players in Internacional and Roma history, and one of the most talented midfielders of all time, especially at his peak in the mid 1980s. At one stage, he was the world's highest paid footballer, earning £10,000 a week.
For the Brazil national team, he was capped 34 times between February 1976 and June 1986. He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers to mark FIFA’s centennial in March 2004.
Falcão began his professional career at Sport Club Internacional of Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul, where he played from 1973 to 1980, winning three Brazilian National Championships(1975, 1976, 1979) and reaching the finals of the 1980 Copa Libertadores, losing to Nacional. During his time at Sport Club Internacional, he was surprisingly left out of the Brazil squad for the World Cup in Argentina in 1978, though he made the shortlisted pre-tournament 40.

wn.com/Paulo_Roberto_Falcão
Pavel Solomin
Pavel Pavlovich Solomin (Russian: Павел Павлович Соломин) (born 15 June 1982) is a Russian-Uzbekistani footballer last played for Persisam Putra Samarinda of Indonesia as a striker.
After scoring 21 goals in the Uzbek League he tried in a better league like the Russian Premier League, but strangely he only played 6 minutes with his team FC Saturn Moscow Oblast in the whole comptetition.
He signs with Indonesian side Sriwijaya on 21 February 2010. He scored his first goal in Indonesia against Bontang FC. He scored the winning goal of SFC against Arema Malang in Piala Indonesia final.
In winter 2011-12 he was on trial in Lokomotiv Tashkent, but started 2012 season in the club Travmaychi Tashkent, in Uzbekistan Second League, championship of Tashkent.
Solomin has made twelve appearances for the Uzbekistan national football team, scoring twice.
Last update: 13 November 2007

wn.com/Pavel_Solomin
Pelé
Edson Arantes do Nascimento (name given as Edison on birth certificate, born 21 October 1940 (however, Pelé himself claims that he was born on 23 October) ), known by his nickname Pelé (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [peˈlɛ]), is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as the best football player of all time. In 1999, he was voted Football Player of the Century by the IFFHS International Federation of Football History and Statistics. In the same year French weekly magazine France-Football consulted their former "Ballon D'Or" winners to elect the Football Player of the Century. Pelé came in first place. In 1999 the International Olympic Committee named Pelé the "Athlete of the Century". In his career he scored 760 official goals. He is also the most successful Top Division goal scorer of all time with 541 League goals. In total Pelé scored 1281 goals in 1363 games.
In his native Brazil, Pelé is hailed as a national hero. He is known for his accomplishments and contributions to the game of football. He is also acknowledged for his vocal support of policies to improve the social conditions of the poor (when he scored his 1,000th goal he dedicated it to the poor children of Brazil). During his career, he became known as "The King of Football" (O Rei do Futebol), "The King Pelé" (O Rei Pelé) or simply "The King" (O Rei).

wn.com/Pelé
Petar Novák
Petar Novák is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a striker.
While playing for Sparta Prague, Novák was top scorer of the 1988 European Cup, scoring a total of four goals in the competition.
After retiring as a player, Novák qualified as a doctor, and has worked as the team physician for former club Sparta Prague.

wn.com/Petar_Novák
Peter Pacult
Peter Pacult (born 28 October 1959 in Vienna) is an Austrian former international football player who is now manager of RB Leipzig.
A prolific striker, however not for the national team, Pacult started his career at Vienna side Floridsdorfer AC before turning professional with Wiener SC. He joined Austrian giants Rapid Wien four years later, losing the UEFA Cup Winners Cup Final in 1985 against Everton. He moved on to and won two league titles with FC Tirol Innsbruck, with whom he was the top goal scorer in the 1990–91 European Cup alongside Jean-Pierre Papin.
In 1993 he moved abroad to help 1860 München win promotion to the German Bundesliga. He finished his career at the other big Vienna club, Austria, in 1996.
He made his debut for Austria in October 1982 against Northern Ireland but was not considered for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He earned 24 caps, scoring one goal. His last international was a November 1993 World Cup qualification match against Sweden.

wn.com/Peter_Pacult
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE (Danish pronunciation: [ped̥ɐ ˈsmɑɪ̯ˀɡ̊l̩]; born 18 November 1963) is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993. He is best remembered for his most successful years at English club Manchester United, whom he captained to the 1999 UEFA Champions League to complete the Treble, and for winning UEFA Euro 1992 with Denmark.
Born in Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, Schmeichel was famous for his intimidating physique (he is 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) tall and weighed about 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) during his playing days. He wore specially made size XXXL football shirts. Unusual for a goalkeeper, Schmeichel scored 11 goals during his career, including one for the national team. He is also the most capped player for the Denmark national team, with 129 games between 1987 and 2001. In addition to Euro 92, he played for his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and three additional European Championship tournaments. He captained the national team in 30 matches.

wn.com/Peter_Schmeichel
Predrag Mijatović
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović (Serbian: Предраг Мијатовић Пеђа) (born 19 January 1969) is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered^{[by whom?]} one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997. During his career his position on the pitch was striker but was very often deployed, especially later in his career, as a midfield creator.
On the club level, Mijatović played for 6 different clubs: Budućnost Podgorica, FK Partizan, Valencia, Real Madrid, Fiorentina, and Levante. Internationally, Mijatović has been capped 73 times, scoring 28 goals (the appearances are split between the SFR Yugoslavia and the FR Yugoslavia national teams). He played in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
A very technically gifted player known for his outstanding skill and vision, as well as his prolific goalscoring ability, Mijatović is well remembered for scoring impressive 28 goals in the 1995/1996 Primera División season for Valencia, which in turn led him to controversially move to Real Madrid, where he scored a goal for Real Madrid in the 1998 UEFA Champions League Final that brought the biggest European title back to Madrid after 32 years. He also had many memorable moments on the big stage, at both club and international levels.

wn.com/Predrag_Mijatović
Rabah Madjer
Mustapha Rabah Madjer (Arabic: رابح ماجر‎; born 15 December 1958 in Hussein Dey, Algiers) is a retired Algerian footballer.
A skilled striker, he reached stardom as an F.C. Porto player during the 1980s, and is widely regarded as one of the best Algerian football players of all time. He is widely remembered for scoring on 77 minutes, an audacious back-heeled equaliser in FC Porto's first European Cup final, against Bayern Munich in Vienna. He went on to create the late winner, four minutes after his equaliser, setting up substitute Filho Juary. The scoreline ended 2-1 in FC Porto's favour, winning their very first European Cup.
One of the most prolific Algerian internationals in number of games and goals, Madjer played in two World Cups with his national team, helping it to its first ever participation in 1982. Having taken up coaching immediately after retiring, he managed several clubs, and also had several spells with the Algerian team.
Born in Hussein Dey, Algiers, Madjer started his European career in 1983–84, moving to RCF Paris from NA Hussein Dey. He stayed there during one 1/2 seasons, finishing the 1984–85 campaign with another French side, Tours FC.

wn.com/Rabah_Madjer
Ravshan Bozorov
Ravshan Bozorov (born 10 May 1968) is a former footballer and football trainer from Uzbekistan. He played in the position of forward. Bozorov is on of the best top goalscorers in the history of uzbek football with 316 goals in all tournaments and various leagues.
During his career he played for many clubs from various divisions. Only in top Uzbek League he played in over 300 matches and scored over 170 goals. He is member of the "Club 200 of Berador Abduraimov" founded 2001 by initiative of Uzbekistan Football Federation, club of the best goalscorers in uzbek football with over 200 goals. Ravshan Bozorov completed in his career 20 football seasons and scored 316 goals.

wn.com/Ravshan_Bozorov
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco (born 27 June 1977), commonly known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who has joined the Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd as a striker in 2012.
Raúl had spent most of his career playing for Spanish club Real Madrid and is the club's all-time top goalscorer. He was known for his technique, shooting ability and creating chances for other teammates. Raúl is a three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and has long been the competition's all-time leading goalscorer. He left Real Madrid on 25 July 2010, having scored 323 goals in 741 appearances, and joined FC Schalke 04.
He joined Al Sadd after two seasons with FC Schalke 04, following the 2011–12 Bundesliga season.
Raúl González's career began at his local team CD San Cristóbal de los Ángeles playing for their Alevín team and the Infantil the next season. He signed with Atlético Madrid's Infantil team and won a national title with the Cadete team the following season. Following Atlético's then-president Jesús Gil decision to close their youth academy as a cost-saving measure, Raúl moved on to Real Madrid's Cadete team. The following season, he was promoted to the Juvenil C team and subsequently went on to play for their Juvenil B and Juvenil A team.

wn.com/Raúl_González
Ricardinho
Ricardinho, real name Ricardo Luis Pozzi Rodrigues (born May 23, 1976 in São Paulo, Brazil) is a Brazilian manager and former football player. He was usually a deep-lying playmaker. He was best known for his accurate passing and technique.
Ricardinho has earned 23 caps for the Brazilian national team, the first on March 28, 2000 in a match against Colombia. He was called up by Luiz Felipe Scolari for the 2002 FIFA World Cup as a late replacement for Emerson who was injured before the tournament began. He appeared three matches as a substitute during the tournament as Brazil won the World Cup for the record fifth time.
On August 17, 2005, he scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Croatia, an equalizer in the 41st minute as Brazil drew 1–1 with Croatia.
He was selected by Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira among the 23 footballers to participate in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He appeared in two matches as a substitute, against Japan and Ghana. In the latter, he made an assist to a late goal scored by midfielder Zé Roberto.

wn.com/Ricardinho
Rivaldo
Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira (born 19 April 1972), commonly known as Rivaldo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiˈvawdu]), is a Brazilian professional footballer for Kabuscorp. He plays as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.
He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he won the 1998 and 1999 Spanish La Liga championship and the 1998 Copa del Rey. Between 1993 and 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 34 goals for the Brazil national football team and was an integral part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup winning Brazilian team.
In 1999, Rivaldo was honoured as FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d'Or winner and European Footballer of the Year. He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony in 2004. He is also the president of Mogi Mirim Esporte Clube in his native Brazil.
Born in Paulista, Pernambuco, Brazil, Rivaldo had an extremely poor upbringing in the favelas of the port town of Recife. His physical appearance still marks the poverty he experienced in his childhood: malnourishment-caused bowleggedness and the loss of several teeth. Rivaldo began his professional career at the age of 16, when he signed with Paulistano, from Pernambuco, in 1989, despite the Paulistano coaches believing him too physically weak to succeed. Rivaldo's father Romildo was killed in a road accident in 1989, but Rivaldo went on to his first professional contract later that year.

wn.com/Rivaldo
Robert Waseige
Robert Waseige (born 26 August 1939 in Rocourt) is a Belgian football manager and a former player. He became the coach of Belgium before the Euro 2000 and lead Belgium to the second round at the 2002 World Cup.
He then left the national as he had signed a contract with Standard Liège prior to the 2002 World Cup tournament. After a deceiving start in the Jupiler League he was fired by the club and replaced by caretaker Dominique D'Onofrio. He later managed Algeria. Waseige also managed several other clubs: Winterslag, FC Liège, Lokeren, Charleroi, FC Brussels and Sporting in Portugal. As a player, he wore the shirts of FC Liège, Racing White and Winterslag. He has been for some time a consultant for Be TV, a Belgian private TV channel.

wn.com/Robert_Waseige
Roberto Acuña
Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello (born 25 March 1972 in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Club Rubio Ñú.
Nicknamed El Toro (bull) due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated as a central midfielder. He spent several years as a professional in Spain, at Zaragoza and Deportivo de La Coruña, being very unlucky at the latter.
At a young age, Acuña migrated to Paraguay, where he started playing for Club Nacional in 1989. After five years, he decided to acquire the country's citizenship to play for the national team, eventually becoming the second most capped player in Paraguay's history, second only to central defender Carlos Gamarra.
Afterwards, Acuña played four seasons back in Argentina, with Argentinos Juniors, Club Atlético Independiente and Boca Juniors, before moving to Europe in 1997, where he signed with Spain's Real Zaragoza. With the Aragonese, he was an everpresent midfield fixture, helping the side to the 2001 domestic cup, and scoring 20 goals in five seasons, alone in La Liga.

