David Beckham Biography
Full name David Robert Joseph Beckham
Date of birth May 2, 1975 (1975-05-02) (age 32)
Place of birth Leytonstone, London, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Right Winger, Central Midfielder
Club information
Current club Los Angeles Galaxy
Number 23
Youth clubs
1991–1992 Manchester United
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1992–2003
1995
2003-2007
2007- Manchester United
→ Preston North End (loan)
Real Madrid
Los Angeles Galaxy 265 (62)
005 0(2)
116 (13)
000 0(0)
National team2
1994–1996
1996– England U21
England 009 0(0)
096 (17)
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (pronounced IPA: /'bɛk.əm/) (born 2 May 1975) is an English professional football (soccer) midfielder who plays for Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy. He is also currently a member of the England national team.
He was twice chosen runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, and as recently as 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer. He is currently the world's highest paid per year team athlete banking $50 million dollars per year. Alex Rodriguez is still the highest contract award winning team athlete. Rodriguez's contract is worth $252 million, but it is stretched over 10 years. However, Beckham's was stretched only over five. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004. Such global recognition has made him an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.
Beckham was captain of England from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006. He made 58 appearances as captain, and ended his tenure in that role after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. He continued to make contributions for the England national team in 2007 competitions.
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 Premiership 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.
In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid and sign a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He played his final match with Real on 17 June, after which the team was awarded the 2006-07 La Liga championship.
His new contract with the Galaxy took effect on 1 July 2007. He made his Galaxy debut on 21 July in a friendly versus Chelsea FC at the Home Depot Center.
Contents
Childhood and early career
Beckham was born in Leytonstone, London, England; the son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham, a kitchen fitter and Manchester United fan, and Sandra Georgina West, a hairdresser. He regularly played football in Ridgeway Park, Chingford as a child. His maternal grandfather, Joseph West, is Jewish, and Beckham has referred to himself as "half Jewish" and spoken of the influence the religion has had on him, although he is not known to practice Judaism or any other faith. In his book Both Feet on the Ground, he stated that growing up he always attended church with his parents and sisters.
His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who would frequently travel to Old Trafford from London to attend Manchester United's home matches. David inherited his parents' love of Manchester United and his main sporting passion was football. He attended one of Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester and won the chance to take part in a training session at FC Barcelona, as part of a talent competition. As a child he played for a local youth team called the Ridgeway Rovers - coached by his father, Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby.
He was Manchester United's mascot for a match against West Ham United in 1986. Young Beckham had trials with his local club, Leyton Orient, and attended Tottenham Hotspur's, which was the first club he played for, school of excellence. During a two-year period in which he played for Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990. He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his fourteenth birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on 8 July 1991.
He was part of a group of young players at the club who guided the club to win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992, with Beckham scoring in the second leg of the final against Crystal Palace. He made his first appearance for United's first-team that year, as a substitute in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion, and signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. United reached the final of the Youth Cup again the following year, with Beckham playing in their defeat by Leeds United, and he won another medal in 1994 when the club's reserve team won their league.
He went to Preston North End on loan in the 1994-95 season to get some first team experience, then made his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United on 2 April 1995, in a goalless draw against Leeds United.
Manchester United era
Becoming a first-team player
United manager Alex Ferguson had a great deal of confidence in the club's young players. When three of his first-team players left the club at the end of the 1994-95 season, his decision to let youth team players replace them instead of buying players from other clubs, drew a great deal of criticism. The criticism increased when United started the season with a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa, with Beckham scoring United's only goal of the game; however, United won their next five matches and the young players performed well. Beckham became a regular player on the team and helped them to win the Premiership and FA Cup double that season, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Chelsea and also taking the corner that Éric Cantona scored from in the FA Cup Final. Despite playing regularly for Manchester United, Beckham did not break into the England squad before Euro 96.
In August 1996, Beckham became something of a household name when he scored a spectacular goal in a match against Wimbledon. With United ahead 2–0, Beckham noticed that Wimbledon's goalkeeper Neil Sullivan was standing a long way out of his goal, and hit a shot from the halfway line that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net.The 57-yard goal is the furthest successful strike at goal since the Premiership was founded in 1992
Beckham was frequently mentioned in the press, and he made his first appearance for the England national football team on 1 September 1996, in a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova.He became an automatic first-choice player at United during the 1996-97 season, helping them to retain the Premier League championship, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year by his peers.
United started the 1997-98 season well, but their performance deteriorated and the club finished the season in second place, behind Arsenal.
World Cup 1998
Beckham had played in all of England's qualifying matches for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and was part of the England squad at the World Cup finals in France, but the team's manager Glenn Hoddle publicly accused him of not concentrating on the tournament, and he did not start in either of England's first two matches. He was picked for their third match against Colombia and scored from a long-range free kick in a 2–0 victory, which was his first goal for England.
In the second round (last 16) of that competition, he received a red card in England's match against Argentina. Beckham, after having been fouled by Diego Simeone, kicked Simeone, striking him on the calf. Simeone later admitted to trying to get Beckham sent off by over-reacting to the kick and then, along with other members of his team, urging the referee to send Beckham off. The match finished in a draw and England were eliminated in a penalty shootout. Many supporters and journalists blamed him for England's elimination and he became the target of criticism and abuse, including the hanging of an effigy outside a London pub, and the Daily Mirror printing a dartboard with a picture of him centred on the bullseye. Beckham also received death threats after the World Cup.
1998-99 season (the Treble)
In the 1998-99 season, he was part of the United team that won the treble — Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, a unique feat in English football. There had been speculation that the criticism that he had received after being sent off in the World Cup would lead to him leaving England, but he decided to stay at Manchester United.
To ensure they would win the league championship, United needed to win their final league match of the season, at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match. Beckham scored the equaliser and United went on to win the match and the league.
Beckham played centre-midfield in United's FA Cup final win over Newcastle United and for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, since United's first string centre-midfielders were suspended for the match. United were losing the match 1-0 at the end of normal time, but won the trophy by scoring two goals in injury time. Both of the goals came from corners taken by Beckham. Those kicks, coupled with great performances over the rest of the season, led to him finishing runner up to Rivaldo for 1999's European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
1999-2000 season
Beckham in a match against Bristol Rovers F.C.
Beckham in a match against Bristol Rovers F.C.
Despite Beckham's achievements in the 1998-99 season, he was still unpopular among some opposition fans and journalists, and he was criticised after being sent off for a deliberate foul in Manchester United's World Club Championship match against Necaxa. It was suggested in the press that his wife was a bad influence on him, and that it might be in United's interests to sell him,but his manager publicly backed him and he stayed at the club.
The relationship between Ferguson and Beckham began to deteriorate, possibly as a result of Beckham's fame and commitments away from football. In 2000, Beckham was given permission to miss training to look after his son Brooklyn, who had gastroenteritis, but Ferguson was furious when Victoria Beckham was photographed at a London Fashion Week event on the same night, claiming that Beckham would have been able to train if Victoria had looked after Brooklyn that day. He responded by fining Beckham the maximum amount that was permitted (two weeks' wages – then £50,000) and dropping him for a crucial match against United's rivals Leeds United. He later criticised Beckham for this in his autobiography, claiming he hadn't been "fair to his team mates". Beckham had a good season for his club, though, and helped United to win the Premier League by a record margin.
Winning over the England fans
The abuse that Beckham was receiving from English supporters peaked during England's 3–2 defeat by Portugal in Euro 2000, a match where Beckham set up two goals, when a group of England supporters taunted him throughout the match. Beckham responded with a one-fingered gesture and, while the gesture attracted some criticism, many of the newspapers that had previously encouraged his vilification asked their readers to stop abusing him.
On 15 November 2000, following Kevin Keegan's resignation as England manager in October, Beckham was promoted to team captain by the caretaker manager Peter Taylor, and then kept the role under new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. He helped England to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals, with their performances including an impressive 5–1 victory over Germany in Munich. The final step in Beckham's conversion from villain to hero happened in England's 2–2 draw against Greece on 6 October 2001. England needed to win or draw the match in order to qualify outright for the World Cup, but were losing 2–1 with little time remaining. The rest of the England team were playing relatively poorly, and it was Beckham's inspirational performance that lifted his teammates. When Teddy Sheringham was fouled some eight yards outside the Greek penalty area, England were awarded a free-kick and Beckham ensured England's qualification with a curling strike of the kind that had become his trademark. Shortly afterwards, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2001. He once again finished runner-up, to Luís Figo of Portugal, for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Metatarsal injury
On 10 April 2002, Beckham was injured during a Champions League match against Deportivo La Coruña, breaking the second metatarsal bone in his left foot. There was speculation in the British media that the injury might have been caused deliberately, as the player who had injured Beckham was Argentinian Aldo Duscher, and England and Argentina were due to meet in that year's World Cup The injury prevented Beckham from playing for United for the rest of the season, but he signed a three-year contract in May, following months of negotiations with the club, mostly concerning extra payments for his image rights. The income from his new contract, and his many endorsement deals, made him the highest-paid player in the world at the time.
World Cup 2002 and final season at United
He was partially fit by the time of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played in the first match against Sweden. Beckham scored the winning goal of the match against Argentina with a penalty, causing Argentina to fail to qualify for the knockout stage. England were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil. The following month, at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Beckham escorted Kirsty Howard as she presented the Jubilee Baton to the Queen.
Following an injury early in the 2002-03 season, Beckham was unable to regain his place on the Manchester United team, with Ole Gunnar Solskjær having replaced him on the right side of midfield. His relationship with his manager deteriorated further on 15 February 2003 when, in the changing room following a defeat to Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson kicked a football boot that struck Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that required stitches. The incident led to a great deal of transfer speculation involving Beckham, with bookmakers offering odds on whether he or Ferguson would be first to leave the club. Although the team had started the season badly, their results improved greatly from December onwards and they won the league. He was still a first-choice player for England, however, and he was awarded an OBE for services to football on 13 June.
During his 11-year stint at United, Beckham made 266 appearances for them and scored 61 goals.
He won 6 Premiership titles, 2 FA Cup's, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FA Youth Cup with his time at United.
Real Madrid era
Beckham (right) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Beckham (right) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Manchester United had been keen to sell Beckham to Barcelona but he refused to go there, instead signing a four-year contract with Real Madrid, worth a potential €35 million. The transfer was completed on 1 July and made him the third Englishman to play for the club after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman. It was speculated that Real's desire to sign him came from the merchandising opportunities he would bring as well as from his football ability. For example, Real Madrid shirts bearing his name and number sold out in Madrid on the day his transfer was completed and the club was expected to receive €624,000 for the sale of the shirts. Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as Raúl had the right to wear it written into his contract. He decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore the number 23 shirt, as the reason behind his decision.
First season 2003-04
Real Madrid finished the season in fourth place, and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage. But, Beckham immediately became a favourite with the Real Madrid supporters, scoring five times in his first 16 matches, but the team, whose club president expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, was not performing well. He had further problems in April 2004, when the British tabloid News of the World carried claims by his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had had an extramarital affair. A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions. Beckham dismissed both accusations as "ludicrous".
Euro 2004
Beckham played in all of England's matches at Euro 2004, but the tournament was a disappointment for him. He had a penalty saved in England's 2-1 defeat to France and missed another in a penalty shootout in the quarter final against Portugal. England lost the shootout and went out of the competition.
Second season, 2004-05
In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckhams' home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house. Beckham made more headlines on 9 October 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway. The Football Association asked Beckham for an explanation of his actions and he admitted that he had "made a mistake" and apologised.
Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in January 2005 and was involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Third season, 2005-06
Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona (with a 12 point gap) in the La Liga and only reaching the last sixteen in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal by one goal. Although there is the notable fact that Beckham led La Liga in assists for the season.
Warming up
Warming up
In October 2005, Beckham's sending off against Austria made him the first ever England captain to be sent off and the first (and only) player to be sent off twice while playing for England. He captained England for the 50th time in a friendly international against Argentina the following month. He was sent off again shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he appeared to sarcastically applaud the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later. He was sent off for the third time that season on 3 December 2005 in a league match against Getafe.
During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.
Fourth season, 2006-07
Real Madrid won their first Spanish La Liga title in 3 years because of their superior head-to-head record against Barcelona, giving Beckham his first title since he joined Real Madrid. Initially out of favour with manager Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as Jose Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real lost seven.
Beckham pictured during his time with Real Madrid
Beckham pictured during his time with Real Madrid
On 10 January 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatović announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not been renewed yet.
On 11 January 2007 Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy beginning 1 July 2007. On 13 January 2007 Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team. Capello back-tracked on that statement and Beckham rejoined the team for their match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007 – he scored and Real Madrid won. In his final UEFA Champions League appearance, Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition (by the away goals rule) on 7 March 2007. Beckham had made a total of 103 appearances in the Champions League, the third highest number of any player at the time.
