- published: 12 Apr 2016
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Sergio Ramos García (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈseɾxjo ˈramoz ɡaɾˈθi.a]; born 30 March 1986) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Madrid and the Spain national football team. Mainly a central defender, he can perform equally as a right back.
After emerging through Sevilla's youth system, he went on to be a defensive mainstay for both Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, gaining his first cap at the age of 18.
Born in Camas, Seville, Andalusia, Ramos began his career at local side Sevilla FC, emerging through the club's youth system alongside Jesús Navas and Antonio Puerta. He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 1 February 2004, coming on as a second half substitute in a 0–1 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.
In the 2004–05 season, Ramos appeared in 31 games as Sevilla finished sixth and qualified to the UEFA Cup, scoring in home fixtures against Real Sociedad (2–1) and Real Madrid (2–2).
In the summer of 2005, 19-year old Ramos was purchased by Real Madrid for €27 million, a record for a Spanish teenager. He was the only Spanish player brought in during Florentino Pérez first stint as Real Madrid president.
Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team as a winger.
Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left back, earning acclaim as a free kick specialist. Since transferring to Spurs in 2007, managerial and tactical shifts have seen him transform into a more offensively-oriented player. Recently, Bale has played an integral role in Tottenham's success domestically and in the Champions League.
Bale was born in Cardiff to parents Frank, a school caretaker, and Debbie, an operations manager; he attended Eglwys Newydd Primary School at Whitchurch. He is the nephew of former Cardiff City footballer Chris Pike. It was while at this school he first came to the attention of Southampton at age nine, when he was playing in a six-a-side tournament with his first club, Cardiff Civil Service Football Club. Growing up his football hero was fellow Welshman and Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs.
Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst OON (Dutch pronunciation: [dʒijoːˈvɑni vɑn ˈbrɔŋkɦɔrst]; born 5 February 1975 in Rotterdam), known as Gio in Spain, is a retired Dutch footballer of Moluccan (Indonesia) descent who served as the captain of the Dutch national team from August 2008 until his retirement.
During his club career, Van Bronckhorst played for RKC Waalwijk (1993–94), Feyenoord (1994–98), Rangers (1998–2001), Arsenal (2001–03), FC Barcelona (2003–07), and again Feyenoord (2007–10). He was an instrumental player in Barcelona's 2005–06 UEFA Champions League victory, being in the starting line-up of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League against his old club Arsenal F.C., having played every Champions League match for Barcelona that season.
He has earned over 100 caps for the Dutch national team, and played for his country in three World Cups (1998, 2006 and 2010), as well as three European Championships (2000, 2004, and 2008). After the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, he was elected into the Order of Orange-Nassau.