wn.com/Roberto_Acuña
Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto ˈbaddʒo]; born 18 February 1967) is a retired Italian footballer. Widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of all time (4th in the Fifa internet poll; member of the Fifa World Cup Dream Team), Baggio won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993. He is the only Italian player ever to score in three World Cups. He is also one of the top 5 all-time goalscorers for Italy. Baggio is known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail), for the hairstyle he wore for most of his career and his Buddhist background.
Baggio was born in Caldogno, Veneto, son of Matilde and Fiorindo Baggio. He has 7 brothers and sisters. As a youngster, he always had a keen interest in the sport of football and played for a local youth club over a period of nine years. After scoring 6 goals in one game, Baggio was persuaded by scout Antonio Mora to join Vicenza. Roberto Baggio is the 6th of 8 siblings. His younger brother, Eddy Baggio, was also a footballer who played 86 games in Serie B. After his serious career threatening injury in 1985, Baggio, formerly a Roman Catholic, converted to Buddhism. He married his girlfriend Andreina Fabbi in 1989, in a traditional Roman Catholic ceremony however. They have a daughter, Valentina, and two sons, Mattia and Leonardo.

wn.com/Roberto_Baggio
Roberto Rivelino
Roberto Rivellino (born 1 January 1946 in São Paulo) is a former Brazilian footballer.
The son of Italian immigrants from Macchiagodena (Isernia), he was famous for his large moustache, thunderous long-range free kicks, excellent long passes, quick thinking and distinct way of controlling the ball. He also invented a football move called the "flip flap", famously copied by Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years. He is widely regarded as one of the most graceful football players ever, and among the very best midfielders of his generation.
Rivellino started as a futsal player at Clube Atletico Barcelona. After that, he tried his luck with Barcelona's biggest rival in futsal, Corinthians, where he moved on to professional football and quickly became a favourite of the fans—and was therefore nicknamed "O Rei do Parque" (King of the Park) (after the club's home ground, Parque São Jorge). However, the late 60s and early 70s were one of the most troubled periods in the history of the club, which did not win a single São Paulo state league title from 1954 to 1977.

wn.com/Roberto_Rivelino
Rodrigo Fabri
Rodrigo Fabri (born 15 January 1976 in Santo André) is a retired football player from Brazil.

wn.com/Rodrigo_Fabri
Roger Milla
Roger Milla (born Albert Roger Mooh Miller, 20 May 1952) is a retired Cameroonian footballer who played as a striker. He was one of the first African players to be a major star on the international stage. He played in three World Cups for the Cameroon national team.
He achieved international stardom at 38 years old, an age at which most forward-playing footballers have retired, by scoring four goals at the 1990 World Cup, the most memorable of which came in the match against Colombia when he dispossessed the showboating Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita 35 yards from goal, going on to score in the empty net with Higuita stranded. He helped the Cameroon team reach the quarter-finals.
He is also remembered for his trademark goal celebration of running to the corner flag and performing a dance. In the years that have followed, he has been recognised as a pioneer of the many unconventional and imaginative goal celebrations seen since then. He was named one of the 125 greatest living football players in 2004 by the legendary Brazilian football player Pelé.

wn.com/Roger_Milla
Roman Wallner
Roman Wallner (born 4 February 1982 in Graz, Styria) is an Austrian footballer currently playing for RB Leipzig.
Wallner began his career with hometown Sturm Graz in 1998. In the following year he moved to Rapid Wien, where he would have his most successful years, appearing in over 100 matches and scoring 42 goals over five seasons with the club. He then spent one year spells at German club Hannover 96 and VfB Admira Wacker Mödling before signing with Austria Vienna in 2005. He left the club in 2007.
At the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, Wallner signed a 1 year contract including the option of a 2nd year with Scottish Premier League outfit Falkirk F.C..
In November 2007, Roman signed for Scottish First Division Hamilton Academical on loan from Falkirk, scoring once in four games against Stirling Albion. He returned to Falkirk the following month.
In January 2008, he travelled to Greece where he was on trial for the Greek Cup 2006-07 winners Larissa F.C.. In the same month Falkirk announced that Wallner had been released from his contract by mutual consent. In late January, he signed with Apollon Kalamarias.

wn.com/Roman_Wallner
Rommel Fernández
Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez (15 January 1966 – 6 May 1993) was a Panamanian footballer who played as a striker.
The second Panamanian footballer to play in Europe, he played almost his entire professional career in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 104 games and 32 goals - 162/56 both major levels combined - in representation of four different teams. In 1993, he died in a car accident, at the age of just 27.
Fernández was born in the small town of El Chorrillo. In 1987, the 21-year old signed for CD Tenerife in Spain from Alianza FC, scoring a career-best 18 goals in his second season as the Canary Islands side promoted to La Liga for the first time in its history; in the following years, he also netted in double digits as the club retained its top division status - in the 1989–90 campaign, he was named Best South American Player in the Spanish League and, the following year, was voted best Ibero-American player in the competition by news agency EFE, receiving the Trofeo EFE.
Nicknamed The Panzer, Fernández signed for Valencia CF in 1991, but was used mostly as a backup in his only season, scoring just two goals. Subsequently, he moved to Albacete Balompié on loan, helping the Castile-La Mancha side retain its first division status in its second season ever, and scoring his 50th league goal in the process, against former club Tenerife.

wn.com/Rommel_Fernández
Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈroʊ̯.nɑɫt ˈku.mɑn], born 21 March 1963 in Zaandam, Noord-Holland) is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman. He was renowned for his long-range accuracy, especially in free kicks.
In 1980 Koeman started his professional career at Groningen. After playing for Ajax, PSV and FC Barcelona, he finished his career in Feyenoord. During his career he won two UEFA European Cup titles, five Dutch championships, three Dutch Cups, four Spanish championships, one Spanish Cup and he was also in the winning Dutch national team at the UEFA Euro 1988.
Besides being a defender at the centreback position, Koeman was also known for his powerful right-footed freekicks and deadball ability where he scored many vital goals for the team, and it was from a free kick that he scored Barcelona's winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final. His nickname while playing for Barcelona was Floquet de Neu, after the famous albino gorilla in the Barcelona Zoo. Ronald Koeman currently holds the record for 25 consecutive successful penalty conversions in La Liga.

wn.com/Ronald_Koeman
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980 in Porto Alegre), commonly known as Ronaldinho (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁonawˈdʒĩɲu]) or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who is currently a free agent and plays for the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year. He won the award in both 2004 and 2005.
"Ronaldinho," the diminutive and term of endearment for "Ronaldo," is accompanied in Brazilian usage by the nickname "Gaúcho," in order to distinguish him from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo, who was known as "Ronaldinho" in Brazil beforehand. Ronaldo simply went by his first name upon his move to Europe, thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop the "Gaúcho" and go by the name Ronaldinho abroad.
Prior to his move to Flamengo, he played for Paris Saint-Germain F.C., FC Barcelona and A.C. Milan. With the Spanish club, he won his first Champions League in 2006 and the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He became a Spanish citizen in January 2007.

wn.com/Ronaldinho
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (Portuguese pronunciation: [χoˈnawdu luˈiz naˈzaɾiu dʒi ˈlimɐ]; born 18 September 1976), commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. He is considered by experts and fans as one of the greatest football players of all time. In 2012, he was voted Goal.com's "Player of the Decades" in an online poll gathering 29.55% of all votes. 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 three men to have won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times, along with French footballer Zinedine Zidane and Argentine striker Lionel Messi.
Considered by many as the most complete striker in the past 30 years, 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 percent of all votes and was also included as centre forward in the "Team of the Decade". On 23 February 2010, Ronaldo announced that he would retire after the 2011 season, signing a two-year contract extension with the Corinthians at the same time. Ronaldo has played for Brazil in 98 international matches, scoring 62 goals. He was a part of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo became the highest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup with his fifteenth goal, surpassing Gerd Müller's previous record of 14. He is also the only player to have won the World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot in separate tournaments. Having suffered a string of serious injuries throughout his career, Ronaldo retired on 14 February 2011, citing pain and hypothyroidism as the reasons for his premature retirement.

wn.com/Ronaldo
Ronaldo Guiaro
Ronaldo Guiaro (born 18 February 1974 in Piracicaba, São Paulo), known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a central defender.
Ronaldo started playing with Guarani Futebol Clube, moving to Clube Atlético Mineiro shortly after. In 1996, aged 22, he joined S.L. Benfica in Portugal, backing up Jorge Bermúdez and Hélder Cristóvão in his first season, but being first-choice afterwards, as the Lisbon and top division powerhouse failed to win any silverware.
After five seasons with Benfica, Ronaldo signed for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, also being an undisputed starter for the majority of his spell. In 2002–03 season, he only missed one league match as the Istanbul outfit was crowned national champions after an eight-year wait.
Aged 31, Ronaldo returned to his country but, two years later, moved abroad again, going on to be a defensive mainstay with Aris Thessaloniki FC in the Greek first division for several seasons, helping it qualify three times to the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League.
Ronaldo represented Brazil at the 1996 Summer Olympics, playing in all the games for the bronze medal-winning squad.

wn.com/Ronaldo_Guiaro
Roque Júnior
José Vítor Roque Jr. (born 31 August 1976 in Santa Rita do Sapucaí) more commonly known as Roque Júnior, is a former association footballer who played defender, who last played for Ituano Futebol Clube. He has won 48 caps for Brazil and was part of the winning squad at the 2002 World Cup.
During his career, Roque Júnior has played for Santarritense, São José, Palmeiras, A.C. Milan, Leeds United F.C., A.C. Siena, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, MSV Duisburg and Qatari side Al-Rayyan. He is an iconic footballer for Palmeiras, as he played more than 200 competitive games for them. His greatest success in club football came with playing for Palmeiras, with whom he won the 1999 Copa Libertadores.
There was excitement at Elland Road when Peter Reid brought Roque to Leeds on loan, but it was short lived as the team conceded 24 times in his 7 appearances and Roque was sent off on his début against Birmingham City. However, he did score two goals in a Worthington Cup game against Manchester United (Leeds lost 3–2) but his spell at Leeds was not considered a success.

wn.com/Roque_Júnior
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane (born 10 August 1971) is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic. Keane was a dominating central-midfielder, noted for his aggressive and highly competitive style of play, an attitude which helped him excel as captain of Manchester United from 1997 until his departure in 2005, having joined the club in 1993. Keane helped United achieve a sustained period of success in more than 12 years at the club. He then signed for Celtic but retired as a player less than a year later.
He played at international level for much of his career, representing the Republic of Ireland over a period of 14 years, most of which he spent as captain. He played in every Republic of Ireland game at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, although he was sent home from the 2002 World Cup after an incident with national coach Mick McCarthy.
He was appointed manager of Sunderland shortly after his retirement as a player, and took the club from 23rd position in the Football League Championship in late August to win the division title and gain promotion to the Premier League. Keane's arrival was cited as the catalyst for Sunderland's recovery. He managed to keep Sunderland from relegation in the 2007–08 season, but in his second season as a top-flight manager he left his position with Sunderland in the relegation zone. In April 2009, he was appointed as manager of Ipswich Town, but was sacked by the club in January 2011 with them 19th in the Championship.

wn.com/Roy_Keane
Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit (help·info) (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈryt ˈɣʏɫɪt], born as Ruud Dil [ˈryt ˈdɪɫ], September 1, 1962 in Amsterdam) OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He was a versatile player, playing in numerous positions during his career. Gullit was working to promote the Belgian-Dutch 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bid.
Gullit was born Ruud Dil in Amsterdam to George Gullit, a Suriname migrant, and Ria Dil, his buitenvrouw, from the Amsterdam Jordaan inner city district. The family lived in one split level room on the top floor of a small apartment building. Gullit's father worked as an economics teacher at a local school, his mother as a custodian at the Rijksmuseum.