On 17 June 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3-1 win over Mallorca, which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. Although both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of their superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham.
A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million US during Beckham's four years at the club.
World Cup 2006
During the FIFA World Cup 2006, Beckham's performance was criticised by the majority of the press and public.
In England's opening game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006 Beckham's free kick led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra, and England won 1-0. In England's next match, played against Trinidad and Tobago on 15 June 2006, Beckham's cross in the 83rd minute led to Peter Crouch's goal which put England ahead 1-0. Beckham gave another assist to Steven Gerrard. In the end they won 2-0. He was named Man-of-the-Match by tournament sponsor Budweiser for this game.
During England's second round match against Ecuador, Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first ever English player to score in three World Cups, and giving England a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. He was sick before the game and vomited several times as a result of dehydration and illness after he scored the winning goal.
In the quarter-final against Portugal, Beckham was substituted following an injury shortly after half time and the England team went on to lose the match on penalties (3-1), the score having been 0-0 after extra time. After his substitution, Beckham was visibly shaken and emotional for not being able to play, being in tears at one point.
A day after England were knocked out of the World Cup, an emotional Beckham made a statement in a news conference saying that he had stepped down as England captain, saying, "It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95 games, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under Steve McClaren". (Beckham had actually won 94 caps up to that point.) He was then succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry.
Having stepped down as captain after the World Cup, Beckham was dropped completely from the England national team selected by new coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006. McClaren claimed that he was "looking to go in a different direction" with the team, and that Beckham "wasn't included within that". McClaren said Beckham could be recalled in future. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kieran Richardson and the World Cup alternative to Beckham, Aaron Lennon, were all included, although McClaren eventually opted to employ Steven Gerrard in that role.
England recall
Beckham takes a freekick
Beckham takes a freekick
On 26 May 2007, Steve McClaren announced that Beckham would be recalled to the England squad for the first time since stepping down as their captain. Beckham started against Brazil in England's first match at the new Wembley Stadium and put in a positive performance. In the second half he set up England's goal converted by captain John Terry. It looked as though England would claim victory over Brazil, but newcomer Diego equalised in the dying seconds. In England's next match, a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, Beckham sent two trademark assists for Michael Owen and Peter Crouch, helping England to prevail 3-0.
Beckham had assisted in three of England's four total goals in those two games,and he stated his desire to continue to play for England after his move to the MLS.
L.A. Galaxy era
It was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that David Beckham would be leaving Real Madrid to join MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy on a 5 year deal worth as much as $250 million that will see Beckham earn up to $10 million a year in direct salary, but with endorsements and profit-sharing, up to $50 million a year. Beckham said, "After considering several options to stay in Madrid or join other major British and European teams, I have decided to join LA Galaxy."
On 12 January, Beckham's official press conference was held in conjunction with the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. Via satellite from Spain, Beckham told reporters "I'm coming there not to be a superstar. I'm coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things. With me, it's about football. I'm coming there to make a difference. I'm coming there to play football... I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."
On 17 June, he played his final match with Real Madrid, and although he limped off the field and was replaced, his sub made two goals and the team won the season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them. On 26 June, his first major U.S. ad campaign since finishing with Real Madrid made its debut via the web. "Futbol Meets Football" pairs him with the NFL's Reggie Bush in a 13-part video series, with additional television, radio, and online promotion by adidas planned throughout the summer season.
His new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy took effect on 1 July and the team announced that he would be officially introduced on 13 July.
The morning of that introduction, the Galaxy announced that over 250,000 new jerseys had already been ordered in the first 48 hours on sale, as the team's new logo and uniform design were unveiled to coincide with Beckham's arrival.
5000 Galaxy season-ticket holders were in attendance at the invitation of the team, and several introductions were made by MLS officials including team President and GM Alexi Lalas and League Commissioner Don Garber. After Beckham himself spoke, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa put on one of the newly-designed jerseys and welcomed him to the city.
Beckham was featured by the U.S. magazine Sports Illustrated for the first time as a Galaxy player and in his new uniform, on the cover of the 16 July 2007 edition, and was also given his own weekly TV series, "David Beckham's Soccer USA" on Fox Soccer Channel.
ESPN produced a 30-second TV promo for Beckham's arrival: "Hello, Goodbye" featuring a Son Volt cover of the Beatles composition of the same name, depicting European fans' farewells and Americans' anticipation. The same network then featured him on the cover of the 30 July issue of ESPN The Magazine.
He attended the MLS All-Star Game on 19 July, and on 21 July, at the Home Depot Center, Beckham made his Galaxy playing debut. ESPN used 19 cameras, more than they had ever used before in match coverage, including one trained only on him.. Beckham came on as a substitute in the 78th minute of the friendly versus Chelsea, a part of the World Series of Football. Chelsea won the sold-out match by a score of 1-0. ESPN later announced that the TV audience for that match was five times the norm for an MLS match on their network, and that it set a new viewing record for MLS on their network. In addition, Nielsen Media Research reported that it was the most watched TV program that night by young adult males across the U.S.
Discipline
Former manager Sir Alex Ferguson said that he "practiced with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn't care about". He maintained his training routine at Real Madrid and even when his relationship with management was strained in early 2007, Ramon Calderon and Fabio Capello praised Beckham for maintaining his professionalism and commitment to the club.
Beckham was the first England player ever to collect two red cards and the first England captain to be sent off. Beckham's most notorious red card was during the 1998 FIFA World Cup: after Argentina's Diego Simeone had fouled him, Beckham lashed out with his leg and the Argentine fell. England went on to lose the game on penalties.
For Real Madrid he amassed 41 yellow cards and 4 red cards.
Beckham has also been described as a "gentleman" when referring to his demeanour on the pitch. During his time as England captain, Beckham helped to keep Wayne Rooney's temper in check on several occasions.
Date of birth May 2, 1975 (1975-05-02) (age 32)
Place of birth Leytonstone, London, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Right Winger, Central Midfielder
Club information
Current club Los Angeles Galaxy
Number 23
Youth clubs
1991–1992 Manchester United
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1992–2003
1995
2003-2007
2007- Manchester United
→ Preston North End (loan)
Real Madrid
Los Angeles Galaxy 265 (62)
005 0(2)
116 (13)
000 0(0)
National team2
1994–1996
1996– England U21
England 009 0(0)
096 (17)
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (pronounced IPA: /'bɛk.əm/) (born 2 May 1975) is an English professional football (soccer) midfielder who plays for Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy. He is also currently a member of the England national team.
He was twice chosen runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, and as recently as 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer. He is currently the world's highest paid per year team athlete banking $50 million dollars per year. Alex Rodriguez is still the highest contract award winning team athlete. Rodriguez's contract is worth $252 million, but it is stretched over 10 years. However, Beckham's was stretched only over five. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004. Such global recognition has made him an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.
Beckham was captain of England from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006. He made 58 appearances as captain, and ended his tenure in that role after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. He continued to make contributions for the England national team in 2007 competitions.
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 Premiership 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.
In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid and sign a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He played his final match with Real on 17 June, after which the team was awarded the 2006-07 La Liga championship.
His new contract with the Galaxy took effect on 1 July 2007. He made his Galaxy debut on 21 July in a friendly versus Chelsea FC at the Home Depot Center.
Contents
Childhood and early career
Beckham was born in Leytonstone, London, England; the son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham, a kitchen fitter and Manchester United fan, and Sandra Georgina West, a hairdresser. He regularly played football in Ridgeway Park, Chingford as a child. His maternal grandfather, Joseph West, is Jewish, and Beckham has referred to himself as "half Jewish" and spoken of the influence the religion has had on him, although he is not known to practice Judaism or any other faith. In his book Both Feet on the Ground, he stated that growing up he always attended church with his parents and sisters.
His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who would frequently travel to Old Trafford from London to attend Manchester United's home matches. David inherited his parents' love of Manchester United and his main sporting passion was football. He attended one of Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester and won the chance to take part in a training session at FC Barcelona, as part of a talent competition. As a child he played for a local youth team called the Ridgeway Rovers - coached by his father, Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby.
He was Manchester United's mascot for a match against West Ham United in 1986. Young Beckham had trials with his local club, Leyton Orient, and attended Tottenham Hotspur's, which was the first club he played for, school of excellence. During a two-year period in which he played for Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990. He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his fourteenth birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on 8 July 1991.
He was part of a group of young players at the club who guided the club to win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992, with Beckham scoring in the second leg of the final against Crystal Palace. He made his first appearance for United's first-team that year, as a substitute in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion, and signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. United reached the final of the Youth Cup again the following year, with Beckham playing in their defeat by Leeds United, and he won another medal in 1994 when the club's reserve team won their league.
He went to Preston North End on loan in the 1994-95 season to get some first team experience, then made his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United on 2 April 1995, in a goalless draw against Leeds United.
Manchester United era
Becoming a first-team player
United manager Alex Ferguson had a great deal of confidence in the club's young players. When three of his first-team players left the club at the end of the 1994-95 season, his decision to let youth team players replace them instead of buying players from other clubs, drew a great deal of criticism. The criticism increased when United started the season with a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa, with Beckham scoring United's only goal of the game; however, United won their next five matches and the young players performed well. Beckham became a regular player on the team and helped them to win the Premiership and FA Cup double that season, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Chelsea and also taking the corner that Éric Cantona scored from in the FA Cup Final. Despite playing regularly for Manchester United, Beckham did not break into the England squad before Euro 96.
In August 1996, Beckham became something of a household name when he scored a spectacular goal in a match against Wimbledon. With United ahead 2–0, Beckham noticed that Wimbledon's goalkeeper Neil Sullivan was standing a long way out of his goal, and hit a shot from the halfway line that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net.The 57-yard goal is the furthest successful strike at goal since the Premiership was founded in 1992
Beckham was frequently mentioned in the press, and he made his first appearance for the England national football team on 1 September 1996, in a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova.He became an automatic first-choice player at United during the 1996-97 season, helping them to retain the Premier League championship, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year by his peers.
United started the 1997-98 season well, but their performance deteriorated and the club finished the season in second place, behind Arsenal.
World Cup 1998
Beckham had played in all of England's qualifying matches for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and was part of the England squad at the World Cup finals in France, but the team's manager Glenn Hoddle publicly accused him of not concentrating on the tournament, and he did not start in either of England's first two matches. He was picked for their third match against Colombia and scored from a long-range free kick in a 2–0 victory, which was his first goal for England.
In the second round (last 16) of that competition, he received a red card in England's match against Argentina. Beckham, after having been fouled by Diego Simeone, kicked Simeone, striking him on the calf. Simeone later admitted to trying to get Beckham sent off by over-reacting to the kick and then, along with other members of his team, urging the referee to send Beckham off. The match finished in a draw and England were eliminated in a penalty shootout. Many supporters and journalists blamed him for England's elimination and he became the target of criticism and abuse, including the hanging of an effigy outside a London pub, and the Daily Mirror printing a dartboard with a picture of him centred on the bullseye. Beckham also received death threats after the World Cup.
1998-99 season (the Treble)
In the 1998-99 season, he was part of the United team that won the treble — Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, a unique feat in English football. There had been speculation that the criticism that he had received after being sent off in the World Cup would lead to him leaving England, but he decided to stay at Manchester United.
To ensure they would win the league championship, United needed to win their final league match of the season, at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match. Beckham scored the equaliser and United went on to win the match and the league.
Beckham played centre-midfield in United's FA Cup final win over Newcastle United and for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, since United's first string centre-midfielders were suspended for the match. United were losing the match 1-0 at the end of normal time, but won the trophy by scoring two goals in injury time. Both of the goals came from corners taken by Beckham. Those kicks, coupled with great performances over the rest of the season, led to him finishing runner up to Rivaldo for 1999's European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
1999-2000 season
Beckham in a match against Bristol Rovers F.C.
Beckham in a match against Bristol Rovers F.C.
Despite Beckham's achievements in the 1998-99 season, he was still unpopular among some opposition fans and journalists, and he was criticised after being sent off for a deliberate foul in Manchester United's World Club Championship match against Necaxa. It was suggested in the press that his wife was a bad influence on him, and that it might be in United's interests to sell him,but his manager publicly backed him and he stayed at the club.