wn.com/Ruud_Gullit
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooij (Dutch pronunciation: [ryt vɑn ˈnɪstəlroːi̯] ( listen); born 1 July 1976) is a retired Dutch footballer. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals. He is a three-time Champions League top scorer, as well as a top scorer in three different European domestic leagues. He was a pure goal scorer known for his shooting ability, calmness in front of goal and positioning.
Van Nistelrooy began his career with Den Bosch, before moving onto Heerenveen, eventually making a name for himself at PSV Eindhoven where he won two Dutch leagues. His goalscoring record at PSV attracted attention from Manchester United; a deal was in place in the summer of 2000, but because of injury problems his move was secured a year later for a then British record fee of £19 million. His time at United was successful, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield, along with winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year twice. Van Nistelrooy hit 150 goals in just 219 games for United, as well as being their all time European record goalscorer, but fell out of favour towards the end of his tenure. Real Madrid then secured his services in 2006. Although an injury blighted the end of his days with Madrid, he did win La Liga twice and the Supercopa de España before signing for Hamburg during the January transfer window in 2010. After a season-and-a-half with Hamburg, he moved back to Spain with Málaga in the summer of 2011. His retirement from football was announced on 14 May 2012.

wn.com/Ruud_van_Nistelrooy
Rüştü Reçber
Rüştü Reçber (pronounced [ˈɾyʃty ˈɾetʃbeɾ]; born 10 May 1973, Korkuteli) is a Turkish international footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Beşiktaş J.K. in the Turkish Süper Lig, having previously played for Antalyaspor, Fenerbahçe and Barcelona.
He has played a key role in the success of the Turkish national squad, and it was at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where Turkey finished third, that his performances saw him selected for the tournament's all-star team. He is Turkey's record appearance holder, having earned 119 caps. He made his debut against Iceland in 1994 and his final appearance came against Armenia in 2009.
Rüştü was named the best goalkeeper in European competitions in 2002, selected for the 2002 UEFA Team Of The Year by public vote. In 2004, he was selected to FIFA 100 by Pelé as one of the 125 best living footballers in the world. Rüştü retired from international level after UEFA Euro 2008 with 120 international caps to his name but was called to play against Spain on 28 March 2009 and 1 April.

wn.com/Rüştü_Reçber
Sandro Mazzola
Alessandro ("Sandro") Mazzola (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsandro matˈtsɔla]; born 8 November 1942 in Turin, Piedmont) is an Italian former football player. He is the son of Valentino Mazzola, who was killed in the Superga air disaster in 1949, and the most renowned Italian football player of the 1940s. Sandro played for the Internazionale team known as La Grande Inter. He was an inside-right or offensive midfielder blessed with creative instincts, helped by his passing range, vision and close control. He was also a prolific goalscorer.
With the entire career of seventeen seasons played only for the club, he holds the honor of being a one-club man.
Alessandro Mazzola was born in Turin, Italy a few weeks after his father joined Torino FC from Venezia A.C.. His younger brother, Ferruccio, who was named after the president's Torino FC, was born two years later. His parents divorced in 1946, but his mother gained custody of Sandro Mazzola. He was 6 years old when his father died.

wn.com/Sandro_Mazzola
Sepp Maier
Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional football goalkeeper. His nickname was "Die Katze von Anzing" ("the cat from Anzing") for his fast reflexes.
Born in Metten, Bavaria, Maier has spent his entire professional career at Bayern Munich. He began playing for Bayern's youth sides in 1958. During the 1970s, he was part of the legendary Bayern team which included the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller and won three European Cups in a row, a German record. Between 1966 and 1979 he played in 442 consecutive Bundesliga matches, still a German national record.
Maier was selected in the West Germany squad for four consecutive World Cups. In 1966 in England, he was a non-playing deputy to Hans Tilkowski. At the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, he was the undisputed starter and played all games (including the legendary 3–4 semifinal loss to Italy after extra time) except the third-place match.
In the 1974 FIFA World Cup on home soil, at the top of his footballing abilities, he reached the peak of his international career as the Germans went all the way to the final with a legendary team that included the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts, Gerd Müller and Paul Breitner. The greatest triumph came when the hosts defeated a Johan Cruyff-inspired Netherlands team 2–1 in the final in Maier's own hometown Munich.

wn.com/Sepp_Maier
Sergei Yuran
Sergei Nikolayevich Yuran (Russian: Сергей Николаевич Юран, Ukrainian: Сергій Миколайович Юран Serhij Mykolajovyč Juran; born June 11, 1969 in Luhansk, Soviet Union) is a Ukrainian association football coach and a former striker who represented the USSR and Russia at international level.
At club level he played in six different countries. After his playing career abruptly ended in 2001 following a skull injury, he became a manager.
His first experience in coaching was assistant manager position under Andrey Chernyshov in Spartak Moscow, 2003. After three months, Chernyshov and his assistants were fired from Spartak. In 2004 Yuran managed Dynamo Stavropol. After a brief spell with Latvian side FC Ditton from January to May 2006, Yuran was appointed as manager of Estonian champions FC TVMK in July 2006, but in December he unexpectedly left the team. Soon, he took charge at the First Division side Shinnik Yaroslavl, aiming to win promotion to the Premier League. Since summer of 2008 Sergey Yuran was head coach of FC Khimki, he was fired on December 2, 2008, despite the fact that the club managed to stay in Russian Football Premier League.

wn.com/Sergei_Yuran
Sergio Agüero
Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈseɾxjo aˈɣweɾo]; born 2 June 1988) is an Argentine professional association football player who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team. On 5 July 2003, he became the youngest player to debut in the Argentine First Division at 15 years and 35 days, breaking the record previously established by Diego Maradona in 1976. He plays with the shirt name Kun Aguero.
At international level, Agüero represented the Argentina under-20 team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005 and in 2007, winning both tournaments. Agüero played at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he scored two goals in the 3–0 semi-final win against Brazil as Argentina went on to win the gold medal. Agüero was selected to represent Argentina in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2011 Copa América.
In 2006, Agüero moved to Europe to play for La Liga side Atlético Madrid for a fee of €23 million from Independiente. He made a name for himself, attracting attention from Europe's top clubs by scoring 101 goals in 234 appearances while winning the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup in 2010. Agüero moved to Premier League club Manchester City in July 2011 for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £35 million. On the last day of his début season with the club, Agüero scored a 94th-minute winner against Queen's Park Rangers that earned Manchester City their first league title in 44 years.

wn.com/Sergio_Agüero
Server Djeparov
Server Djeparov (Uzbek: Server Jeparov, Uzbek Cyrillic: Сервер Жепаров, Russian: Сервер Джепаров; born 3 October 1982) is an Uzbekistani professional football midfielder who currently plays for Al-Shabab. He has won the Asian Footballer of the Year awards twice, first in 2008 and the other in 2011.
He was born on 3 October 1982 in Chirchiq, Uzbek SSR. He began his football career with Navbahor Namangan in 1997 at the age of 15.
He was the top scorer of the Uzbekistani league in the 2008 season with 19 goals, 7 of those coming from the penalty-spot.
He was awarded the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2008, for his instrumental roles at FC Bunyodkor and with the Uzbekistan national football team. As part of an agreement with the Asian Football Confederation, Djeparov was offered to spend a month on trial with Premier League giants Chelsea F.C. but matches in the championship and the Asian Champions League for Bunyodkor meant he was unable to attend.
He played a very important role in helping FC Bunyodkor to win the Uzbekistan league for the first time in their history. That season was described as his best season ever.

wn.com/Server_Djeparov
Silvester Takač
Silvester Takač (born November 8, 1940 in Đurđevo village near Žabalj, Danube Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is a Serbian former football forward and manager.

wn.com/Silvester_Takač
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. Matthews' nicknames included "The Wizard of the Dribble" and "The Magician".
A near-vegetarian teetotaller, he kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50 years old. He was also the oldest player ever to play in England's top football division and the oldest player ever to represent the country. He played his final competitive game in 1985, at the age of 70. Matthews was also an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to the English game.
He spent nineteen years with Stoke City, playing for the "Potters" from 1932 to 1947, and again from 1961 to 1965. He helped Stoke to the Second Division title in 1932–33 and 1962–63. In between his two spells at Stoke he spent fourteen years with Blackpool; where he became an FA Cup winner in 1953 (known as the Matthews Final), after he was on the losing side in the 1948 and 1951 finals. Between 1937 and 1957 he won 54 caps for England, playing in the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 1954, and winning nine British Home Championship titles.

wn.com/Stanley_Matthews
Sávio
Sávio Bortolini Pimentel (born 9 January 1974), simply Sávio (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsavi̯u]), is a Brazilian retired footballer. Known as "Anjo Loiro" ("Blonde Angel") and "Diabo Loiro" ("Blonde Devil"), he played most of his professional career in Spain – being a part of Real Madrid's setup during four and a half seasons and appearing in more than 300 official games with four different teams.
A Brazilian international in the mid/late 1990s, Sávio represented the nation in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Born in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Sávio started his footballing career at the Desportiva Capixaba youth team. Still as a junior, Sávio was transferred to Rio de Janeiro's Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, where he made his professional debut. He was hailed as the new Zico by the fans and the press due to his footballing ability, but also due to his frail physique. In 1995, as part of Flamengo's centennial celebrations, he teamed up with the volatile Romário and Edmundo. After clashing against Romário, Sávio was transferred to Real Madrid in 1998, helping the La Liga powerhouse to three UEFA Champions League titles and the 2001 national championship; in 2002–03, he served a loan stint in France, at FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

wn.com/Sávio
Sócrates
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, MD (19 February 1954 – 4 December 2011), simply Sócrates, was a Brazilian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He was also a qualified doctor.
He played for Botafogo-SP before joining Corinthians in 1978. He then moved to Italy to play for Fiorentina, returning to Brazil in 1985 to end his career.
Sócrates was a technical playmaker, known for great through passes and his vision on the field, as well as his physical strength. He was also a two-footed player and a prolific goal scorer. His ability to read the game was highly valued, and his signature move was the blind heel pass. He was considered to be one of the greatest midfielders ever to play the game. Easily recognizable for his beard and headband, he became the "symbol of cool for a whole generation of football supporters".
Sócrates played for Brazil during seven years, scoring more than 20 goals and representing the nation in two World Cups, captaining the team in the 1982 edition; he also appeared in the 1979 and 1983 Copa América tournaments, and was named South American Footballer of the Year in 1983, being selected to Pelé's FIFA 100 list in 2004.

wn.com/Sócrates
Søren Lerby
Søren Lerby (born 1 February 1958) is a Danish former football player, manager, and licensed agent. As a player, he spent the bulk of his career in Dutch football, winning five Eredivisie championships with Ajax Amsterdam as well as the 1988 European Cup and two further Eredivise titles with PSV Eindhoven. He also won two Fußball-Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, and played one season for AS Monaco in France. He played 67 matches for the Denmark national football team from 1978 to 1989, and represented Denmark at the 1986 FIFA World Cup and two European Championship tournaments.
A left-footed midfielder, Lerby was a player who was always committed and a leader of the team. His commitment is testamented by the fact he chose to play two competitive matches in two different countries on a single day on 13 November 1985. First in the afternoon a World Cup qualifier with Denmark in Republic of Ireland, later in the evening a DFB-Pokal match with Bayern Munich against VfL Bochum.
Lerby always played with his "socks down" – short socks or long socks rolled down but always without shin pads. This was quite uncommon of the day and would be illegal today.

wn.com/Søren_Lerby
Terry McDermott
Terence "Terry" McDermott (born 8 December 1951 in Liverpool) is a former football midfielder and coach. He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott
McDermott joined Bury as a youngster in 1969. He made a total of 90 appearances and eight goals before joining Newcastle United in 1973.
Manager Joe Harvey gave McDermott his Newcastle debut on 17 March 1973, at Old Trafford, with a match against Manchester United. He came off the bench but could not do anything to prevent Newcastle losing 2-1.
McDermott reached the FA Cup Final in 1974 against Liverpool. However, Newcastle lost the match 3-0.
Liverpool boss Bob Paisley, in his first season in charge after replacing Bill Shankly, brought McDermott to Merseyside in November 1974. He made his Liverpool debut, along with Phil Neal, on 16 November, in a Merseyside derby with fierce rivals Everton at Goodison Park. Neither side could break the deadlock with both sides sharing the points. McDermott's first goal came in a 1-1 league draw with Burnley at Turf Moor on 8 March 1975.

wn.com/Terry_McDermott
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry (French pronunciation: [tjɛʁi ɑ̃ʁi]; born 17 August 1977) is a French footballer who plays as a striker for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.
Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne (a suburb of Paris) where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and signed instantly, making his professional debut in 1994. Good form led to an international call-up in 1998, after which he signed for the Serie A defending champions Juventus. He had a disappointing season playing on the wing, before joining Arsenal for £11 million in 1999.
It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a world-class footballer. Despite initially struggling in the Premier League, he emerged as Arsenal's top goal-scorer for almost every season of his tenure there. Under long-time mentor and coach Arsène Wenger, Henry became a prolific striker and Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with 228 goals in all competitions. The Frenchman won two league titles and three FA Cups with the Gunners; he was nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year twice, was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and the FWA Footballer of the Year three times. Henry spent his final two seasons with Arsenal as club captain, leading them to the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final.

wn.com/Thierry_Henry
Tostão
Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade (born 25 January 1947), aka Tostão, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a forward.
In his prime, he was considered one of the best offensive players in the world, while also contributing with many assists thanks to his passing abilities. He played most of his 11-year career with Cruzeiro.
Tostão represented Brazil in two World Cups, winning the tournament in 1970.
Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Eduardo Andrade received, like the vast majority of Brazilian footballers, a nickname early into his football career, being dubbed 'Tostão' (little coin). Legend has it that as a six-year old school boy he netted 47 goals in one game for his primary school football team.
Tostão made his professional debuts aged only 15, for local América Futebol Clube (MG), returning after two years to Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, where he had started his youth career. Not a pure striker, he was crowned the Campeonato Mineiro's topscorer on three consecutive occasions, the first in 1966, and left the club as its all-time scorer, with a total of 242 league goals.

wn.com/Tostão
Uli Stielike
Ulrich "Uli" Stielike (born 15 November 1954 in Ketsch, West Germany) is a German football manager and former player.
Stielike was a West Germany youth international for hometown club SpVgg Ketsch when he got signed by UEFA Cup runner-up Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1973, first coming to action as a full back for the then two times German Bundesliga champion. Playing in defending midfield for his club, afterwards, he was part of the Mönchengladbach team that won the Bundesliga titles in 1975, 1976 and 1977, the UEFA Cup in 1975 and gained a runner-up medal in the European Cup in 1977 following a 1–3 against Liverpool F.C. in Rome.
Ahead of the 1977–78 season, Stielike moved on to join Real Madrid to become a reliable fan-favourite in his eight years with Los merengues. His first three seasons at Santiago Bernabéu all ended in Real winning La Liga. In 1980 and 1982, he was part of the side winning Copa del Rey, in 1985 he added the Copa de la Liga, and finished off his Madrid years with the UEFA Cup triumph of the same summer.

wn.com/Uli_Stielike
Uwe Seeler
Uwe Seeler (born 5 November 1936 in Hamburg) is a former German football official and retired football player. He played for Hamburger SV and also made 72 appearances for the West German national team.
Seeler followed in his father's footsteps as a player for Hamburger SV, making his first team debut in 1954 in a German Cup match, aged just under 18, scoring four goals (8–2 vs. Holstein Kiel). In later years, despite tempting offers from Italian and Spanish clubs he remained loyal to Hamburg, working on a second career as a merchant besides playing football, as in those days football stars in Germany did not earn the huge salaries seen now.
Seeler was a gifted striker who, among other things, was renowned for his overhead kick. He scored 137 times in 239 Bundesliga games, 43 times in 72 international games for the German national team, and 21 times in 29 European club tournament games. He was captain of both his club team and the national team for many years. He and his club won the German championship in 1960 and the DFB-Pokal (German FA Cup) in 1963. He was top scorer of the first Bundesliga season 1963–64 and German Footballer of the Year in 1960, 1964 and 1970.

wn.com/Uwe_Seeler
Vampeta
"Vampeta", born Marcos André Batista dos Santos, (born 13 March 1974, in Nazaré) is a former Brazilian professional football player and current coach of Grêmio Osasco. He has played in midfield. He represented Brazil from 1998 until 2002, winning the 1999 Copa América and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Vampeta, his nickname, is a fusion of the words "vampiro" (Portuguese for vampire) and "capeta" (Portuguese for devil).
Vampeta started his career in Salvador, with team Vitória, and later went to Europe with Dutch team PSV Eindhoven, who signed him alongside Ronaldo in the summer of 1994. After a difficult first season, PSV released him on loan to Fluminense, before he returned to the Netherlands as regular of the team that won the first Dutch title in 5 years in 1997.
His good performance in Eindhoven led him back to Brazil were at Corinthians he grew out to become a member of the Brazilian national team. Vampeta then joined Internazionale in summer 2000, being reunited with Ronaldo. After failing to hold down a first-team place however, he stated that he wanted to leave and went to Rio de Janeiro in December for a vacation. In January 2001, Vampeta went to PSG as part exchange for Stéphane Dalmat.

wn.com/Vampeta
Vanderlei Luxemburgo
Vanderlei Luxemburgo da Silva (born May 10, 1952, in Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro state), better known as Vanderlei Luxemburgo, is a Brazilian football manager and former football player. He holds the distinction of being the most successful manager in the history of Brazil's Série A, with 5 league titles. He currently manages Grêmio.
Luxemburgo started to be noticed as a top tier coach when he led Bragantino, a modest team from the countryside, to the title of the 1990 Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo State Championship). This gave him enough visibility to be hired by one of the top teams in the country, Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras. In 1994 and 1995 he led Palmeiras to win both the São Paulo State and Brazilian championships. When he left in 1995, Palmeiras' performance was visibly affected and when he came back in 1996 the team won the São Paulo State championship again.
After a brief passage through Santos, in 1998 he went to Corinthians and won the Brazilian National League that year. He left Corinthians the next year to join the Brazilian National Team. Different from when he left Palmeiras in 1995, Corinthians still performed at a high level and the team he built won the Campeonato Paulista and the Brazilian National League in 1999 and the Fifa Club World Championship the following year.

wn.com/Vanderlei_Luxemburgo
Vavá
Vavá, real name Edvaldo Izídio Neto, (born 12 November 1934 in Recife, Brazil; died 19 January 2002 in Rio de Janeiro) was an association footballer who is widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. His nickname was "Peito de Aço" (Steel Chest). He played as a full striker (center forward) whose only role was to score goals, which he did for Sport Club do Recife, C.R. Vasco da Gama, S.E. Palmeiras and the Brazilian national team.
Vava earned 20 caps with the Brazilian national team, scoring a total of 15 goals. He was on the side that won both the 1958 and 1962 World Cup, in which he scored 5 and 4 goals, respectively. Furthermore, he was a joint recipient of the 1962 World Cup Golden Shoe award.
Vavá scored in the final of both 1958 (twice) and 1962 (once), thus becoming the first player to score in the final of two different world cups. To this day, only four players achieved this feat, the other three being Pelé, Paul Breitner and Zinedine Zidane.

wn.com/Vavá
Vladica Kovačević
For the Serbian soldier, see Vladimir Kovačević
Vladimir "Vladica" Kovačević (Serbian Cyrillic: Bлaдимиp "Bлaдицa" Koвaчeвић )(born January 7, 1940) is a Serbian striker who played at FIFA World Cup 1962 for SFR Yugoslavia. He had a successful playing career in both SFR Yugoslavia with FK Partizan, reaching the 1966 European Cup Final and in France with FC Nantes and Angers SCO. He later coached Olympique Lyonnais.

wn.com/Vladica_Kovačević
Wynton Rufer
Wynton Alan Whai Rufer, CNZM, (born 29 December 1962), is a retired New Zealand footballer, who played as a striker. He spent most of his professional career in Germany with Werder Bremen, winning a total of six titles. He also appeared for the New Zealand national team in its first FIFA World Cup participation, in 1982. He was named the Oceania Footballer of the Century by the Oceania Football Confederation.
Rufer was born in Wellington to a Swiss father and a mother of Māori descent. After leaving the city's Rongotai College, he played his first football for Wellington Diamond United, Stop Out and Miramar Rangers.
After being voted New Zealand's Young Player of the Year in 1981 and 1982, Rufer attracted the attention of Norwich City manager Ken Brown, who invited the player and his older brother Shane Rufer to Norfolk for a trial. He impressed and signed a professional contract on 23 October 1981, becoming the first Kiwi to do so. However, he was denied a work permit to play in England, so he joined Fussballclub Zürich in May of the following year.

wn.com/Wynton_Rufer
Zbigniew Boniek
Zbigniew "Zibì" Kazimierz Boniek (Polish pronunciation: [ˈzbiɡɲɛv ˈbɔɲɛk]; born 3 March 1956 in Bydgoszcz) is a former Polish footballer and coach. He first played at Zawisza Bydgoszcz and later at Widzew Łódź. Boniek was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers and by FIFA as one of the 100 best-ever players. On 12 October 2009 he received a Golden Foot career award.
Boniek was transferred to Italian football giants Juventus in 1982. That same year he won a bronze medal (third place) as part of the Polish team at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. With Juventus he won the Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup in 1984 (scoring in the final of the former) and the European Cup in 1985.
Boniek represented Poland in 80 internationals and scored 24 goals. After finishing his professional career at A.S. Roma in 1988 he had a successful business career.
As a player, Boniek was known for his blistering pace and acceleration. He was one of the best dribblers of his time and also displayed superb technique.

wn.com/Zbigniew_Boniek
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane (French pronunciation: [zinedin zidan]) (born 23 June 1972) is a retired French footballer. Zidane was the leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship. After a brief international retirement, he returned to the national team in 2005 and captained France to the 2006 World Cup Final where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament's most outstanding player.
In club level Zidane won the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, two Serie A league championships with Juventus and an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup each with both aforementioned sides. He is one of only four players to have been FIFA World Player of the Year three or more times (Brazilian forward Marta is a five time winner (female award), while Brazilian striker Ronaldo (male award) and German striker Birgit Prinz (female award) have won three each). He also won the Ballon d'Or in 1998. He retired from professional football after the 2006 World Cup.

wn.com/Zinedine_Zidane
Zé Elias
José Elias Moedim Júnior, (born 25 September 1976), commonly known as Zé Elias, is a retired Brazilian footballer. A defensive midfielder, he played for 12 different teams, in seven different countries.
Born in São Paulo, Elias was one of the youngest players to ever appear for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, already gaining strong interest from PSV Eindhoven during 1993–94. Upon his debut for his hometown team, he had not yet reached his seventeenth birthday.
After becoming an undisputed starter at Corinthians and first appearing for the Brazilian national team at 19, Elias went overseas, representing, with moderate individual success, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, F.C. Internazionale Milano, Bologna F.C. 1909, Olympiacos FC (winning three Greek championships in a row but playing sparingly, a maximum of 18 league appearances) and Genoa CFC.
After a return to Brazil with Santos FC, Elias had short-lived stints with FC Metalurh Donetsk, Guarani Futebol Clube, Omonia Nicosia and Londrina Esporte Clube. He retired as a player in March 2008 and assumed a scouting role in Brazil for Inter Milan. However, in June, Elias signed a contract with SC Rheindorf Altach for the 2008–09 season, before announcing his retirement again.