The relationship between Ferguson and Beckham began to deteriorate, possibly as a result of Beckham's fame and commitments away from football. In 2000, Beckham was given permission to miss training to look after his son Brooklyn, who had gastroenteritis, but Ferguson was furious when Victoria Beckham was photographed at a London Fashion Week event on the same night, claiming that Beckham would have been able to train if Victoria had looked after Brooklyn that day. He responded by fining Beckham the maximum amount that was permitted (two weeks' wages – then £50,000) and dropping him for a crucial match against United's rivals Leeds United. He later criticised Beckham for this in his autobiography, claiming he hadn't been "fair to his team mates". Beckham had a good season for his club, though, and helped United to win the Premier League by a record margin.
Winning over the England fans
The abuse that Beckham was receiving from English supporters peaked during England's 3–2 defeat by Portugal in Euro 2000, a match where Beckham set up two goals, when a group of England supporters taunted him throughout the match. Beckham responded with a one-fingered gesture and, while the gesture attracted some criticism, many of the newspapers that had previously encouraged his vilification asked their readers to stop abusing him.
On 15 November 2000, following Kevin Keegan's resignation as England manager in October, Beckham was promoted to team captain by the caretaker manager Peter Taylor, and then kept the role under new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. He helped England to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals, with their performances including an impressive 5–1 victory over Germany in Munich. The final step in Beckham's conversion from villain to hero happened in England's 2–2 draw against Greece on 6 October 2001. England needed to win or draw the match in order to qualify outright for the World Cup, but were losing 2–1 with little time remaining. The rest of the England team were playing relatively poorly, and it was Beckham's inspirational performance that lifted his teammates. When Teddy Sheringham was fouled some eight yards outside the Greek penalty area, England were awarded a free-kick and Beckham ensured England's qualification with a curling strike of the kind that had become his trademark. Shortly afterwards, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2001. He once again finished runner-up, to Luís Figo of Portugal, for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Metatarsal injury
On 10 April 2002, Beckham was injured during a Champions League match against Deportivo La Coruña, breaking the second metatarsal bone in his left foot. There was speculation in the British media that the injury might have been caused deliberately, as the player who had injured Beckham was Argentinian Aldo Duscher, and England and Argentina were due to meet in that year's World Cup The injury prevented Beckham from playing for United for the rest of the season, but he signed a three-year contract in May, following months of negotiations with the club, mostly concerning extra payments for his image rights. The income from his new contract, and his many endorsement deals, made him the highest-paid player in the world at the time.
World Cup 2002 and final season at United
He was partially fit by the time of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played in the first match against Sweden. Beckham scored the winning goal of the match against Argentina with a penalty, causing Argentina to fail to qualify for the knockout stage. England were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil. The following month, at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Beckham escorted Kirsty Howard as she presented the Jubilee Baton to the Queen.
Following an injury early in the 2002-03 season, Beckham was unable to regain his place on the Manchester United team, with Ole Gunnar Solskjær having replaced him on the right side of midfield. His relationship with his manager deteriorated further on 15 February 2003 when, in the changing room following a defeat to Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson kicked a football boot that struck Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that required stitches. The incident led to a great deal of transfer speculation involving Beckham, with bookmakers offering odds on whether he or Ferguson would be first to leave the club. Although the team had started the season badly, their results improved greatly from December onwards and they won the league. He was still a first-choice player for England, however, and he was awarded an OBE for services to football on 13 June.
During his 11-year stint at United, Beckham made 266 appearances for them and scored 61 goals.
He won 6 Premiership titles, 2 FA Cup's, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FA Youth Cup with his time at United.
Real Madrid era
Beckham (right) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Beckham (right) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Manchester United had been keen to sell Beckham to Barcelona but he refused to go there, instead signing a four-year contract with Real Madrid, worth a potential €35 million. The transfer was completed on 1 July and made him the third Englishman to play for the club after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman. It was speculated that Real's desire to sign him came from the merchandising opportunities he would bring as well as from his football ability. For example, Real Madrid shirts bearing his name and number sold out in Madrid on the day his transfer was completed and the club was expected to receive €624,000 for the sale of the shirts. Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as Raúl had the right to wear it written into his contract. He decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore the number 23 shirt, as the reason behind his decision.
First season 2003-04
Real Madrid finished the season in fourth place, and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage. But, Beckham immediately became a favourite with the Real Madrid supporters, scoring five times in his first 16 matches, but the team, whose club president expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, was not performing well. He had further problems in April 2004, when the British tabloid News of the World carried claims by his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had had an extramarital affair. A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions. Beckham dismissed both accusations as "ludicrous".
Euro 2004
Beckham played in all of England's matches at Euro 2004, but the tournament was a disappointment for him. He had a penalty saved in England's 2-1 defeat to France and missed another in a penalty shootout in the quarter final against Portugal. England lost the shootout and went out of the competition.
Second season, 2004-05
In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckhams' home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house. Beckham made more headlines on 9 October 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway. The Football Association asked Beckham for an explanation of his actions and he admitted that he had "made a mistake" and apologised.
Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in January 2005 and was involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Third season, 2005-06
Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona (with a 12 point gap) in the La Liga and only reaching the last sixteen in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal by one goal. Although there is the notable fact that Beckham led La Liga in assists for the season.
Warming up
Warming up
In October 2005, Beckham's sending off against Austria made him the first ever England captain to be sent off and the first (and only) player to be sent off twice while playing for England. He captained England for the 50th time in a friendly international against Argentina the following month. He was sent off again shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he appeared to sarcastically applaud the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later. He was sent off for the third time that season on 3 December 2005 in a league match against Getafe.
During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.
Fourth season, 2006-07
Real Madrid won their first Spanish La Liga title in 3 years because of their superior head-to-head record against Barcelona, giving Beckham his first title since he joined Real Madrid. Initially out of favour with manager Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as Jose Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real lost seven.
Beckham pictured during his time with Real Madrid
Beckham pictured during his time with Real Madrid
On 10 January 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatović announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not been renewed yet.
On 11 January 2007 Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy beginning 1 July 2007. On 13 January 2007 Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team. Capello back-tracked on that statement and Beckham rejoined the team for their match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007 – he scored and Real Madrid won. In his final UEFA Champions League appearance, Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition (by the away goals rule) on 7 March 2007. Beckham had made a total of 103 appearances in the Champions League, the third highest number of any player at the time.
On 17 June 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3-1 win over Mallorca, which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. Although both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of their superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham.
A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million US during Beckham's four years at the club.
World Cup 2006
During the FIFA World Cup 2006, Beckham's performance was criticised by the majority of the press and public.
In England's opening game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006 Beckham's free kick led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra, and England won 1-0. In England's next match, played against Trinidad and Tobago on 15 June 2006, Beckham's cross in the 83rd minute led to Peter Crouch's goal which put England ahead 1-0. Beckham gave another assist to Steven Gerrard. In the end they won 2-0. He was named Man-of-the-Match by tournament sponsor Budweiser for this game.
During England's second round match against Ecuador, Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first ever English player to score in three World Cups, and giving England a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. He was sick before the game and vomited several times as a result of dehydration and illness after he scored the winning goal.
In the quarter-final against Portugal, Beckham was substituted following an injury shortly after half time and the England team went on to lose the match on penalties (3-1), the score having been 0-0 after extra time. After his substitution, Beckham was visibly shaken and emotional for not being able to play, being in tears at one point.
A day after England were knocked out of the World Cup, an emotional Beckham made a statement in a news conference saying that he had stepped down as England captain, saying, "It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95 games, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under Steve McClaren". (Beckham had actually won 94 caps up to that point.) He was then succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry.
Having stepped down as captain after the World Cup, Beckham was dropped completely from the England national team selected by new coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006. McClaren claimed that he was "looking to go in a different direction" with the team, and that Beckham "wasn't included within that". McClaren said Beckham could be recalled in future. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kieran Richardson and the World Cup alternative to Beckham, Aaron Lennon, were all included, although McClaren eventually opted to employ Steven Gerrard in that role.
England recall
Beckham takes a freekick
Beckham takes a freekick
On 26 May 2007, Steve McClaren announced that Beckham would be recalled to the England squad for the first time since stepping down as their captain. Beckham started against Brazil in England's first match at the new Wembley Stadium and put in a positive performance. In the second half he set up England's goal converted by captain John Terry. It looked as though England would claim victory over Brazil, but newcomer Diego equalised in the dying seconds. In England's next match, a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, Beckham sent two trademark assists for Michael Owen and Peter Crouch, helping England to prevail 3-0.
Beckham had assisted in three of England's four total goals in those two games,and he stated his desire to continue to play for England after his move to the MLS.
L.A. Galaxy era
It was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that David Beckham would be leaving Real Madrid to join MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy on a 5 year deal worth as much as $250 million that will see Beckham earn up to $10 million a year in direct salary, but with endorsements and profit-sharing, up to $50 million a year. Beckham said, "After considering several options to stay in Madrid or join other major British and European teams, I have decided to join LA Galaxy."
On 12 January, Beckham's official press conference was held in conjunction with the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. Via satellite from Spain, Beckham told reporters "I'm coming there not to be a superstar. I'm coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things. With me, it's about football. I'm coming there to make a difference. I'm coming there to play football... I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."
On 17 June, he played his final match with Real Madrid, and although he limped off the field and was replaced, his sub made two goals and the team won the season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them. On 26 June, his first major U.S. ad campaign since finishing with Real Madrid made its debut via the web. "Futbol Meets Football" pairs him with the NFL's Reggie Bush in a 13-part video series, with additional television, radio, and online promotion by adidas planned throughout the summer season.
His new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy took effect on 1 July and the team announced that he would be officially introduced on 13 July.
The morning of that introduction, the Galaxy announced that over 250,000 new jerseys had already been ordered in the first 48 hours on sale, as the team's new logo and uniform design were unveiled to coincide with Beckham's arrival.
5000 Galaxy season-ticket holders were in attendance at the invitation of the team, and several introductions were made by MLS officials including team President and GM Alexi Lalas and League Commissioner Don Garber. After Beckham himself spoke, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa put on one of the newly-designed jerseys and welcomed him to the city.
Beckham was featured by the U.S. magazine Sports Illustrated for the first time as a Galaxy player and in his new uniform, on the cover of the 16 July 2007 edition, and was also given his own weekly TV series, "David Beckham's Soccer USA" on Fox Soccer Channel.
ESPN produced a 30-second TV promo for Beckham's arrival: "Hello, Goodbye" featuring a Son Volt cover of the Beatles composition of the same name, depicting European fans' farewells and Americans' anticipation. The same network then featured him on the cover of the 30 July issue of ESPN The Magazine.
He attended the MLS All-Star Game on 19 July, and on 21 July, at the Home Depot Center, Beckham made his Galaxy playing debut. ESPN used 19 cameras, more than they had ever used before in match coverage, including one trained only on him.. Beckham came on as a substitute in the 78th minute of the friendly versus Chelsea, a part of the World Series of Football. Chelsea won the sold-out match by a score of 1-0. ESPN later announced that the TV audience for that match was five times the norm for an MLS match on their network, and that it set a new viewing record for MLS on their network. In addition, Nielsen Media Research reported that it was the most watched TV program that night by young adult males across the U.S.
Discipline
Former manager Sir Alex Ferguson said that he "practiced with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn't care about". He maintained his training routine at Real Madrid and even when his relationship with management was strained in early 2007, Ramon Calderon and Fabio Capello praised Beckham for maintaining his professionalism and commitment to the club.
Beckham was the first England player ever to collect two red cards and the first England captain to be sent off. Beckham's most notorious red card was during the 1998 FIFA World Cup: after Argentina's Diego Simeone had fouled him, Beckham lashed out with his leg and the Argentine fell. England went on to lose the game on penalties.
For Real Madrid he amassed 41 yellow cards and 4 red cards.
Beckham has also been described as a "gentleman" when referring to his demeanour on the pitch. During his time as England captain, Beckham helped to keep Wayne Rooney's temper in check on several occasions.
Lionel Andrés Messi bioraphy
Lionel Andrés Messi (born 24 June 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine international football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona in the Primera División, and appears on Argentina's national team. Often touted in the media as New Maradona, Messi has been publicly named as his "successor" by Diego Maradona himself.
Contents
Career
Beginnings
Lionel Messi was born in Santa Fe Province on 24 June 1987. At the age of five, he started playing football for Grandoli, a club coached by his father. In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment of the illness, which cost over £500 a month. As Argentina's economy was collapsing, Carles Rexach, then sporting director of FC Barcelona, was made aware of Messi's talent, and Barcelona signed him after watching him play, offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to start a new life in Spain.His family moved with the young player to Europe and he starred in the club’s youth teams.
He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team, averaging more than a goal per game, by scoring 35 goals in 30 matches.
Barcelona début
In October 2004, Messi made his official début for the first team against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for FC Barcelona.