wn.com/Zé_Elias
Zé Roberto
José Roberto da Silva Jr. (born 6 July 1974 in Ipiranga), commonly known as Zé Roberto, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for the Brazilian Série A club Grêmio as midfielder.
Zé Roberto started the youth ranks of the Lecture of São Bernardo, however, was playing in Portuguesa in São Paulo, Brazil, where he became known throughout Brazil because of the conquest of vice in the Brasileirão 1996.
He then joined Real Madrid for a brief spell where he helped them win La Liga, before moving back to Brazil to play for Flamengo.
Zé passed by Flamengo in 1998 and served in Gávea alongside big names in football like Romário and Palhinha. He played in twenty-four league games, but failed to score. His spell at Flamengo was very short, considering that in that same year 1998, he was eventually negotiated with Bayer Leverkusen, Germany.
He joined Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 1998. It was at Leverkusen that he made a real name for himself, fast becoming a popular figure at the club. During his four year stay at the club, Bayer enjoyed its most successful period, being German Bundesliga runners-up on three occasions and reaching the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final. In four years at the club Zé Roberto appeared in 113 league matches scoring 16 goals.

wn.com/Zé_Roberto
Ânderson Polga
Ânderson Corrêa Polga (born 9 February 1979 in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a central defender.
He spent most of his professional career with Sporting in Portugal, appearing in 327 official games (four goals) and winning four major titles. He started playing for Grêmio.
Polga represented Brazil at the 2002 World Cup, winning the competition.
Groomed at Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Polga was an important defensive unit from early on, and helped the side to two trophies in 2001: the Rio Grande do Sul State Championship and the Brazilian Cup.
In 2003, he moved to Sporting Clube de Portugal, becoming the first World Cup champion ever to play in the country. He quickly became a defensive stalwart for the Lisbon-based side, helping it to the UEFA Cup final in his third year – after a run-in with then coach José Peseiro, he was an unused substitute in the decisive match, a 1–3 defeat against PFC CSKA Moscow – as well as to four consecutive league runner-up finishes.

wn.com/Ânderson_Polga

Rivaldo The Legend

The original song was: "Clubringer Lambada" Remix from(2004)....

published: 15 Jun 2006

author: cgtkl

THE BEST OF RIVALDO IN BARCELONA

WHAT CAN U SAY!!!...

published: 21 May 2007

author: ncy168

Rivaldo Hat Trick Barcelona x Valencia 2001

A classic match. Barcelona against Valencia at Nou Camp on the last day of La Liga 2000-01...

published: 02 Jul 2009

author: Sergio Rosa

Nitin Gupta (Rivaldo) on BOMB BLASTS

FB Page : www.facebook.com FB Profile : www.facebook.com Website : www.humorbeings.in "Kas...

published: 21 Nov 2012

author: TheHumorBeings

Rivaldo - All his 34 goals in 74 appearances for Brazil

...

published: 31 Oct 2012

author: 55bructrax

Rivaldo - Goals & Skills - 2011 [HD]

Rivaldo The best player One great player Music: 3 door down- Kryptonite...

published: 26 Sep 2011

author: Vitor Carvalho

Rivaldo - Goals and Skills - 2012 (Kabuscorp)

Still playing at 40 years of age ! Kabuscorp apps; 15 games 11 goals....

published: 29 Oct 2012

author: Andy9skill

FC Barcelona - Barça Legends: Rivaldo (1st half)

...

published: 14 Dec 2012

author: fcbarcelona

Top 10 Goals Rivaldo

what a man what a player rivaldo you hero...

published: 26 Oct 2012

author: myacode

Nitin Gupta (Rivaldo) - Professor in Love

FB Page : www.facebook.com FB Profile : www.facebook.com Website : www.humorbeings.in Indi...

published: 01 Dec 2011

author: TheHumorBeings

Rivaldo dive

Extreme acting...

published: 09 May 2009

author: TheDivingQueens

97/98 Away Rivaldo vs Newcastle United

...

published: 27 Apr 2012

author: R9godmagic

Rivaldo the Legend || Skills 2004-2007 HD

Rivaldo the Legend in the Legend team, 3 years in Piraeus 70 Apps , 36 Gls...

published: 26 May 2012

author: terasti

Nitin Gupta ( Rivaldo)- Draupadi Cheerharan

FB Page : www.facebook.com FB Profile : www.facebook.com Website : www.humorbeings.in Indi...

published: 17 May 2011

author: TheHumorBeings

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photo: AP / Nick Ut

File - Demonstrators are arrested by police after protesting outside a Walmart store Friday Nov. 23, 2012, in Paramount, Calif.

Walmart's horrific treatment of workers is too big to ignore

Al Jazeera

14 Dec 2012

Former President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, meet 55-year-old Martha Sellers. For the past nine years, Sellers has worked as a Walmart cashier in Paramount, California ... More than 10,000 community members joined more than 30 striking employees who walked off the job to demand better working conditions. . "It was wonderful ... That's not too much to ask for." ... 1698 ... ....(size: 23.6Kb)

photo: AP / Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks

In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, police officers are on the scene outside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where authorities say a gunman opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

No motive for attack by 'brilliant but remote' killer Adam Lanza in Connecticut

The Independent

15 Dec 2012

The massacre of 26 children and adults at an elementary school in the US state of Connecticut elicited horror and soul-searching around the world even as it raised more basic questions about why the gunman, a 20-year-old described as brilliant but remote, would have been driven to such a crime and how he chose his victims ... He paused for several seconds to keep his composure as he teared up and wiped an eye ... ... "I'm numb ... Yes, yeah....(size: 8.8Kb)

photo: AP / Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks

In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, a police officer leads two women and a child from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

20 Schoolchildren, 8 Others Dead in Connecticut Massacre

Jakarta Globe

15 Dec 2012

Newtown, Conn. Twenty schoolchildren were slaughtered by a heavily armed gunman who opened fire at a suburban elementary school in Connecticut on Friday, ultimately killing at least 27 people including himself in the one of the worst mass shootings in US history ... Authorities found 18 children and seven adults, including the gunman, dead at the school, and two children were pronounced dead later after being taken to a hospital ... Reuters ....(size: 7.5Kb)

photo: AP / Manu Brabo

In this Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 photo, a Free Syrian Army fighter poses as he carries his weapon in the northern province of Aleppo, Syria. Syria's civil war has killed more than 40,000 people.

Russia says Syrian rebels might win

CNTV

14 Dec 2012

One of Syria's key allies has admitted for the first time the Assad regime is losing the 20-month ground war. Russia’s deputy foreign minister’s comments are significant because Russia has blocked action to stem the violence, supplied weapons to the Assad regime, and vetoed three UN resolutions -- even as other countries called for Assad to step down. The comments are expected to put new pressure on the Syrian leader ... Reporter ...   ... ....(size: 6.6Kb)

photo: AP / Jessica Hill

Parents leave a staging area after being reunited with their children following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of New York City, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

27 People Dead, Mostly Children, at Connecticut Elementary School Shooting

ABC News

14 Dec 2012

More than two dozen people, mostly elementary school children, were shot and killed at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school this morning, federal and state sources tell ABC News. The massacre involved two gunmen at a Connecticut school this morning, prompting the town of Newtown to lock down all of its schools and draw SWAT teams to the school, authorities said today. State Police confirm that one shooter is dead ... at ABCNews.com ... ....(size: 4.5Kb)

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DAVID LUIZ: SPECIAL DAYS (Chelsea Football Club Ltd)

noodls

16 Dec 2012

(Source. Chelsea Football Club Ltd). At the highly impressionable age of 15, David Luiz watched from Brazil as his country lifted the World Cup. The venue for the game where they beat Germany was the Yokohama International Stadium ... Standing in his way is the team he supported as a boy ... Can you remember where you watched the final? ... Rivaldo was also special, so were both midfielders, Emerson and Kleberson, and Ronaldinho ... distributed by....(size: 5.4Kb)

VIDEO - Legendary goals: Rivaldo (FCB - Fútbol Club Barcelona)

noodls

14 Dec 2012

Rivaldo (Recife, Brazil, 1972) was signed from Deportivo la Coruña at the start of the 1997-98 season as a direct replacement for his compatriot Ronaldo, who ... And Rivaldo was able to fill the role ... Rivaldo Profile....(size: 1.4Kb)

Is Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci's dive the worst ever?

The Daily Telegraph Australia

12 Dec 2012

JUVENTUS' Leonardo Bonucci should hang his head in shame ... You'd think he's lucky to be alive ... We've seen some shocking dives over the years - including Brazil's Rivaldo grabbing at his face and falling to the ground as if in severe pain after being struck gently by the ball in the knee - but this has to rank among the worst of them ... ....(size: 2.2Kb)

Lionel Messi: The best goalscorer ever but is the Barcelona player the greatest-ever footballer?

The Independent

10 Dec 2012

Football’s greatest – Pelé, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Alfredo Di Stéfano amongst others – may already have been surpassed by a 25-year-old ... Stats magic ... 56 Messi is Barcelona’s top scorer in the Champions League, overtaking Rivaldo’s haul two-years ago, and is currently the third top scorer in the history of the Champions League (since 1992-93) with 56 goals (Real Madrid legend Raul leads with 71 goals)....(size: 5.3Kb)

Can revived Torres rescue Chelsea's season for Benitez?

CNN

08 Dec 2012

December 8, 2012 -- Updated 2035 GMT (0435 HKT). Chelsea's Spanish forward Fernando Torres celebrates after scoring his second goal against Sunderland on Saturday ... "It's fair to say that we are watching a Torres with more confidence and belief ... soccer legacy ... 1 ... Real Madrid's Kaka celebrates becoming the all-time leading Brazilian goalscorer in Champions League history after claiming his 28th strike in the competition to overtake Rivaldo....(size: 21.0Kb)

Chelsea suffers Champions League KO

CNN

06 Dec 2012

December 5, 2012 -- Updated 2248 GMT (0648 HKT). Fernando Torres scored twice as Chelsea crushed Danish side Nordsjaelland 6-1 at Stamford Bridge but it wasn't enough to save them from elimination from the Champions League ... HIDE CAPTION. Down and out. Juve joy ... Real Madrid's Kaka celebrates becoming the all-time leading Brazilian goalscorer in Champions League history after claiming his 28th strike in the competition to overtake Rivaldo ... ....(size: 22.3Kb)

The lonely death of Diego Mendieta: Football's forgotten man

CNN

06 Dec 2012

December 6, 2012 -- Updated 1626 GMT (0026 HKT). Diego Mendieta's former teammates carry his coffin at the Paraguayan footballer's funeral in Solo, Indonesia. He passed away at the age of 32, dying in hospital after contracting an infection ... HIDE CAPTION ... < ... Real Madrid's Kaka celebrates becoming the all-time leading Brazilian goalscorer in Champions League history after claiming his 28th strike in the competition to overtake Rivaldo ... ....(size: 31.3Kb)

Kaka open to Real Madrid exit December 5, 2012

ESPN

05 Dec 2012

Real Madrid midfielder Kaka has admitted he could be open to leaving the club, with a January window move to LA Galaxy not out of the question ... The former AC Milan man’s 49th minute strike - a 25 yard curler with his left foot - took him to 28 goals in the Champions League, moving past former international team-mate Rivaldo to become Brazil’s highest ever scorer in Europe’s top club competition ... ....(size: 3.0Kb)

City fail to seal Europa League spot

Deccan Herald

05 Dec 2012

Defeat in final group league tie dashes English champions hopes ... Ajax took the Europa League place despite losing 4-1 away at Real Madrid ... Schieber strikes ... Real Madrid eased to victory over Ajax with Brazilian star Kaka’s superb effort making him the most prolific all-time Brazilian scorer in the Champions League with 28 edging ahead of fellow 2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo ... Many of the players are not used to that level ... ....(size: 3.5Kb)

Football: English Clubs Suffer European Blues

Jakarta Globe

05 Dec 2012

Ajax took the Europa League place despite losing 4-1 away at Real Madrid ... "I am sure that now things will quickly get better in the league," said Ancelotti ... It left City's outstanding goalkeeper Joe Hart seething ... Real Madrid eased to victory over Ajax with Brazilian star Kaka's superb effort making him the most prolific all-time Brazilian scorer in the Champions League with 28 edging ahead of fellow 2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo ... ....(size: 4.0Kb)

Woeful Man City finishes bottom of table

The Hindu

05 Dec 2012

City bowed out with a listless performance in a 1-0 defeat away to a largely second string Borussia Dortmund side, which topped the group, while City finished bottom with three points ... Zenit beats Milan ... Real Madrid eased to victory over Ajax with Brazilian star Kaka’s superb effort making him the most prolific all-time Brazilian scorer in the Champions League with 28 edging ahead of fellow 2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo ... Group A....(size: 3.8Kb)

SA juniors to rock Zone VI Games (SASCOC - South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee)

noodls

05 Dec 2012

Ayabulela Magqwaka, Bongane Mduduzi Sydewell Mathebula, Bongani Ndumiso Khanyile, Fargie Lakay, Jody Jason February, Kabelo Seriba, Kyle Matthew Harley, Morne Peter Nel, Nhlakanipho Ntuli, Ricardo Ndiki, Rivaldo Roberto Genino Coetzee, Sabelo Malunga, Sibongiseni Leon Mkhize, Siyanda Ngcobo, Thamsanqa Tshiamo Masiya, Thandolwethu Handsome Maqhina, ......(size: 10.1Kb)

ZENIT IN MILAN (Milan Associazione Calcio SpA)

noodls

02 Dec 2012

The last Group C game of the Champions League. Milan against Zenit though the Rossoneri have already qualified, is an intriguing match. The Russians are playing for a place on the Europa League. MILAN - The final Champions League Group Stage game for Milan is on Tuesday 4 December at the San Siro ... After a 1-0 win at the San Siro, a Rivaldo penalty gave the team the same result in Russia....(size: 2.3Kb)

timeline:
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001

For other people named Rivaldo, see Rivaldo (disambiguation).