Argentina U-20
Messi was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national side, but he declined, preferring to wait for the opportunity to play for the country of his birth. In June 2004, he got his chance, playing in an under-20 friendly match against Paraguay.
In June 2005, Messi played in the U-20 team that won the Football World Youth Championship in Netherlands, picking up the Golden Boot as top scorer with 6 goals, and the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament. Despite his youth, Lionel was already being compared to Diego Maradona, one of the greatest football players of all time. On June 27, FC Barcelona renewed his contract until 2010, establishing a selling clause of €150 million (which happens to be 30 million more than his Barcelona team mate, Ronaldinho).
International début
On August 4, José Pekerman called him up to the senior Argentine national team. He made his début against Hungary, being put in during the 63rd minute, but was sent off after just 40 seconds, because the referee Markus Merk found he had elbowed the defender Vilmos Vanczák who was tugging Messi's shirt, and left the pitch in tears. The decision was heavily contested as Maradona even claimed the decision was pre-meditated.Messi then had his first real international debut on September 3 in Argentina's 0-1 World Cup qualifier away loss against Paraguay playing the last eight minutes of the match. Ahead of the match he had said "This is a re-début. The first one was a bit short"
2005-06 season
On September 16, for the second time in three months, Barcelona announced an update to Messi's contract - this time improved to pay him as a first team member and extended till June 2014. Messi obtained Spanish citizenship on September 25 and was finally able to make his début in this season's Spanish First Division. He had previously been unable to play because FC Barcelona had filled their quota of non-EU players. Messi's first home outing in the UEFA Champions League came on September 27 against Italian club Udinese. He impressed with some great passing and a seemingly telepathic relationship with Ronaldinho that earned him a standing ovation from the 70,000-odd Nou Camp faithful. In December of that year, the Italian newspaper Tuttosport awarded him the Golden Boy 2005 title for the best under-21 player in Europe, ahead of Wayne Rooney, Lukas Podolski, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi netted 6 goals from 17 league appearances and scored 1 Champions League goal from the 6 games he featured in. His reputation for big match temperament was helped by performances in Barcelona's important away leg victories against Real Madrid and Chelsea in the league and Champions League respectively, each considered his best of the respective campaign. Messi's season ended prematurely on 7 March 2006, when he tore a muscle in his right thigh during the second leg of the second round Champions League tie against Chelsea.Barcelona ended the season as champions of Spain and Europe.
World Cup 2006
The injury that kept him from playing for two months at the end of the 2005/06 league jeopardised his presence at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Nevertheless, Messi was selected in the Argentina squad for the tournament on May 15 2006. He also played in the farewell match against the Argentinian U-20 team for fifteen minutes and a friendly against Angola from the 64th minute.
Messi witnessed Argentina's opening match win against Ivory Coast from the bench because manager Pekerman wanted to shield him from the pressure.In the next match against Serbia and Montenegro, he came on as a substitute for Maxi Rodríguez in the 74th minute. In doing so he became the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup. He assisted Hernán Crespo's goal within minutes of entering the game and also scored the final goal in the 6-0 victory. This goal made him the youngest scorer in the 2006 World Cup and the sixth youngest scorer in World Cup history, Pelé being the youngest.Messi started in Argentina's following 0-0 tie against the Netherlands. Fellow striker Carlos Tevez and he were not allowed much space by the Dutch defence, which prevented him from causing any damage and he was substituted in the 69th minute.
In the following game against Mexico, Messi came on as a substitute for Javier Saviola in the 84th minute, with the score tied 1-1. He appeared to score a goal, but was ruled offside. Argentina proceeded to win the game 2-1 in extra time. Messi spent the entire quarter-finals match against Germany, which Argentina lost in a penalty shootout, on the bench.
2006-07 season
Messi maintained his reputation as a big match player when he tricked Brazilian full back, Roberto Carlos, making him fall over and break a finger during one particularly deft move. His 89th minute equaliser away to Werder Bremen was pivotal in Barcelona's qualification to the Champions League knock out phase. Messi had another long lay off with a broken metatarsal which kept him out for 3 months. He sustained the injury in a game against Real Zaragoza on November 12, after tackles from Alberto Zapater and Albert Celades. On 5 January 2007, Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo reported that Internazionale president Massimo Moratti was planning a £71 million bid for Messi;however, Moratti denied any immediate plans to sign Messi in an interview posted on Internazionale's official website.He made his return against Racing Santander on the 11th of February, where he came on as a second-half substitute.On 10 March 2007, he scored a hat-trick against Real Madrid in El Clásico, with his third goal coming in injury time to earn 10-man Barcelona the draw 3-3 at home to Real Madrid. Messi was the first player to score a hat-trick in El Clásico since Iván Zamorano did it for Real Madrid in the 1994-95 season, and the first Barcelona player to do it since Romario scored three against Real Madrid in the 1993-94 season. Messi is the youngest player ever to have scored in El Clásico, and against Recreativo he scored again, his 7th goal. He scored again against Deportivo, from a wonderful pass from Ronaldinho. A wonderful solo goal against Getafe CF in a Copa del Rey game on 18 April further reflected Messi's footballing similarity with Diego Maradona, and has further forged the youngster as one of the hottest prospects in the game. On June 9 Messi scored a goal with his hand against RCD Espanyol very similar to Diego Maradona, once again furthering the comparisons with the former Argentina great. He scored 2 goals when they beat Atletico Madrid with 6-0, and 2 goals against Espanyol. On the closing day of La Liga, Messi scored two goals against Gimnastic de Tarragona but, despite his efforts to lead his club to victory in that game, Barcelona lost La Liga crown to Real Madrid. Few days later Spanish news agency EFE awarded him the 2007 trophy for the best Ibero-American football player in La Liga ahead of Daniel Alves from Sevilla and club mate Ronaldinho. Messi gained the title as the youngest player ever and has a buy out clause of 150 million Euros which is the highest in the world.
Messi shortly before scoring the goal.
Messi shortly before scoring the goal.
On April 18, 2007, Messi scored two goals during a Copa del Rey semi-final against Getafe CF, one of which was very similar to Maradona's famous goal against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, known as the Goal of the Century. Messi's goal is already considered a major contender for the best goal of the year. The world's sports press exploded with Maradona comparisons, and the Spanish press labelled Messi as "Messidona". He ran about the same distance (62 metres), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before. In a press conference after the game, Messi's team-mate Deco said: "There's no other like Leo."
Contents
Career
Beginnings
Lionel Messi was born in Santa Fe Province on 24 June 1987. At the age of five, he started playing football for Grandoli, a club coached by his father. In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment of the illness, which cost over £500 a month. As Argentina's economy was collapsing, Carles Rexach, then sporting director of FC Barcelona, was made aware of Messi's talent, and Barcelona signed him after watching him play, offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to start a new life in Spain.His family moved with the young player to Europe and he starred in the club’s youth teams.
He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team, averaging more than a goal per game, by scoring 35 goals in 30 matches.
Barcelona début
In October 2004, Messi made his official début for the first team against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for FC Barcelona.
Argentina U-20
Messi was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national side, but he declined, preferring to wait for the opportunity to play for the country of his birth. In June 2004, he got his chance, playing in an under-20 friendly match against Paraguay.
In June 2005, Messi played in the U-20 team that won the Football World Youth Championship in Netherlands, picking up the Golden Boot as top scorer with 6 goals, and the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament. Despite his youth, Lionel was already being compared to Diego Maradona, one of the greatest football players of all time. On June 27, FC Barcelona renewed his contract until 2010, establishing a selling clause of €150 million (which happens to be 30 million more than his Barcelona team mate, Ronaldinho).
International début
On August 4, José Pekerman called him up to the senior Argentine national team. He made his début against Hungary, being put in during the 63rd minute, but was sent off after just 40 seconds, because the referee Markus Merk found he had elbowed the defender Vilmos Vanczák who was tugging Messi's shirt, and left the pitch in tears. The decision was heavily contested as Maradona even claimed the decision was pre-meditated.Messi then had his first real international debut on September 3 in Argentina's 0-1 World Cup qualifier away loss against Paraguay playing the last eight minutes of the match. Ahead of the match he had said "This is a re-début. The first one was a bit short"
2005-06 season
On September 16, for the second time in three months, Barcelona announced an update to Messi's contract - this time improved to pay him as a first team member and extended till June 2014. Messi obtained Spanish citizenship on September 25 and was finally able to make his début in this season's Spanish First Division. He had previously been unable to play because FC Barcelona had filled their quota of non-EU players. Messi's first home outing in the UEFA Champions League came on September 27 against Italian club Udinese. He impressed with some great passing and a seemingly telepathic relationship with Ronaldinho that earned him a standing ovation from the 70,000-odd Nou Camp faithful. In December of that year, the Italian newspaper Tuttosport awarded him the Golden Boy 2005 title for the best under-21 player in Europe, ahead of Wayne Rooney, Lukas Podolski, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi netted 6 goals from 17 league appearances and scored 1 Champions League goal from the 6 games he featured in. His reputation for big match temperament was helped by performances in Barcelona's important away leg victories against Real Madrid and Chelsea in the league and Champions League respectively, each considered his best of the respective campaign. Messi's season ended prematurely on 7 March 2006, when he tore a muscle in his right thigh during the second leg of the second round Champions League tie against Chelsea.Barcelona ended the season as champions of Spain and Europe.
World Cup 2006
The injury that kept him from playing for two months at the end of the 2005/06 league jeopardised his presence at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Nevertheless, Messi was selected in the Argentina squad for the tournament on May 15 2006. He also played in the farewell match against the Argentinian U-20 team for fifteen minutes and a friendly against Angola from the 64th minute.
Messi witnessed Argentina's opening match win against Ivory Coast from the bench because manager Pekerman wanted to shield him from the pressure.In the next match against Serbia and Montenegro, he came on as a substitute for Maxi Rodríguez in the 74th minute. In doing so he became the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup. He assisted Hernán Crespo's goal within minutes of entering the game and also scored the final goal in the 6-0 victory. This goal made him the youngest scorer in the 2006 World Cup and the sixth youngest scorer in World Cup history, Pelé being the youngest.Messi started in Argentina's following 0-0 tie against the Netherlands. Fellow striker Carlos Tevez and he were not allowed much space by the Dutch defence, which prevented him from causing any damage and he was substituted in the 69th minute.
In the following game against Mexico, Messi came on as a substitute for Javier Saviola in the 84th minute, with the score tied 1-1. He appeared to score a goal, but was ruled offside. Argentina proceeded to win the game 2-1 in extra time. Messi spent the entire quarter-finals match against Germany, which Argentina lost in a penalty shootout, on the bench.
2006-07 season
Messi maintained his reputation as a big match player when he tricked Brazilian full back, Roberto Carlos, making him fall over and break a finger during one particularly deft move. His 89th minute equaliser away to Werder Bremen was pivotal in Barcelona's qualification to the Champions League knock out phase. Messi had another long lay off with a broken metatarsal which kept him out for 3 months. He sustained the injury in a game against Real Zaragoza on November 12, after tackles from Alberto Zapater and Albert Celades. On 5 January 2007, Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo reported that Internazionale president Massimo Moratti was planning a £71 million bid for Messi;however, Moratti denied any immediate plans to sign Messi in an interview posted on Internazionale's official website.He made his return against Racing Santander on the 11th of February, where he came on as a second-half substitute.On 10 March 2007, he scored a hat-trick against Real Madrid in El Clásico, with his third goal coming in injury time to earn 10-man Barcelona the draw 3-3 at home to Real Madrid. Messi was the first player to score a hat-trick in El Clásico since Iván Zamorano did it for Real Madrid in the 1994-95 season, and the first Barcelona player to do it since Romario scored three against Real Madrid in the 1993-94 season. Messi is the youngest player ever to have scored in El Clásico, and against Recreativo he scored again, his 7th goal. He scored again against Deportivo, from a wonderful pass from Ronaldinho. A wonderful solo goal against Getafe CF in a Copa del Rey game on 18 April further reflected Messi's footballing similarity with Diego Maradona, and has further forged the youngster as one of the hottest prospects in the game. On June 9 Messi scored a goal with his hand against RCD Espanyol very similar to Diego Maradona, once again furthering the comparisons with the former Argentina great. He scored 2 goals when they beat Atletico Madrid with 6-0, and 2 goals against Espanyol. On the closing day of La Liga, Messi scored two goals against Gimnastic de Tarragona but, despite his efforts to lead his club to victory in that game, Barcelona lost La Liga crown to Real Madrid. Few days later Spanish news agency EFE awarded him the 2007 trophy for the best Ibero-American football player in La Liga ahead of Daniel Alves from Sevilla and club mate Ronaldinho. Messi gained the title as the youngest player ever and has a buy out clause of 150 million Euros which is the highest in the world.
Messi shortly before scoring the goal.
Messi shortly before scoring the goal.
On April 18, 2007, Messi scored two goals during a Copa del Rey semi-final against Getafe CF, one of which was very similar to Maradona's famous goal against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, known as the Goal of the Century. Messi's goal is already considered a major contender for the best goal of the year. The world's sports press exploded with Maradona comparisons, and the Spanish press labelled Messi as "Messidona". He ran about the same distance (62 metres), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before. In a press conference after the game, Messi's team-mate Deco said: "There's no other like Leo."
kaka leite biography
Early life
Kaká was born to Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite and Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite. He has a younger brother, Rodrigo (known as Digão), who has followed in Kaká's footsteps by playing football in Italy.
In September 2000, at the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spine fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. The next year, Kaká made his comeback on the pitch, when he came in as a reserve-substitute in the Torneio Rio-São Paulo final match and scored two goals, among them the match-winner, in less than five minutes. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.
Club career
He began his club career with São Paulo at the age of 8. He signed a contract at 15 and led the SPFC youth squad to Copa de Juvenil glory. In 2000, the club was set to sell Kaká to Turkish 1st division side Gaziantepspor, who turned down the deal after refusing to pay a price of $1.5m for him. Kaká made his São Paulo senior debut in January 2001 and scored 12 goals in 27 appearances, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship. He scored 10 in 22 matches the following season, and by this time his performance was soon attracting attention from European clubs.
AC Milan, fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League 2002-03, brought him aboard in 2003 for $8.5 million, a fee described in hindsight as "peanuts" by club owner Silvio Berlusconi. Within a month, he cracked the starting lineup, and has remained there since. His Serie A debut was in a 2-0 Milan win at A.C. Ancona. He scored 10 goals in 30 appearances that season, as Milan won the Scudetto and the European Super Cup.
Kaká was an integral part of the five-man midfield in the 2004-05 season, usually playing in a withdrawn role behind striker Andriy Shevchenko. He scored 7 goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up to Juventus. Despite Milan losing the 2004-05 Champions League final to Liverpool F.C. on penalties, he was nonetheless voted the best midfielder of the tournament, and also finished ninth, with 19 votes, in the running for the 2005 Ballon D'Or.
The 2005-06 season saw Kaká score his first hat-tricks in domestic and European competition. On April 9, 2006, he scored his first Rossoneri hat-trick against Chievo Verona. All three goals were scored in the second half. Seven months later, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4-1 group stage win over RSC Anderlecht. The football world was beginning to take notice of a superstar in the making. Following Rui Costa's departure to Benfica at the end of the season, and despite the insistence of many Milan fans, Kaká turned down the chance to switch from his number 22 to the now-vacant #10, a number typically associated with world-class scorers. (The number was eventually claimed by teammate Clarence Seedorf.)
Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea FC for the 2006-07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan's offense as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006-07 CL campaign with ten goals, which proved a huge catalyst in steering Milan back to European success. One of them helped the Rossoneri squeak by Celtic FC 1-0 after extra time in the quarterfinals on a 1-0 aggregate, and three others proved fatal for Manchester United in the semifinals despite Milan losing the first leg. Following the convincing 3-0 second-leg defeat at the San Siro on May 2 that knocked out the English champions, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson declared that Kaka was one of the two best players in the world, alongside his charge Cristiano Ronaldo. The previous month, a panel of experts set up by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport proclaimed Kaká as the world's best footballer. Shevchenko also included his endorsement, while suggesting that Kaka deserved to win the Ballon d'Or.
Kaká added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeated Liverpool F.C. 2-1 in Athens on May 23, 2007. Though he went scoreless, he won a free kick that led to the first of Filippo Inzaghi's two goals, and provided the assist for the second. For his stellar play throughout the competition, he was voted the Vodafone Fans' Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 UEFA.com visitors. In June 2007, German football publication Kicker named him the world's best player, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho finishing second and third, respectively, while he was also given this honor by UK publication The Times.
National Team
Kaká made his Seleção debut in January 2002 against Bolivia. He was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, but played only 19 minutes, all of which were in the first round match against Costa Rica. During the final against Germany, coach Luis Felipe Scolari was reportedly about to send Kaká on as a substitute, but he never made it into the game as the referee did not notice him waving on the sidelines to enter the pitch.
In 2003,Kaká was the captain for the Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil finished as runner-up, as did Kaká with a second-best three goals. He was also named as one of the competition's top eleven players by position. On June 29, 2005, he scored in a 4-1 defeat of Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup final, with a powerful shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net. He finished in joint tenth place in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and finished two spots higher the following year.
Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup Finals in 2006, scoring his first and only goal in a 1-0 victory over Croatia in Brazil's opening match. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep up his momentum for the remainder of the tournament as Brazil were ingloriously eliminated by France in the quarterfinals. On September 3, 2006, he scored one of his most brilliant goals for Brazil, receiving the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score.
On May 12, 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League and national team play, Kaká openly bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which was won by Brazil. "I haven't had a break for three seasons. I won't have the form to achieve what is expected of me at an international level." Brazil coach Dunga took the optimistic route, declaring that while he was disappointed about Kaká's decision, his absence would subsequently free up a roster spot for a lesser-used player. Kaká, however, did play 70 minutes of Brazil's 1-1 friendly draw with England on June 1, but only 30 in a lackluster goalless draw with Turkey on June 5.
Personal life and religion
A devout evangelical Christian, Kaká became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: "I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not." He removed his jersey to reveal an "I Belong to Jesus" T-shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Milan's 2007 Champions League triumph. Kaká previously sported the same shirt during Milan's 2004 Scudetto celebration and after Brazil's defeat of Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, and had the same phrase, along with "God Is Faithful," stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the postmatch celebration following Brazil's 4-1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates, among them backup keeper Gomes and defender Lúcio, wore T-shirts with "Jesus Loves You" printed on them in various languages.
Two days before Christmas in 2005, Kaká married 18-year-old Caroline Celico at the Reborn in Christ Church in São Paulo. She was born on July 26, 1987 to Rosangela Lyra, the director of Dior in Brazil, and entrepreneur Celso Celico. She and Kaká met in 2001 while she was a student and he was playing for São Paulo FC. The wedding drew 600 guests, including fellow Brazilian footballers Cafu, Ronaldo, Adriano, Dida, Júlio Baptista, and then-Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Caroline is currently attending university in Milan, where she plans to earn a fashion business degree.
Kaká is a member of the organization Atletas de Cristo ("Athletes of Christ"). His goal celebration consists of him pointing to the sky as a sign of thanks to God after every score, and is proud that he was a virgin when he married His favorite music is gospel music, and his favorite book is the Bible. Since November 2004, he has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations' World Food Programme, the youngest to do so at the time of his appointment.
Kaká was sworn in as an Italian citizen on February 12, 2007. (He is ineligible to play for Italy, though, having already played for Brazil.) He features prominently in Adidas advertising and also has a modeling contract with Armani, but the latter prevented him from appearing in a photo collection alongside his Milan teammates that was published by Dolce & Gabbana in early 2007.
Kaká was born to Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite and Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite. He has a younger brother, Rodrigo (known as Digão), who has followed in Kaká's footsteps by playing football in Italy.
In September 2000, at the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spine fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. The next year, Kaká made his comeback on the pitch, when he came in as a reserve-substitute in the Torneio Rio-São Paulo final match and scored two goals, among them the match-winner, in less than five minutes. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.
Club career
He began his club career with São Paulo at the age of 8. He signed a contract at 15 and led the SPFC youth squad to Copa de Juvenil glory. In 2000, the club was set to sell Kaká to Turkish 1st division side Gaziantepspor, who turned down the deal after refusing to pay a price of $1.5m for him. Kaká made his São Paulo senior debut in January 2001 and scored 12 goals in 27 appearances, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship. He scored 10 in 22 matches the following season, and by this time his performance was soon attracting attention from European clubs.
AC Milan, fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League 2002-03, brought him aboard in 2003 for $8.5 million, a fee described in hindsight as "peanuts" by club owner Silvio Berlusconi. Within a month, he cracked the starting lineup, and has remained there since. His Serie A debut was in a 2-0 Milan win at A.C. Ancona. He scored 10 goals in 30 appearances that season, as Milan won the Scudetto and the European Super Cup.
Kaká was an integral part of the five-man midfield in the 2004-05 season, usually playing in a withdrawn role behind striker Andriy Shevchenko. He scored 7 goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up to Juventus. Despite Milan losing the 2004-05 Champions League final to Liverpool F.C. on penalties, he was nonetheless voted the best midfielder of the tournament, and also finished ninth, with 19 votes, in the running for the 2005 Ballon D'Or.
The 2005-06 season saw Kaká score his first hat-tricks in domestic and European competition. On April 9, 2006, he scored his first Rossoneri hat-trick against Chievo Verona. All three goals were scored in the second half. Seven months later, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4-1 group stage win over RSC Anderlecht. The football world was beginning to take notice of a superstar in the making. Following Rui Costa's departure to Benfica at the end of the season, and despite the insistence of many Milan fans, Kaká turned down the chance to switch from his number 22 to the now-vacant #10, a number typically associated with world-class scorers. (The number was eventually claimed by teammate Clarence Seedorf.)
Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea FC for the 2006-07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan's offense as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006-07 CL campaign with ten goals, which proved a huge catalyst in steering Milan back to European success. One of them helped the Rossoneri squeak by Celtic FC 1-0 after extra time in the quarterfinals on a 1-0 aggregate, and three others proved fatal for Manchester United in the semifinals despite Milan losing the first leg. Following the convincing 3-0 second-leg defeat at the San Siro on May 2 that knocked out the English champions, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson declared that Kaka was one of the two best players in the world, alongside his charge Cristiano Ronaldo. The previous month, a panel of experts set up by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport proclaimed Kaká as the world's best footballer. Shevchenko also included his endorsement, while suggesting that Kaka deserved to win the Ballon d'Or.
Kaká added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeated Liverpool F.C. 2-1 in Athens on May 23, 2007. Though he went scoreless, he won a free kick that led to the first of Filippo Inzaghi's two goals, and provided the assist for the second. For his stellar play throughout the competition, he was voted the Vodafone Fans' Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 UEFA.com visitors. In June 2007, German football publication Kicker named him the world's best player, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho finishing second and third, respectively, while he was also given this honor by UK publication The Times.
National Team
Kaká made his Seleção debut in January 2002 against Bolivia. He was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, but played only 19 minutes, all of which were in the first round match against Costa Rica. During the final against Germany, coach Luis Felipe Scolari was reportedly about to send Kaká on as a substitute, but he never made it into the game as the referee did not notice him waving on the sidelines to enter the pitch.
In 2003,Kaká was the captain for the Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil finished as runner-up, as did Kaká with a second-best three goals. He was also named as one of the competition's top eleven players by position. On June 29, 2005, he scored in a 4-1 defeat of Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup final, with a powerful shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net. He finished in joint tenth place in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and finished two spots higher the following year.
Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup Finals in 2006, scoring his first and only goal in a 1-0 victory over Croatia in Brazil's opening match. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep up his momentum for the remainder of the tournament as Brazil were ingloriously eliminated by France in the quarterfinals. On September 3, 2006, he scored one of his most brilliant goals for Brazil, receiving the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score.
On May 12, 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League and national team play, Kaká openly bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which was won by Brazil. "I haven't had a break for three seasons. I won't have the form to achieve what is expected of me at an international level." Brazil coach Dunga took the optimistic route, declaring that while he was disappointed about Kaká's decision, his absence would subsequently free up a roster spot for a lesser-used player. Kaká, however, did play 70 minutes of Brazil's 1-1 friendly draw with England on June 1, but only 30 in a lackluster goalless draw with Turkey on June 5.
Personal life and religion
A devout evangelical Christian, Kaká became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: "I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not." He removed his jersey to reveal an "I Belong to Jesus" T-shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Milan's 2007 Champions League triumph. Kaká previously sported the same shirt during Milan's 2004 Scudetto celebration and after Brazil's defeat of Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, and had the same phrase, along with "God Is Faithful," stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the postmatch celebration following Brazil's 4-1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates, among them backup keeper Gomes and defender Lúcio, wore T-shirts with "Jesus Loves You" printed on them in various languages.
Two days before Christmas in 2005, Kaká married 18-year-old Caroline Celico at the Reborn in Christ Church in São Paulo. She was born on July 26, 1987 to Rosangela Lyra, the director of Dior in Brazil, and entrepreneur Celso Celico. She and Kaká met in 2001 while she was a student and he was playing for São Paulo FC. The wedding drew 600 guests, including fellow Brazilian footballers Cafu, Ronaldo, Adriano, Dida, Júlio Baptista, and then-Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Caroline is currently attending university in Milan, where she plans to earn a fashion business degree.