Rivaldo
Personal information
Rivaldo in Tehran 2009
Full name	Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira
Date of birth	(1972-04-19) 19 April 1972 (age 40)
Place of birth	Paulista, Pernambuco, Brazil
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	FK Lokve
Number	9
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1991–1992	Santa Cruz	4	(6)
1992–1994	Mogi Mirim	0	(0)
1993–1994	→ Corinthians (loan)	19	(11)
1994–1996	Palmeiras	45	(21)
1996–1997	Deportivo La Coruña	41	(21)
1997–2002	Barcelona	157	(86)
2002–2004	Milan	22	(5)
2004	Cruzeiro	0	(0)
2004–2007	Olympiacos	70	(36)
2007–2009	AEK Athens	29	(12)
2009–2010	Bunyodkor	53	(33)
2011	São Paulo FC	30	(5)
2012–	FK Lokve	2	(3)
National team^‡
1992–1993	Brazil U-20	9	(1)
1996	Olympic	5	(0)
1993–2003	Brazil	74	(34)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 January 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 April 2008

Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira (born 19 April 1972), commonly known as Rivaldo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiˈvawdu]), is a Brazilian professional footballer for Kabuscorp. He plays as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.

He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he won the 1998 and 1999 Spanish La Liga championship and the 1998 Copa del Rey. Between 1993 and 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 34 goals for the Brazil national football team and was an integral part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup winning Brazilian team.

In 1999, Rivaldo was honoured as FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d'Or winner and European Footballer of the Year. He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony in 2004. He is also the president of Mogi Mirim Esporte Clube in his native Brazil.

Early life [link]

Born in Paulista, Pernambuco, Brazil, Rivaldo had an extremely poor upbringing in the favelas of the port town of Recife. His physical appearance still marks the poverty he experienced in his childhood: malnourishment-caused bowleggedness and the loss of several teeth. Rivaldo began his professional career at the age of 16, when he signed with Paulistano, from Pernambuco, in 1989,^[1] despite the Paulistano coaches believing him too physically weak to succeed.^[2] Rivaldo's father Romildo was killed in a road accident in 1989, but Rivaldo went on to his first professional contract later that year.^[2]

Club career [link]

Santa Cruz, Mogi Mirim and Corinthians [link]

He went on to play for Santa Cruz in 1991. In 1992, he moved south to the state of São Paulo where he played for Mogi Mirim in the second tier of Brazilian football. It was for Mogi Mirim that he made his claim to fame: in a 1993 São Paulo State Championship match against Bauru team Noroeste, as soon as the referee whistled for the beginning of the match, Rivaldo noticed the Noroeste goalkeeper ahead of his position and scored the opening goal by lobbing the ball over the keeper, shooting from the midfield circle.

In 1993, the forward moved to the state capital to play for Corinthians in the first division.

Palmeiras [link]

In the next year, he switched local allegiances and moved to Palmeiras, helping the club successfully defend its league championship in 1994. In both 1993 and 1994, he was honoured by the authoritative publication Placar Magazine with the Bola de Prata for the best player in his field position.

Deportivo [link]

Before the 1996 Olympics, Parma announced that they had signed Rivaldo and his teammate Amaral from Palmeiras.^[3] After the Olympics, there was a dispute, and rather than Italy, Rivaldo moved to Spain as he joined Deportivo La Coruña in La Liga. He only stayed for one season, but nonetheless a very successful one for both him and the club. Rivaldo was the fourth top goal scorer of the season with 21 goals (tied) in 41 matches as Deportivo finished third in the league. Rivaldo moved on to league rivals FC Barcelona in 1997 in a transfer deal securing Deportivo a 4000 million pesetas (around $26 million) transfer fee.^[1]

Barcelona [link]

In his first season at Barcelona, he was the second top goal scorer with 19 goals in 34 matches, as Barcelona won The Double of La Liga championship and Copa del Rey.,^{[citation needed]} In 1999, he won another La Liga title with Barcelona, and once again was the league's second highest scorer with 24 goals.,^{[citation needed]} Individually, he won both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Footballer of the Year awards. In his third season in Barcelona, Rivaldo fell out with manager Louis van Gaal, when he insisted playing as a playmaker rather than on the left wing.^[4] Even though he had a strained relationship with van Gaal, Rivaldo went on to score 10 goals in the European UEFA Champions League tournament, as the club reached the semi-finals.Van Gaal was fired in June 2000. In the following 2000–01 season, Rivaldo was once again the second highest goal scorer of the league with 23 goals. In the last game of the season, against Valencia CF, Rivaldo scored a hat-trick to win the game 3–2. His third goal was a bicycle kick from the edge of the area in the 89th minute of the game, and is regarded as one of his greatest goals ever in a combination of importance and skill.^[5] The win secured Barcelona a place in the following UEFA Champions League tournament. It was his season best with 36 goals. He scored a total of 130 goals during his time with Barcelona.,^{[citation needed]}

Milan [link]

In June 2002, van Gaal returned to manage Barcelona. Rivaldo was released from his contract, and signed a three-year deal with the Italian Serie A club Milan. With Milan, he won the Italian Cup and the UEFA Champions League in the 2002–03 season. His time in Milan proved a mutually disappointing affair, often playing second fiddle to Rui Costa. He left the club after a season of very few starts, partly due to injury problems.^{[citation needed]} He briefly returned to Brazil, playing for Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte. On 22 July 2004 he returned to Europe, joining Greek Alpha Ethniki division club Olympiacos after much talk about which club he would join. There was also speculation that he might join English club Bolton Wanderers, with Rivaldo stating that he wanted to help them qualify for Europe for the first time. However, the deal fell apart because Bolton felt that the demands made by Rivaldo's agents were excessive.^[6]

Olympiacos [link]

Rivaldo scored some memorable goals in his first season at Olympiacos, including a fantastic effort in the Greek Cup final with a well placed lob from a difficult position close to the corner flag.^{[citation needed]} Rivaldo also scored two memorable free kicks during the season, the first in the local derby against Panathinaikos and the second against English club Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.^{[citation needed]} Olympiacos managed to keep the 1–0 lead against their arch-rivals, but Liverpool fought back to score the 3 goals needed to keep Olympiacos from the Final 16, much to Rivaldo's dismay. In the last game of his first season at Olympiacos, the club needed a victory in order to win the Alpha Ethniki championship, with Panathinaikos just one point behind. Olympiacos went on to beat Iraklis 0–1 in an away match in Thessaloniki, by yet another Rivaldo goal,^{[citation needed]} and secured the championship.

Rivaldo continued to score in the UEFA Champions League the following year. He scored a stunning 30 yard strike against Rosenborg BK,^[7] and against old foes Real Madrid as Olympiacos failed to advance from the preliminary Group Phase. In the domestic competitions, he kept the best for the second half of the season. He scored twice in Olympiacos' come-from-behind victory against Panathinaikos, as well as two in his team's 3–0 triumph against second placed AEK Athens, effectively securing another title for Olympiacos. He also put Olympiacos through to the Greek Cup semi-finals, scoring on free-kicks in both quarter-final games against Skoda Xanthi.^{[citation needed]}

Rivaldo renewed his contract with Olympiacos for a third and final year, and promised to give his best, despite having turned 34. He didn't wait long to turn his words into actions: He led Olympiacos to overturn their half-time deficit against Skoda Xanthi, and scored both goals for the dramatic 2–1 victory in the first game of the season, winning him the Greek SuperLeague's first-ever Player of the Week and Goal of the Week awards.^{[citation needed]} In July 2006, Rivaldo announced that the 2006–07 season with Olympiacos would be his last in Europe, before returning to Brazil.^[8] However he quicky changed his decision and decided to stay for another year. The 2006–2007 season was arguably his best season at Olympiakos,^{[citation needed]} having scored 17 goals at 27 matches, at the Superleague championship.

AEK Athens [link]

Rivaldo was released by Olympiacos after the chairman of the club decided that he was to old to continue with the club, later that summer he signed on rival Super League club AEK Athens on 29 May 2007, making the signing arguably the best in the team's history. Rivaldo finished his Olympiakos career with 43 goals in 81 games played.

At AEK Athens, Rivaldo played under his former Barcelona manager Llorenç Serra Ferrer. He began his AEK career with a bang, scoring in his first friendly match. European goals soon followed; a penalty kick against Sevilla in AEK's unsuccessful UEFA Champions League qualifier, and a bicycle kick in their UEFA Cup first round thumping of the Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg. Rivaldo's first Super League goal with AEK Athens came through a penalty in their 3–0 win against Panionios. Rivaldo was the Man of the Match^{[citation needed]} against his former team Olympiacos, where he had 3 assists and his team won 4–0 however much speculation followed the game as in almost all goals a friend and fellow Brazilian defender Jilio Cesar Santos Correa was involved (he was soon after released by the club and had to quit European football). At the end of the 2007–2008 season Olympiacos won the championship by finishing 2 points ahead of AEK but AEK tried to obtain the Greek League by appealing against a decision that gave Olympiacos 3 points for the illeagal use of Roman Wallner by Apollon Kalamaria in a game between the two of them, however both UEFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport declined their appeal.

Bunyodkor [link]

Rivaldo announced on 25 August 2008 to a Greek Sport Radio Station that he agreed to continue his career at Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, effective immediately, after what he described as an "extremely tempting contract offer".^[9]

Rivaldo signed a two-year contract worth €10.2 million and later signed an extension to extend the contract to 2011.^[10] On his debut for Bunyodkor, Rivaldo scored twice as Bunyodkor recorded a 2–0 win.^[11] Rivaldo earned a record in 2009 which was never achieved by anyone in official matches – Rivaldo scored ten goals in four consecutive matches, in which match by match he increased his goals starting with 1 goal in the first match and 2 goals in the second match against Navbahor. In the third match on 25 June 2009, Rivaldo scored a hat trick against Metallurg, which was beaten 4:0 by Bunyodkor.^[12] In the fourth match Bunyodkor crushed Sogdiana Djizak 5:0 in which Rivaldo scored a poker within 17 minutes.^[13] After Uzbek League's 2009 season Rivaldo won UFF Topscorer award as domestic league's top goalscorer with 20 goals and was runner up for UFF Player of the Year award gathering 193 points. He scored 33 goals for the club.^[14] Rivaldo announced on 11 August 2010 on his Twitter that he has rescinded his contract with Bunyodkor and would continue his career in Europe or back to his home country Brazil.^[15]

Mogi Mirim [link]

On 18 November 2010, he announced he would be returning to Mogi Mirim, the club that had kick-started his career in the early 1990s, through his Social Networking site, saying: "After sorting out a lot of things outside of the country, I have decided to play the Paulista 2011 for Mogi Mirim, of whom I am President." However, he joined São Paulo in January 2011.^{[citation needed]}

São Paulo [link]

On 23 January 2011, Rivaldo joined São Paulo. He scored on his debut for them in the First Division against Linense with a wonderful goal. The ball was sent over from the left hand side of the pitch, before Rivaldo controlled the ball and took it over a defender using his left knee, and finished at the near post. He spent most part of March 2011 tending injury, but came back for following fixtures such as a 1–1 draw with Palmeiras and a 2–1 win over Corinthians.^{[citation needed]}

Rivaldo stated on his twitter account that he would leave São Paulo by the end of the season: "I just want to inform everybody that on Saturday, it's going to be my last training session at Sao Paulo. I've been told by the club's official that this is going to be my last season here." He added: "I'm not saying goodbye to football yet. I still have a lot to accomplish. I just wish I could hang up my boots at the end of 2012."^[16]

Kabuscorp [link]

Rivaldo was unveiled to the Angolan media at a news conference in the capital Luanda on 13 January as Kabuscorp new signing. He will wear the number nine shirt, and said language played a key part in his decision and tweeted that he is 'very happy with this new stage of my career'. However, the arrival of the former Brazil international has been greeted with some scepticism, according to local sports commentator José Cunha. "Rivaldo's hiring by Kabuscorp – which is a very modest club in Angola – has not attracted as much enthusiasm as you might expect," says Cunha, who works for Luanda's LAC radio station. On 18 March, Rivaldo scored a hat-trick against Recreativo Caala.