Kaká is a member of the organization Atletas de Cristo ("Athletes of Christ"). His goal celebration consists of him pointing to the sky as a sign of thanks to God after every score, and is proud that he was a virgin when he married His favorite music is gospel music, and his favorite book is the Bible. Since November 2004, he has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations' World Food Programme, the youngest to do so at the time of his appointment.
Kaká was sworn in as an Italian citizen on February 12, 2007. (He is ineligible to play for Italy, though, having already played for Brazil.) He features prominently in Adidas advertising and also has a modeling contract with Armani, but the latter prevented him from appearing in a photo collection alongside his Milan teammates that was published by Dolce & Gabbana in early 2007.
arda turan
Arda Turan, (born January 30, 1987 in Istanbul, Turkey), is a Turkish professional footballer currently playing for Galatasaray in left or right winger position.
Arda is currently one of the rising stars of Galatasaray's successful youth set-up. After performing well for the reserve team, he was called into the full team in the beginning of the 2004-2005 season and played well in the senior side since then. In mid season he was loaned to Vestel Manisaspor in order to gain first team experience. Former Turkey national football team coach Ersun Yanal gave him a good deal of chance in the team and Arda used this time wisely playing for 15 times and scoring twice.
Arda is noted for his consistent performances on the left wing but he is also capable of playing on the right side, as an attacking midfielder.
Galatasaray Return
Arda Turan returned to Galatasaray at the start of the 2006/07 season and gave an impressive performance in the 3rd round Champions League qualifying round game against Mladá Boleslav, by scoring two goals and setting up two more in the process. Following the game, he was widely praised by footballing experts all around Europe, who are likening him already to the likes of Gheorghe Hagi, a Galatasaray and Romanian legend. Arda Turan is known for his precise passes, assists and his ability to get past defenders. Clubs like Inter, Milan, Everton, Newcastle and Tottenham have shown interest in Arda Turan.
As UEFA.com states, he is combative young midfielder with high levels of vision and technique and exceptional passing ability
Arda is currently one of the rising stars of Galatasaray's successful youth set-up. After performing well for the reserve team, he was called into the full team in the beginning of the 2004-2005 season and played well in the senior side since then. In mid season he was loaned to Vestel Manisaspor in order to gain first team experience. Former Turkey national football team coach Ersun Yanal gave him a good deal of chance in the team and Arda used this time wisely playing for 15 times and scoring twice.
Arda is noted for his consistent performances on the left wing but he is also capable of playing on the right side, as an attacking midfielder.
Galatasaray Return
Arda Turan returned to Galatasaray at the start of the 2006/07 season and gave an impressive performance in the 3rd round Champions League qualifying round game against Mladá Boleslav, by scoring two goals and setting up two more in the process. Following the game, he was widely praised by footballing experts all around Europe, who are likening him already to the likes of Gheorghe Hagi, a Galatasaray and Romanian legend. Arda Turan is known for his precise passes, assists and his ability to get past defenders. Clubs like Inter, Milan, Everton, Newcastle and Tottenham have shown interest in Arda Turan.
As UEFA.com states, he is combative young midfielder with high levels of vision and technique and exceptional passing ability
Wayne Rooney biography
Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985 in Liverpool) is an English footballer who currently plays for the English Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. He is seen as one of the most exciting prospects of the modern game, his transfer fee from Everton still stands as the highest ever paid for a teenager. He normally played as a second striker to Ruud van Nistelrooy for his club team before van Nistelrooy's move to Real Madrid, although during 2005-06, he showed his versatility as a player by shifting to the midfield and playing on both flanks. He wore the number 8 shirt for Manchester United from 2004 until June 2007, when his shirt number was changed to number 10. He wears the number 9 shirt for England.
Rooney was brought up in an urban area of eastern Liverpool called Croxteth, where he and his two brothers attended the local De La Salle Catholic School.
Rooney grew up supporting Everton and his childhood hero was Duncan Ferguson, and wore a T-shirt reading "Once a blue, Always a blue"However, he would end up playing just two seasons with Everton before demanding, and then executing, a transfer. This has left him on unfavourable terms with Everton fans, and this showed when he returned to Goodison Park and was booed severely.
Rooney has been under an intense media spotlight since first arriving on the scene in 2002, particularly coming to the public's notice on 19 October 2002 when he scored a memorable goal against title-holders Arsenal, ending their 30-match unbeaten run. Receiving the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box, Rooney brought it down with instant control and turned away from his marker before firing it into the top left-hand corner of the goal, beating England keeper David Seaman and giving Everton a late 2-1 victory at Goodison Park. This goal provoked Clive Tyldesley, the match commentator, to exclaim "Remember the name, Wayne Rooney!". Rooney was only 16 years old when he scored the goal, making him the youngest ever goalscorer in the Premiership at the time. Rooney gained a huge reputation on the world stage due to his performance at Euro 2004, as he spearheaded the English attack, scoring four goals, eclipsing fellow England team mate Michael Owen.
Contents
Career
Everton
After excelling for Liverpool Schoolboys and The Dynamo Brownwings, Rooney was signed by Everton shortly before his 11th birthday.Rooney gained national prominence on the 19th of October 2002 when he became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Premier League at 16 years and 360 days while playing for Everton (though this record has since been surpassed twice by James Milner and current record holder James Vaughan). His goal against then-champions Arsenal was a last-minute winner and brought to an end the London side's 30-match unbeaten run. At the end of 2002 he won the BBC Sports Young Personality of the Year.
Transfer
Before turning 17 and becoming eligible for a professional contract, he was playing for £80 a week and living with his family on a council estate. His salary has since been increased several times and Rooney now earns an estimated £51,755 a week. Following intense media coverage of Rooney at Euro 2004, Everton claimed that they would not transfer his contract for less than £50 million. The club offered Rooney a new contract for £12,000 a week for three years. This, however, was turned down by Rooney's agent on the 27 August 2004, leaving Manchester United and Newcastle United to compete for his signature.
The Times newspaper reported that Newcastle were close to signing the young star for £18.5 million, a fact later confirmed by Rooney's agent. Manchester United, however, were the successful club in signing the young talent. Rooney handed in a transfer request to Everton and on 31 August 2004, Rooney signed for Manchester United after a deal worth around £31 million (£49 million including wages) was agreed. The deal was concluded just hours before the transfer deadline.
The initial fee of £23m was paid to Everton over two years; the rest of the money depends on appearances and/or success at Manchester United and/or England. It is likely the fee will reach the maximum £31m within the next 3 years. A final fee in the region of £30m plus costs is more likely. In the club's 2004-05 accounts, Rooney's contract is recorded as having a book cost of £25.066 million as at 30 June 2005, with contingent payables of £4 million, giving a maximum final fee of £29.066 million including costs.
Rooney's transfer fee is the second highest for an exclusively British deal, with only his Manchester United team-mate, Rio Ferdinand, commanding a higher fee. Rooney does, however, have the honour of being the most expensive teenage footballer ever, being only 18 when Manchester United signed him.
Manchester United
Rooney made his debut for Manchester United on 28 September 2004 in the UEFA Champions League against Fenerbahçe, scoring a hat-trick and also an assist (the match finished in a 6-2 win for United). For the 2005-06 season, Rooney initially started playing in wider positions than his more favoured central role. Pundits and fans alike agreed that he seemed less effective in such positions. Eventually, after Manchester United's poor run of form early in the season, Sir Alex Ferguson moved him back to his stronger position, playing behind Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy as a second striker. He got his first professional Winners Medal in the 2006 English League Cup. He was also named Man of the Match in the League Cup final against Wigan Athletic, after scoring two goals in the final (a 4-0 victory for United), en route to winning his first senior medal. He was also a member of the United side defeated in the 2005 FA Cup Final by Arsenal. He captained Manchester United for the first time in a home Champions League match against Copenhagen on 17 October 2006, becoming probably the youngest captain in the clubs' history. On 26 November 2006 he signed a two-year extension to his contract, which will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2012; the contract extension negotiations only took one month, which was interpreted as showing how keen both sides were to conclude the extension.
Rooney has been a prolific goal scorer for Manchester United and Everton, matching the level of goals scored by other strikers such as Ruud van Nistelrooy. Also, he is a regular assist contributor. In the 2005-2006 season he achieved a final total of 14 assists and 16 goals, fewer goals than his current strike partner Louis Saha, but more assists.
During the first half of the 2006-7 season, Rooney went 10 games without a goal before scoring a hat-trick against Bolton. There was speculation about his fitness and confidence on the pitch, as he seemed less active than he usually is and his presence on the field was somewhat overshadowed by the brilliant form of Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney's scoring rate had been matched by Louis Saha and exceeded by Cristiano Ronaldo, a winger. Nevertheless, as of February 2007 he was the top English goalscorer in the Premiership, and had received significantly fewer bookings than in previous seasons.In the FA Cup tie against Portsmouth, Rooney came on as a substitute and scored two goals, one of which was a 25-yard chip over goalkeeper David James, and soon after scored two of United's four goals in the derby against Bolton. Rooney scored his first goal for two-and-a-half years in Europe in a 2-1 defeat to A.S. Roma on 4 April 2007 in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. His scoring in the tournament continued in the quarter-final second leg against Roma and the semi-final first leg on, when he scored two goals in the 3-2 victory over A.C. Milan, the second a low first-time drive into the bottom right-hand corner.By the end of April, Rooney had scored 23 goals for his team in all competitions, putting him level with team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of goals scored in all competitions this season.
On 30 June 2007 it was announced that Rooney would take over the number 10 shirt vacated by Ruud van Nistelrooy's departure to Real Madrid just over a year earlier. He was formally presented with the shirt by former United and Scotland striker Denis Law, who famously wore the number during his prolific spell with the club.
National team career
Rooney playing for England
Rooney playing for England
He has also figured prominently in recent England international matches, after having become the youngest ever player to play for England, in a friendly against Australia, on 12 February 2003, aged 17 years, 111 days. This record has since been surpassed by Theo Walcott, who came off the bench to play in England's friendly against Hungary on 30 May 2006. Before Rooney, England's youngest ever player was James F. M. Prinsep of Clapham Rovers,who made his debut almost one and a quarter centuries before, on 5 April 1879, aged 17 years, 253 days. Rooney is also the youngest England scorer ever (17 years, 317 days).
His reputation as one of the world's most exciting young players was further enhanced by his highly regarded performances for England at Euro 2004 in Portugal. At the tournament Rooney became the youngest player ever to score in the UEFA European Football Championships, when on 17 June 2004 he scored twice against Switzerland; although the Swiss player, Johan Vonlanthen, broke this record against France four days later. Unfortunately Rooney was injured early in the quarter final match against Portugal and England were subsequently knocked out on penalties.
On 29th April 2006 Rooney was stretchered off in the 82nd minute of a Premier League game between United and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was later confirmed that Rooney had suffered a broken metatarsal in a seemingly innocuous challenge with Paulo Ferreira, and was left with a race against time to be fit for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Due to his status as a cult hero and the fact that he was by now a key player in the national side, Rooney's recovery made front and back page headlines, as, aided by an oxygen tent, he made a staggering recovery, coming on as substitute for England's second group game against Trinidad and Tobago, and starting alongside Michael Owen in the following match against Sweden. However, the World Cup was to turn sour for Rooney. Struggling for match fitness, his frustration came to the fore as he was sent off for a stamp on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho in the quarter final, and England crashed out of the tournament on penalties, with Rooney having failed to find the net.
2004 Court Case
In and around 2002 there was a dispute between two groups over who had the right to manage Rooney and this led to a criminal trial after allegations that one side was trying to demand money with menaces from the other. The court was told that one group sought the help of the infamous London gangster Tommy Adams in resolving the dispute.
Disciplinary issues
Wayne Rooney's career has been tainted with moments of ill-discipline.In September 2005, against Northern Ireland, Rooney launched an on-field outburst at former England captain David Beckham, but since then the pair have played down the bust-up.
His ill-discipline led to his dismissal in the 0-0 draw with Villarreal during United's Champions League encounter in Spain. Rooney was sent off for dissent following his sarcastic applauding of the referee, Kim Milton Nielsen, after he was initially booked for what he felt was an unfair booking.