On 23 March it was reported that English league 1 club Charlton Athletic had turned down the chance to sign Rivaldo on a free transfer.^[17]

International career [link]

In 1993, he debuted for the Brazilian national football team, scoring the only goal in a friendly match against Mexico.^[18]

He was selected to represent Brazil at the 1996 Summer Olympics. The Brazilian team won the bronze medal, but Rivaldo was made the scape-goat for Brazil's semi-final defeat to Nigeria,^{[citation needed]} and was excluded from the Brazilian national team by national team manager Mario Zagallo.^[1]

Rivaldo returned to the Brazilian national team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored three goals, including two in the 3–2 quarter-final win against Denmark. Rivaldo had not been a part of the triumphant Brazilian team at the 1997 Copa América tournament, but was a key player in the successful defence of that title at the 1999 Copa América.^{[citation needed]} Rivaldo earned himself the distinction as top scorer of the tournament with five goals, one being the equaliser from a trademark free-kick in a 2–1 win over Argentina in the quarter-finals, and two in the 3–0 victory over Uruguay in the final. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.^{[citation needed]}

Rivaldo had been the centre of criticism when Brazil did not win tournaments, ever since the 1996 Olympics,^[19] as he was said to be saving his best form for his club team. During the 2002 World Cup qualifying games, Brazil's poor form saw the team being booed by the Brazilian crowds,^{[citation needed]} and in the 1–0 win against Colombia in November 2000, Rivaldo was booed so heavily that he threatened to retire from playing for his country.^[20]

He was at the centre of numerous tugs of war between Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.^{[citation needed]} In one incident in the summer of 2001, Rivaldo had to play an exhibition match for Brazil against Panama, commute to Poland to play a match for Barcelona, and then return to Brazil for a qualifying match against Paraguay, all within ten days.^{[citation needed]}

The zenith of his national team career came at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted in South Korea and Japan. He scored in the first five games for Brazil. Brazilian striker Ronaldo had done so for four matches, allowing journalists to question whether there was any rivalry between the two athletes. Rivaldo denied this, insisting that all he wanted was to be the world champion. His spectacular goal against Belgium in the second round prompted Belgian coach Robert Waseige to name Rivaldo as the deciding factor.^[21] Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho helped Rivaldo score a crucial goal in the 2–1 win over England in the quarterfinals. Brazil eventually met Germany in the final, and went on to win the tournament with a 2–0 victory in the final. Both Ronaldo goals came from trademark Rivaldo plays, as both Rivaldo and Brazil made amends for the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final loss to France. Rivaldo was named by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari as the best player of the tournament.

His early performance at the tournament was spoiled by his play-acting in the group match against Turkey.^[22] In the closing stages of the match, with the ball out of play, Turkish defender Hakan Ünsal kicked a ball towards Rivaldo, who was waiting at the corner flag. The ball struck his thigh, but Rivaldo fell to the ground clutching his face. The referee sent the Turkish player off with a second yellow card. After a video review, Rivaldo was fined 11,670 Swiss Francs by FIFA, 1,670 of which were for "costs". His last cap was on 19 November 2003 in Curitiba in a 3–3 draw with Uruguay. He played only 11 minutes, coming on as a substitute for Luís Fabiano in the 79th minute. He had scored his last goal just 3 days earlier from the penalty spot in a 1–1 draw with Peru.

Rivaldo never officially retired from International duty, contrary to popular thought. Due to being benched through injury and a fragile relationship with Milan manager, where Rui Costa was constantly preferred, he was deemed unfit and only managed short, cameo appearances for his last few caps. He was then dropped completely, and after moving to Olympiacos in 2004, a return always seemed unlikely. In his time with the Brazilian Squad, he won 50 games, drawing and losing 12. With a win percentage of 75%, he scored 0.47 goals per game.

World Cup goals [link]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	World Cup	Round
1.	16 June 1998	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Morocco	2 – 0	3–0	1998	Group Stage
2.	3 July 1998	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Denmark	2 – 1	3–2	1998	Quarter-Final
3.	3 July 1998	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Denmark	3 – 2	3–2	1998	Quarter-Final
4.	3 June 2002	Munsu Cup Stadium, Ulsan, Korea Republic	Turkey	2 – 1	2–1	2002	Group Stage
5.	8 June 2002	Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo, Korea Republic	China PR	2 – 0	4–0	2002	Group Stage
6.	13 June 2002	Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, Korea Republic	Costa Rica	2 – 4	2–5	2002	Group Stage
7.	17 June 2002	Kobe Wing Stadium, Kobe, Japan	Belgium	1 – 0	2–0	2002	Round of 16
8.	21 June 2002	Shizuoka Stadium, Shizuoka, Japan	England	1 – 1	1–2	2002	Quarter-Final

Career statistics [link]

Club [link]

As of 25 March 2012

Season	Club	League	League		Regional League		Cups		Continental		Other		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1991–92	Santa Cruz	Série B	4	6	18	8	4	2	-	-	-	-	26	16
Total			4	6	18	8	4	2	–	–	–	–	26	16
1992	Mogi Mirim	Série A	-	-	31	13	-	-	-	-	-	-	31	13
Total			-	–	31	13	–	–	–	–	–	–	31	13
1993	Corinthians	Série A	19	11	3	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	22	11
Total			19	11	3	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	22	11
1994	Palmeiras	Série A	29	14	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	29	14
1995			16	7	8	10	4	2	6	5	-	-	34	24
1996			-	-	25	18	9	4	-	-	-	-	34	22
Total			45	21	33	28	13	6	6	5	–	–	97	60
1996–97	Deportivo	La Liga	41	21	-	-	5	1	-	-	-	-	46	22
Total			41	21	–	–	5	1	–	–	–	–	46	22
1997–98	Barcelona	La Liga	34	19	-	-	7	8	6	0	4	1	51	28
1998–99			37	24	-	-	3	2	6	3	2	0	48	29
1999-00			31	12	-	-	5	1	14	10	0	0	50	23
2000–01			35	23	-	-	5	2	13	11	0	0	53	36
2001–02			20	8	-	-	0	0	13	6	0	0	33	14
Total			157	86	–	–	20	13	52	30	6	1	235	130
2002–03	Milan	Serie A	22	5	-	-	3	1	13	2	-	-	38	8
2003–04	Milan	Serie A	0	0	-	-	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	0
Total			22	5	–	–	3	1	14	2	1	0	40	8
2004	Cruzeiro	Série A	-	-	7	2	-	-	3	0	-	-	10	2
Total			–	–	7	2	–	–	3	0	–	–	10	2
2004–05	Olympiacos	Superleague	23	12	-	-	2	2	9	1	-	-	34	15
2005–06			22	7	-	-	2	2	5	2	-	-	29	11
2006–07			25	17	-	-	0	0	6	0	-	-	31	17
Total			70	36	–	–	4	4	20	3	–	–	94	43
2007–08	AEK Athens	Superleague	35	12	-	-	?	-	8	3	-	-	43	15
2008–09	AEK Athens	Superleague	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	0	-	-	1	0
Total			35	12	–	–	?	–	9	3	–	–	44	15
2008	Bunyodkor	Uzbek League	12	7	-	-	1	0	4	2	-	-	17	9
2009			30	20	-	-	2	1	9	1	-	-	41	22
2010			11	6	-	-	3	3	5	2	-	-	19	11
Total			53	33	–	–	6	4	18	5	–	–	77	42
2011	São Paulo	Série A	30	5	9	1	4	0	3	1	-	-	46	7
Total			30	5	9	1	4	0	3	1	–	–	46	7
2012	Kabuscorp	Girabola	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	3
Total			2	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	3
Career totals			478	239	101	52	59	31	125	49	7	1	770	372

International [link]

^[23]

Brazil national team

Year	Apps	Goals
1993	1	1
1994	1	0
1995	5	1
1996	2	2
1997	4	1
1998	12	4
1999	13	8
2000	11	8
2001	8	3
2002	10	5
2003	7	1
Total	74	34

Career totals [link]

Professional career totals
Teams	Appearances	Goals	Goals per game
Clubs	770	372	0.48
National team	074	034	0.46
Olympic final	05	00	0
Total	849	406	0.48

Honours [link]

Team [link]

Palmeiras:

Brazilian Série A: 1994
São Paulo State Championship: 1994, 1996

Barcelona:

Milan:

Olympiacos:

Greek Super League: 2005, 2006, 2007
Greek Cup: 2005, 2006

Bunyodkor:

Uzbek League: 2008, 2009, 2010

Uzbekistani Cup: 2008, 2010

Brazil

References [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c Rivaldo: In the name of the father, FIFA, 10 October 2000
^ ^a ^b Mike Lee, Overcoming Tragedy to be the Greatest, British Council
^ "Sousa for Chelsea". The Independent (Independent News & Media). 27 June 1996. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sousa-for-chelsea-1339055.html. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ RIVALDO NOT A HAPPY NOU CAMP-ER, 4thegame, 22 December 1999
^ A star less bright, The Observer, 30 June 2002
^ Bolton Wanderers Hall of Shame: Rivaldo. Manny Road, 8 August 2008
^ [1] Rivaldo's goal vs. Rosenborg], Youtube
^ Rivaldo to quit at end of season, BBC, 17 July 2006
^ Rivaldo quits AEK Athens to head to Uzbekistan, ESPNsoccernet, 25 August 2008
^ World in motion Times Online 3 February 2009
^ "Veteran Rivaldo nets brace on Bunyodkor debut". ESPN. 12 September 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=571331&cc=4716. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
^ Mike Maguire (26 June 2009). "Uzbekistan: Rivaldo Treble Sees Bunyodkor Past Metallurg". Goal.com. http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2009/06/26/1347554/uzbekistan-rivaldo-treble-sees-bunyodkor-past-metallurg. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
^ [2]
^ [3]
^ "Rivaldo open to European move". FIFA. 12 August 2010. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1284627.html. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
^ "Rivaldo to leave Sao Paulo". jazeerasport: Rivaldo to leave Sao Paulo. 2 December 2011. http://www.aljazeerasport.net/news/football/2011/12/201112294254116157.html. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
^ "You said what? Charlton decide against signing World Cup winner Rivaldo". Daily Mail. 23 March 2012. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2119495/Charlton-say-Rivaldo-offer.html. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
^ http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/rivaldo-intlg.html
^ Rodrigo Amaral, Rivaldo reflects on wheel of fortune, BBC, 20 June 2002
^ Brazil questions Rivaldo's role, BBC, 19 November 2000
^ John Chapman, Wilmots tells of ref's apology, BBC, 17 June 2002
^ Scolari: Rivaldo did not cheat The Guardian 4 June 2002
^ "Rivaldo – Goals in International Matches". Rsssf.com. 23 July 2003. http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/rivaldo-intlg.html. Retrieved 12 February 2012.