Rooney has pledged to keep his temper under control and both his club and international managers have defended him, citing his youth as the main reason for his behaviour. It is known that other teams and players are familiar with Rooney's disciplinary problems and sometimes use them against him, teasing him or provoking him.Since the 2004-05 season he has been trying to keep his temper in check, as shown by a drop in cards received in the 2005-06 season. In the 2006 World Cup quarter-final match with Portugal, Rooney was sent off after an incident during the 62nd minute of the match. He became only the third English player to be given a red card while playing a match in a World Cup Finals. Rooney was struggling to gain proper control of the ball as he was involved in a tangle with Ricardo Carvalho and Petit, during which he appeared to stamp on Carvalho's groin. The incident occurred right in front of Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo. As play was stopped, Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, a fellow teammate of his at Manchester United, remonstrated with the referee. Rooney then pushed Ronaldo and was shown the red card for what was thought to be a combination of the incidents involving Carvalho and Ronaldo.However, on 4 July, Elizondo told The Times that the red card was due to the stamp on Carvalho, and not the scuffle afterwards. He said "It was violent play and therefore he got a red card. People can say what they want (about Ronaldo) but this had absolutely no influence. For me it was a clear red card, so I didn't react to the Portuguese players."
After the match, which England lost on penalties, the BBC pundit team, led by Gary Lineker, showed a clip of what they found interesting in light of Rooney's dismissal. Before the match, Rooney's Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo approached him from behind and aggressively placed his head close to Rooney before speaking directly into his ear. Rooney's reaction and the look on Ronaldo's face suggested that the act was far from playful. Following Rooney's dismissal, Ronaldo was seen winking at the Portuguese bench.Cristiano Ronaldo said in a post-match press conference that he had not urged the referee to take out a red card, but just pointed out that Rooney had committed a foul.
On 3 July, Rooney released a statement saying, "I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved. I suppose I do, though, have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not team-mates." He also claimed that his actions were accidental. He also defended his own actions in the statement: "I want to say absolutely categorically that I did not intentionally put my foot down on Ricardo Carvalho. He slid in from behind me and unfortunately ended up in a positioning where my foot was inevitably going to end up as I kept my balance. That's all there was to it. When the referee produced the red card I was amazed - gobsmacked."
Wayne Rooney was investigated by FIFA's disciplinary committee after being sent off during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat against Portugal, banned for two competitive matches and fined 5,000 Swiss francs.
Rooney was sent off again for Manchester United in an Amsterdam Tournament game against FC Porto on 4 August 2006 for the use of an elbow,and was subsequently handed a three-match ban by the FA following their receipt of a 23-page report from referee Ruud Bossen explaining why he felt it was necessary to send Rooney off in the aforementioned game.This was viewed as surprising, as other players sent off in pre-season friendly matches were not so sanctioned, and Rooney wrote to the FA threatening to withdraw the FA's permission to use his image rights if the ban was not revoked - however the FA has no procedure to do so.
Though not related to on-field action, there were reports by British media that Rooney punched Blackburn Rovers' Michael Gray on 2 September 2006. The alleged incident that happened inside a Manchester restaurant was a result of suggestive comments by Gray towards Rooney's fiancée Coleen McLoughlin. Police were not informed about the incident.
On 24 November 2006, Wayne Rooney was questioned by the police over a fight outside a Manchester nightclub. This supposedly happened when a photographer started hassling Rooney. The photographer did not need any medical treatment.
Personal life
Rooney is the eldest of three children (all sons) born to Thomas Wayne Rooney and Jeanette Rooney. His brothers are Graham (born 1987) and John (born 1990). . He didn't achieve a single GCSE.
He has rarely been out of the media spotlight since his goal against Arsenal in October 2002, and has received criticism for his relationship with fiancée Coleen McLoughlin, who is often featured in the tabloid press for her shopping habits. They currently live in a £4.25 million mansion in the village of Prestbury in Cheshire, built by a company owned by Dawn Ward, the wife of former Sheffield United striker Ashley Ward. When he moved to Manchester United and was told to find a home in the posh area of Cheshire, Rooney passed a pub which he thought was named "Admiral Rooney" and saw it as a good omen for his future home. It was actually "Admiral Rodney", but Rooney chose the place, Prestbury, anyway (kicker, April 18, 2006, p. 79-80). He also owns property in Marbella and Harbor Pointe, Port Charlotte, Florida
Rooney has also lucrative contracts with Nike, Nokia, Ford, Asda and Coca Cola. marketing value is estimated at €46 million, making him the third-highest rated football player behind Ronaldinho and David Beckham.Rooney appears on the cover of the FIFA 06 and FIFA 07 video game in the United Kingdomand was featured on 500 million Coca-Cola cans during the 2006 World Cup. Regarding his private life, Rooney's favourite rappers are Eminem and 50 Cent.His favourite film is Grease, and his favourite TV series is Only Fools And Horses.Moreover, he is an avid reader of the Harry Potter series. He enjoys boxing, and idolises Mike Tyson.(kicker, April 18, 2006, p. 79-80).
Rooney was "Merk'd" along with other England teammates (the equivalent to the American TV Show "Punk'd") by his Manchester United and England team mate, Rio Ferdinand on a mini-series TV show build up to the World Cup, "World Cup Wind Ups". This comical scenario left Wayne holding a drip for a young Manchester United fan's dog.
In his spare time, Wayne likes to play video games, his favourite game is FIFA 07, which he plays with Man United teammates Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Rio Ferdinand.
Rooney's personal life has also often been marred by accusations from the press surrounding his visits to prostitutes, which he later confirmed to be true. Rooney has spoken of his deep regret regarding his actions.
Press accusations
In April 2006, newspapers suggested that he owed in excess of £700,000 in gambling debts, possibly connected to a business partner of Michael Owen. Days later, he accepted £100,000 (which he donated to charity) in libel damages from The Sun and News of the World newspapers which had claimed he had assaulted his fiancée in a nightclub.
In September 2006, Rooney was again at a the centre of controversy, accused of punching Michael Gray in the eye following provocation from the Blackburn defender.
Books and website
On 9 March 2006, Rooney signed the largest sports book deal in publishing history with the publishers HarperCollins. He is to receive a £5 million advance, plus royalties, for a minimum of five books to be published over a twelve-year period. The first book, My Story So Far, a ghost-written autobiography, was scheduled to be published after the World Cup. On 1 September 2006 Everton manager David Moyes started a libel action against the Daily Mail, which was publishing extracts of Rooney's book and threatened to also sue Rooney and his book publishers over statements made in the book concerning the circumstances of Rooney's leaving Everton.
In July 2006, Rooney's lawyers went to the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to gain ownership of the internet domain names "waynerooney.com" and "waynerooney.co.uk", which Welsh television actor Huw Marshall had registered in 2002. In October 2006, the WIPO ruled that "waynerooney.com" should be handed over to Rooney.
Rooney was brought up in an urban area of eastern Liverpool called Croxteth, where he and his two brothers attended the local De La Salle Catholic School.
Rooney grew up supporting Everton and his childhood hero was Duncan Ferguson, and wore a T-shirt reading "Once a blue, Always a blue"However, he would end up playing just two seasons with Everton before demanding, and then executing, a transfer. This has left him on unfavourable terms with Everton fans, and this showed when he returned to Goodison Park and was booed severely.
Rooney has been under an intense media spotlight since first arriving on the scene in 2002, particularly coming to the public's notice on 19 October 2002 when he scored a memorable goal against title-holders Arsenal, ending their 30-match unbeaten run. Receiving the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box, Rooney brought it down with instant control and turned away from his marker before firing it into the top left-hand corner of the goal, beating England keeper David Seaman and giving Everton a late 2-1 victory at Goodison Park. This goal provoked Clive Tyldesley, the match commentator, to exclaim "Remember the name, Wayne Rooney!". Rooney was only 16 years old when he scored the goal, making him the youngest ever goalscorer in the Premiership at the time. Rooney gained a huge reputation on the world stage due to his performance at Euro 2004, as he spearheaded the English attack, scoring four goals, eclipsing fellow England team mate Michael Owen.
Contents
Career
Everton
After excelling for Liverpool Schoolboys and The Dynamo Brownwings, Rooney was signed by Everton shortly before his 11th birthday.Rooney gained national prominence on the 19th of October 2002 when he became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Premier League at 16 years and 360 days while playing for Everton (though this record has since been surpassed twice by James Milner and current record holder James Vaughan). His goal against then-champions Arsenal was a last-minute winner and brought to an end the London side's 30-match unbeaten run. At the end of 2002 he won the BBC Sports Young Personality of the Year.
Transfer
Before turning 17 and becoming eligible for a professional contract, he was playing for £80 a week and living with his family on a council estate. His salary has since been increased several times and Rooney now earns an estimated £51,755 a week. Following intense media coverage of Rooney at Euro 2004, Everton claimed that they would not transfer his contract for less than £50 million. The club offered Rooney a new contract for £12,000 a week for three years. This, however, was turned down by Rooney's agent on the 27 August 2004, leaving Manchester United and Newcastle United to compete for his signature.
The Times newspaper reported that Newcastle were close to signing the young star for £18.5 million, a fact later confirmed by Rooney's agent. Manchester United, however, were the successful club in signing the young talent. Rooney handed in a transfer request to Everton and on 31 August 2004, Rooney signed for Manchester United after a deal worth around £31 million (£49 million including wages) was agreed. The deal was concluded just hours before the transfer deadline.
The initial fee of £23m was paid to Everton over two years; the rest of the money depends on appearances and/or success at Manchester United and/or England. It is likely the fee will reach the maximum £31m within the next 3 years. A final fee in the region of £30m plus costs is more likely. In the club's 2004-05 accounts, Rooney's contract is recorded as having a book cost of £25.066 million as at 30 June 2005, with contingent payables of £4 million, giving a maximum final fee of £29.066 million including costs.
Rooney's transfer fee is the second highest for an exclusively British deal, with only his Manchester United team-mate, Rio Ferdinand, commanding a higher fee. Rooney does, however, have the honour of being the most expensive teenage footballer ever, being only 18 when Manchester United signed him.
Manchester United
Rooney made his debut for Manchester United on 28 September 2004 in the UEFA Champions League against Fenerbahçe, scoring a hat-trick and also an assist (the match finished in a 6-2 win for United). For the 2005-06 season, Rooney initially started playing in wider positions than his more favoured central role. Pundits and fans alike agreed that he seemed less effective in such positions. Eventually, after Manchester United's poor run of form early in the season, Sir Alex Ferguson moved him back to his stronger position, playing behind Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy as a second striker. He got his first professional Winners Medal in the 2006 English League Cup. He was also named Man of the Match in the League Cup final against Wigan Athletic, after scoring two goals in the final (a 4-0 victory for United), en route to winning his first senior medal. He was also a member of the United side defeated in the 2005 FA Cup Final by Arsenal. He captained Manchester United for the first time in a home Champions League match against Copenhagen on 17 October 2006, becoming probably the youngest captain in the clubs' history. On 26 November 2006 he signed a two-year extension to his contract, which will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2012; the contract extension negotiations only took one month, which was interpreted as showing how keen both sides were to conclude the extension.
Rooney has been a prolific goal scorer for Manchester United and Everton, matching the level of goals scored by other strikers such as Ruud van Nistelrooy. Also, he is a regular assist contributor. In the 2005-2006 season he achieved a final total of 14 assists and 16 goals, fewer goals than his current strike partner Louis Saha, but more assists.
During the first half of the 2006-7 season, Rooney went 10 games without a goal before scoring a hat-trick against Bolton. There was speculation about his fitness and confidence on the pitch, as he seemed less active than he usually is and his presence on the field was somewhat overshadowed by the brilliant form of Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney's scoring rate had been matched by Louis Saha and exceeded by Cristiano Ronaldo, a winger. Nevertheless, as of February 2007 he was the top English goalscorer in the Premiership, and had received significantly fewer bookings than in previous seasons.In the FA Cup tie against Portsmouth, Rooney came on as a substitute and scored two goals, one of which was a 25-yard chip over goalkeeper David James, and soon after scored two of United's four goals in the derby against Bolton. Rooney scored his first goal for two-and-a-half years in Europe in a 2-1 defeat to A.S. Roma on 4 April 2007 in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. His scoring in the tournament continued in the quarter-final second leg against Roma and the semi-final first leg on, when he scored two goals in the 3-2 victory over A.C. Milan, the second a low first-time drive into the bottom right-hand corner.By the end of April, Rooney had scored 23 goals for his team in all competitions, putting him level with team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of goals scored in all competitions this season.
On 30 June 2007 it was announced that Rooney would take over the number 10 shirt vacated by Ruud van Nistelrooy's departure to Real Madrid just over a year earlier. He was formally presented with the shirt by former United and Scotland striker Denis Law, who famously wore the number during his prolific spell with the club.