External links [link]

Rivaldo's official website
Rivaldo – FIFA competition record
(Portuguese) CBF profile
Rivaldo at National-Football-Teams.com

Awards

v t e Brazilian Football Museum – Hall of Fame

Bebeto \| Carlos Alberto Torres \| Didi \| Djalma Santos \| Falcão \| Garrincha \| Gérson \| Gilmar \| Jairzinho \| Julinho \| Nílton Santos \| Pelé \| Rivaldo \| Rivelino \| Roberto Carlos \| Romário \| Ronaldinho \| Ronaldo \| Sócrates \| Taffarel \| Tostão \| Vavá \| Zagallo \| Zico \| Zizinho

Honorable Mention: Domingos da Guia \| Leônidas

v t e FIFA 100

UEFA	Baggio Ballack Banks Baresi Beckenbauer Beckham Bergkamp Bergomi Best Boniek Boniperti Breitner Buffon Butragueño Cantona Ceulemans Charlton Cruyff Dalglish Dasayev Davids Del Piero Desailly Deschamps Emre Eusébio Facchetti Figo Fontaine Gullit Hagi Henry Kahn Keane Keegan Klinsmann Kluivert Kopa B. Laudrup M. Laudrup Lineker Luis Enrique Maier Maldini Masopust Matthäus Müller Nedvěd Neeskens Nesta Owen Papin Pfaff Pirès Platini Puskás Raúl Rensenbrink Rijkaard Rivera Rossi Rui Costa Rummenigge Rüştü Schmeichel Seedorf Seeler Shearer Shevchenko Stoichkov Šuker Thuram Totti Trésor Trezeguet van Basten R. van de Kerkhof W. van de Kerkhof Van der Elst van Nistelrooy Vieira Vieri Zidane Zoff

CONMEBOL	Carlos Alberto Batistuta Cafu Crespo Cubillas Di Stéfano Falcão Figueroa Francescoli Júnior Kempes Maradona Passarella Pelé Rivaldo Rivelino Roberto Carlos Romário Romerito Ronaldinho Ronaldo Djalma Santos Nílton Santos Saviola Sívori Sócrates Valderrama Verón Zamorano Zanetti Zico

CAF	Diouf Milla Okocha Abédi Pelé Weah

CONCACAF	Akers Hamm Sánchez

AFC	Hong Nakata

Ballon d'Or

1956: Matthews
1957: Di Stéfano
1958: Kopa
1959: Di Stéfano
1960: Suárez
1961: Sívori
1962: Masopust
1963: Yashin
1964: Law
1965: Eusébio
1966: Charlton
1967: Albert
1968: Best
1969: Rivera
1970: Müller
1971: Cruyff
1972: Beckenbauer
1973: Cruyff
1974: Cruyff
1975: Blokhin
1976: Beckenbauer
1977: Simonsen
1978: Keegan
1979: Keegan
1980: Rummenigge
1981: Rummenigge
1982: Rossi
1983: Platini
1984: Platini
1985: Platini
1986: Belanov
1987: Gullit
1988: Van Basten
1989: Van Basten
1990: Matthäus
1991: Papin
1992: Van Basten
1993: Baggio
1994: Stoichkov
1995: Weah
1996: Sammer
1997: Ronaldo
1998: Zidane
1999: Rivaldo
2000: Figo
2001: Owen
2002: Ronaldo
2003: Nedvěd
2004: Shevchenko
2005: Ronaldinho
2006: Cannavaro
2007: Kaká
2008: C. Ronaldo
2009: Messi

UEFA Champions League top scorers

1956: Milutinović
1957: Viollet
1958: Di Stéfano
1959: Fontaine
1960: Puskás
1961: J. Águas
1962: Di Stéfano & Løfqvist & Puskás & Strehl & Tejada
1963: Altafini
1964: Kovačević & Mazzola & Puskás
1965: Eusébio & Torres
1966: Albert & Eusébio
1967: Piepenburg & Van Himst
1968: Eusébio
1969: Law
1970: Jones
1971: Antoniadis
1972: Dunai & Macari & Takač
1973: Müller
1974: Müller
1975: Markarov & Müller
1976: Heynckes
1977: Cucinotta & Müller
1978: Simonsen
1979: Sulser
1980: Lerby
1981: McDermott & Rummenigge & Souness
1982: Hoeneß
1983: Rossi
1984: Sokol
1985: Nilsson & Platini
1986: Nilsson
1987: Cvetković
1988: R. Águas & Ferreri & Hagi & Madjer & McCoist & Míchel & Novák
1989: van Basten
1990: Papin & Romário
1991: Pacult & Papin
1992: Papin & Yuran
1993: Romário
1994: Koeman & Rufer
1995: Weah
1996: Litmanen
1997: Pantić
1998: Del Piero
1999: Shevchenko & Yorke
2000: Jardel & Raúl & Rivaldo
2001: Raúl
2002: van Nistelrooy
2003: van Nistelrooy
2004: Morientes
2005: van Nistelrooy
2006: Shevchenko
2007: Kaká
2008: C. Ronaldo
2009: Messi
2010: Messi
2011: Messi
2012: Messi

v t e FIFA World Player of the Year

1991: Matthäus 1992: van Basten 1993: Baggio 1994: Romário 1995: Weah 1996: Ronaldo 1997: Ronaldo 1998: Zidane 1999: Rivaldo 2000: Zidane 2001: Figo 2002: Ronaldo 2003: Zidane 2004: Ronaldinho 2005: Ronaldinho 2006: Cannavaro 2007: Kaká 2008: C. Ronaldo 2009: Messi

World Soccer Player of the Year

1982: Rossi
1983: Zico
1984: Platini
1985: Platini
1986: Maradona
1987: Gullit
1988: van Basten
1989: Gullit
1990: Matthäus
1991: Papin
1992: van Basten
1993: Baggio
1994: Maldini
1995: Vialli
1996: Ronaldo
1997: Ronaldo
1998: Zidane
1999: Rivaldo
2000: Figo
2001: Owen
2002: Ronaldo
2003: Nedvěd
2004: Ronaldinho
2005: Ronaldinho
2006: Cannavaro
2007: Kaká
2008: C. Ronaldo
2009: Messi
2010: Xavi
2011: Messi

La Liga Foreign Player of the Year - Don Balón Award

1976: Neeskens
1977: Cruyff
1978: Cruyff
1979: Stielike
1980: Stielike
1981: Stielike
1982: Stielike
1983: Barbas
1984: Barbas
1985: Schuster
1986: Valdano
1987: Sánchez
1988: Alemão
1989: Ruggeri
1990: Sánchez
1991: Schuster
1992: Laudrup
1993: Đukić
1994: Stoichkov
1995: Zamorano
1996: Mijatović
1997: Ronaldo
1998: Rivaldo
1999: Figo
2000: Figo
2001: Figo
2002: Zidane
2003: Nihat
2004: Ronaldinho
2005: Riquelme
2006: Ronaldinho
2007: Messi
2008: Agüero
2009: Messi
2010: Messi

EFE Trophy

1990–91: Fernández
1991–92: Zalazar
1992–93: Zamorano
1993–94: Romário
1994–95: Zamorano
1995–96: Simeone
1996–97: Ronaldo
1997–98: Roberto Carlos
1998–99: Rivaldo
1999–2000: Herrera
2000–01: Acuña
2001–02: Saviola
2002–03: Ronaldo
2003–04: Ronaldinho
2004–05: Forlán
2005–06: Aimar
2006–07: Messi
2007–08: Agüero
2008–09: Messi
2009–10: Messi

v t e Uzbek League top scorers

1992: Kechinov 1993: Durmonov 1994: Bozorov 1995: Shatskikh 1996: Irismetov / Shatskikh 1997: Irismetov 1998: Qosimov / Shkvyrin 1999: Isoqov / Hamidullaev 2000: Irismetov 2001: Isoqov 2002: Hamidullaev 2003: Idiatullin 2004: Mirkholdirshoev 2005: Soliev 2006: Solomin 2007: Mo'minjonov 2008: Djeparov 2009: Rivaldo 2010: Kholiqov / Otakuziyev 2011: Trifunović

Brazil squads

v t e Brazil squad – 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalists

1 Dida 2 Zé Maria 3 Aldair 4 Ronaldo Guiaro 5 Flávio Conceição 6 Roberto Carlos 7 Bebeto 8 Amaral 9 Juninho 10 Rivaldo 11 Sávio 12 Danrlei 13 Narciso 14 André Luiz 15 Zé Elias 16 Marcelinho Paulista 17 Luizão 18 Ronaldo Coach: Zagallo

v t e Brazil squad – 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (1st Title)

1 Dida 2 Cafu 3 Aldair 4 Júnior Baiano 5 Dunga 6 Roberto Carlos 7 Bebeto 8 Flávio Conceição 9 Ronaldo 10 Leonardo 11 Romário 12 Rogério Ceni 13 Zé Maria 14 Gonçalves 15 Zé Roberto 16 César Sampaio 17 Doriva 18 Denílson 19 Juninho 20 Rivaldo 21 Rodrigo 22 Russo Coach: Zagallo

v t e Brazil squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup Runners-up

1 Taffarel 2 Cafu 3 Aldair 4 Júnior Baiano 5 César Sampaio 6 Roberto Carlos 7 Giovanni 8 Dunga (c) 9 Ronaldo 10 Rivaldo 11 Emerson 12 Carlos Germano 13 Zé Carlos 14 Gonçalves 15 André Cruz 16 Zé Roberto 17 Doriva 18 Leonardo 19 Denílson 20 Bebeto 21 Edmundo 22 Dida Coach: Zagallo

v t e Brazil squad – 1999 Copa América Winners (6th Title)

1 Dida 2 Cafu 3 Odvan 4 Antônio Carlos 5 Emerson 6 Roberto Carlos 7 Amoroso 8 Vampeta 9 Ronaldo 10 Rivaldo 11 Alex 12 Marcos 13 Evanílson 14 César Belli 15 João Carlos 16 Serginho 17 Marcos Paulo 18 Flávio Conceição 19 Beto 20 Christian 21 Ronaldinho 22 Zé Roberto Coach: Luxemburgo

v t e Brazil squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup Winners (5th Title)

1 Marcos 2 Cafu (c) 3 Lúcio 4 Roque Júnior 5 Edmílson 6 Roberto Carlos 7 Ricardinho 8 Gilberto Silva 9 Ronaldo 10 Rivaldo 11 Ronaldinho 12 Dida 13 Belletti 14 Ânderson Polga 15 Kléberson 16 Júnior 17 Denílson 18 Vampeta 19 Juninho Paulista 20 Edílson 21 Luizão 22 Rogério Ceni 23 Kaká Coach: Scolari

Authority control: LCCN: n2001088062 | VIAF: 48576074 | WorldCat

Persondata
Name	Rivaldo
Alternative names	Rivaldo
Short description	Brazilian professional footballer
Date of birth	19 April 1972
Place of birth	Шутка брат ми, Pernambuco, Brazil
Date of death
Place of death

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivaldo

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Contents

Early life [link]

Club career [link]

Santa Cruz, Mogi Mirim and Corinthians [link]

Palmeiras [link]

Deportivo [link]

Barcelona [link]

Milan [link]

Olympiacos [link]

AEK Athens [link]

Bunyodkor [link]

Mogi Mirim [link]

São Paulo [link]

Kabuscorp [link]

International career [link]

World Cup goals [link]

Career statistics [link]

Club [link]

International [link]

Career totals [link]

Honours [link]

Team [link]

Individual [link]

References [link]

External links [link]

http://wn.com/Rivaldo

Related pages:

http://it.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://cs.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://id.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://es.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://ru.wn.com/Ривалдо

http://nl.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://pl.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://fr.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://de.wn.com/Rivaldo

http://pt.wn.com/Rivaldo