National team career
Rooney playing for England
Rooney playing for England
He has also figured prominently in recent England international matches, after having become the youngest ever player to play for England, in a friendly against Australia, on 12 February 2003, aged 17 years, 111 days. This record has since been surpassed by Theo Walcott, who came off the bench to play in England's friendly against Hungary on 30 May 2006. Before Rooney, England's youngest ever player was James F. M. Prinsep of Clapham Rovers,who made his debut almost one and a quarter centuries before, on 5 April 1879, aged 17 years, 253 days. Rooney is also the youngest England scorer ever (17 years, 317 days).
His reputation as one of the world's most exciting young players was further enhanced by his highly regarded performances for England at Euro 2004 in Portugal. At the tournament Rooney became the youngest player ever to score in the UEFA European Football Championships, when on 17 June 2004 he scored twice against Switzerland; although the Swiss player, Johan Vonlanthen, broke this record against France four days later. Unfortunately Rooney was injured early in the quarter final match against Portugal and England were subsequently knocked out on penalties.
On 29th April 2006 Rooney was stretchered off in the 82nd minute of a Premier League game between United and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was later confirmed that Rooney had suffered a broken metatarsal in a seemingly innocuous challenge with Paulo Ferreira, and was left with a race against time to be fit for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Due to his status as a cult hero and the fact that he was by now a key player in the national side, Rooney's recovery made front and back page headlines, as, aided by an oxygen tent, he made a staggering recovery, coming on as substitute for England's second group game against Trinidad and Tobago, and starting alongside Michael Owen in the following match against Sweden. However, the World Cup was to turn sour for Rooney. Struggling for match fitness, his frustration came to the fore as he was sent off for a stamp on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho in the quarter final, and England crashed out of the tournament on penalties, with Rooney having failed to find the net.
2004 Court Case
In and around 2002 there was a dispute between two groups over who had the right to manage Rooney and this led to a criminal trial after allegations that one side was trying to demand money with menaces from the other. The court was told that one group sought the help of the infamous London gangster Tommy Adams in resolving the dispute.
Disciplinary issues
Wayne Rooney's career has been tainted with moments of ill-discipline.In September 2005, against Northern Ireland, Rooney launched an on-field outburst at former England captain David Beckham, but since then the pair have played down the bust-up.
His ill-discipline led to his dismissal in the 0-0 draw with Villarreal during United's Champions League encounter in Spain. Rooney was sent off for dissent following his sarcastic applauding of the referee, Kim Milton Nielsen, after he was initially booked for what he felt was an unfair booking.
Rooney has pledged to keep his temper under control and both his club and international managers have defended him, citing his youth as the main reason for his behaviour. It is known that other teams and players are familiar with Rooney's disciplinary problems and sometimes use them against him, teasing him or provoking him.Since the 2004-05 season he has been trying to keep his temper in check, as shown by a drop in cards received in the 2005-06 season. In the 2006 World Cup quarter-final match with Portugal, Rooney was sent off after an incident during the 62nd minute of the match. He became only the third English player to be given a red card while playing a match in a World Cup Finals. Rooney was struggling to gain proper control of the ball as he was involved in a tangle with Ricardo Carvalho and Petit, during which he appeared to stamp on Carvalho's groin. The incident occurred right in front of Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo. As play was stopped, Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, a fellow teammate of his at Manchester United, remonstrated with the referee. Rooney then pushed Ronaldo and was shown the red card for what was thought to be a combination of the incidents involving Carvalho and Ronaldo.However, on 4 July, Elizondo told The Times that the red card was due to the stamp on Carvalho, and not the scuffle afterwards. He said "It was violent play and therefore he got a red card. People can say what they want (about Ronaldo) but this had absolutely no influence. For me it was a clear red card, so I didn't react to the Portuguese players."
After the match, which England lost on penalties, the BBC pundit team, led by Gary Lineker, showed a clip of what they found interesting in light of Rooney's dismissal. Before the match, Rooney's Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo approached him from behind and aggressively placed his head close to Rooney before speaking directly into his ear. Rooney's reaction and the look on Ronaldo's face suggested that the act was far from playful. Following Rooney's dismissal, Ronaldo was seen winking at the Portuguese bench.Cristiano Ronaldo said in a post-match press conference that he had not urged the referee to take out a red card, but just pointed out that Rooney had committed a foul.
On 3 July, Rooney released a statement saying, "I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved. I suppose I do, though, have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not team-mates." He also claimed that his actions were accidental. He also defended his own actions in the statement: "I want to say absolutely categorically that I did not intentionally put my foot down on Ricardo Carvalho. He slid in from behind me and unfortunately ended up in a positioning where my foot was inevitably going to end up as I kept my balance. That's all there was to it. When the referee produced the red card I was amazed - gobsmacked."
Wayne Rooney was investigated by FIFA's disciplinary committee after being sent off during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat against Portugal, banned for two competitive matches and fined 5,000 Swiss francs.
Rooney was sent off again for Manchester United in an Amsterdam Tournament game against FC Porto on 4 August 2006 for the use of an elbow,and was subsequently handed a three-match ban by the FA following their receipt of a 23-page report from referee Ruud Bossen explaining why he felt it was necessary to send Rooney off in the aforementioned game.This was viewed as surprising, as other players sent off in pre-season friendly matches were not so sanctioned, and Rooney wrote to the FA threatening to withdraw the FA's permission to use his image rights if the ban was not revoked - however the FA has no procedure to do so.
Though not related to on-field action, there were reports by British media that Rooney punched Blackburn Rovers' Michael Gray on 2 September 2006. The alleged incident that happened inside a Manchester restaurant was a result of suggestive comments by Gray towards Rooney's fiancée Coleen McLoughlin. Police were not informed about the incident.
On 24 November 2006, Wayne Rooney was questioned by the police over a fight outside a Manchester nightclub. This supposedly happened when a photographer started hassling Rooney. The photographer did not need any medical treatment.
Personal life
Rooney is the eldest of three children (all sons) born to Thomas Wayne Rooney and Jeanette Rooney. His brothers are Graham (born 1987) and John (born 1990). . He didn't achieve a single GCSE.
He has rarely been out of the media spotlight since his goal against Arsenal in October 2002, and has received criticism for his relationship with fiancée Coleen McLoughlin, who is often featured in the tabloid press for her shopping habits. They currently live in a £4.25 million mansion in the village of Prestbury in Cheshire, built by a company owned by Dawn Ward, the wife of former Sheffield United striker Ashley Ward. When he moved to Manchester United and was told to find a home in the posh area of Cheshire, Rooney passed a pub which he thought was named "Admiral Rooney" and saw it as a good omen for his future home. It was actually "Admiral Rodney", but Rooney chose the place, Prestbury, anyway (kicker, April 18, 2006, p. 79-80). He also owns property in Marbella and Harbor Pointe, Port Charlotte, Florida
Rooney has also lucrative contracts with Nike, Nokia, Ford, Asda and Coca Cola. marketing value is estimated at €46 million, making him the third-highest rated football player behind Ronaldinho and David Beckham.Rooney appears on the cover of the FIFA 06 and FIFA 07 video game in the United Kingdomand was featured on 500 million Coca-Cola cans during the 2006 World Cup. Regarding his private life, Rooney's favourite rappers are Eminem and 50 Cent.His favourite film is Grease, and his favourite TV series is Only Fools And Horses.Moreover, he is an avid reader of the Harry Potter series. He enjoys boxing, and idolises Mike Tyson.(kicker, April 18, 2006, p. 79-80).
Rooney was "Merk'd" along with other England teammates (the equivalent to the American TV Show "Punk'd") by his Manchester United and England team mate, Rio Ferdinand on a mini-series TV show build up to the World Cup, "World Cup Wind Ups". This comical scenario left Wayne holding a drip for a young Manchester United fan's dog.
In his spare time, Wayne likes to play video games, his favourite game is FIFA 07, which he plays with Man United teammates Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Rio Ferdinand.
Rooney's personal life has also often been marred by accusations from the press surrounding his visits to prostitutes, which he later confirmed to be true. Rooney has spoken of his deep regret regarding his actions.
Press accusations
In April 2006, newspapers suggested that he owed in excess of £700,000 in gambling debts, possibly connected to a business partner of Michael Owen. Days later, he accepted £100,000 (which he donated to charity) in libel damages from The Sun and News of the World newspapers which had claimed he had assaulted his fiancée in a nightclub.
In September 2006, Rooney was again at a the centre of controversy, accused of punching Michael Gray in the eye following provocation from the Blackburn defender.
Books and website
On 9 March 2006, Rooney signed the largest sports book deal in publishing history with the publishers HarperCollins. He is to receive a £5 million advance, plus royalties, for a minimum of five books to be published over a twelve-year period. The first book, My Story So Far, a ghost-written autobiography, was scheduled to be published after the World Cup. On 1 September 2006 Everton manager David Moyes started a libel action against the Daily Mail, which was publishing extracts of Rooney's book and threatened to also sue Rooney and his book publishers over statements made in the book concerning the circumstances of Rooney's leaving Everton.
In July 2006, Rooney's lawyers went to the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to gain ownership of the internet domain names "waynerooney.com" and "waynerooney.co.uk", which Welsh television actor Huw Marshall had registered in 2002. In October 2006, the WIPO ruled that "waynerooney.com" should be handed over to Rooney.
Didier Drogba Biography
Didier Drogba Biography
Didier Drogba Biography – Preview
It's said that a great soccer striker will score a goal every two opportunities he has. Then how would this logic rate Didier Drogba, one of today's most famous strikers, who doesn't even need a second chance to score? Regardless, he is a player that emerged on the first pages rather late and a Didier Drogba Biography is in call, especially now, that the player is on the top of his game.
Let's take a look at his rough early life and follow him going up through the ranks of soccer. As you will see in this Drogba biography, he started low and had to work extremely hard to get to where he is today.
Full name Didier Yves Drogba Tebily
Date of birth March 11, 1978
Place of birth Abidjan,Ivory Coast
Height 6.2FT - 1.88M
Playing position Striker
Didier Drogba Biography – Early Career
Born in the Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba didn't have anything brought to him on the silver platter, as his family struggled to give the young boy a proper education in a harsh environment.
Moving to France with his family meant a huge step for Didier, as he was sent to live with his uncle, Michel Goba, who was a professional footballer. His uncle, a striker in the Ivory Coast national team and playing for second division club Brest, introduced the young footballer Drogba to the joy of soccer as well as teaching him a few tips and tricks needed by every striker.
At age 15, Drogba rejoined his family in the town of Levallois, where he took up soccer for the local team's youth club. At age 17, he made his debut in the first squad of the team that played in the fourth French division. Playing at such a low level, when Le Mans, who was playing in the second division at that time, offered him a contract, Didier Drogba immediately signed.
Season Club Games Goals
1998-2002 Le Mans 62 11
2002-2003 En Avant Guingamp 45 20
2003-2004 Olympique de Marseille 35 19
2004-Present Chelsea 91 42
Didier Drogba Biography – Le Mans and Guingamp
Didier Drogba played for four years at Le Mans in the second division and although content with the fact that he was finally having a better life with the modest wage offered by the club, he was hungry for more in regards of soccer.
At age 24, being already considered a mature footballer, Drogba was finally noticed by a first division club, in En Avant Guingamp, who were at that time a mid-table Ligue 1 team.
Being a major breakthrough in his professional career, Guingamp was the perfect setting for a talented footballer such as Drogba to make himself noticed. And that's exactly what happened after only 1 and a half years spent at the club, when Olympique de Marseille, a regular Top 5 team in France, clinched a contract with him.
Years National Team Games Goals
2002-Present Ivory Coast 40 28
Didier Drogba Biography – Olympique de Marseille
It was 2003 and Didier Drogba emerged rather late on the first scene of top European soccer, at age 25. Still, his appetite for goal wouldn't allow him to lay low, even though he reached a comfortable level for any footballer, Marseille being a team that would battle each year for the league and cup, as well as on the European front, in the UEFA Champions League.
The main passion for Drogba, goals, remained his primary target and he managed to score 18 times in 35 matches for Marseille, of which 5 in the UEFA Champions League group stages and another 6 in the following UEFA Cup run.
Didier Drogba © Photo by Free-ers-flickr.com
Age 26, it was the perfect setup for him to step in the light, as he got a contract offer from what is still the most important club in the career of Drogba, Chelsea London. And not just any Chelsea, but Roman Abramovici's Chelsea, a team studded with 24-carat footballers in which many thought that Drogba would have no room.
Didier Drogba Biography – Chelsea
The English Premiership seemed to be the perfect league for Didier Drogba (or was it the other way around?), since the type of soccer played in England fits like a glove on Drogba's qualities: commitment to effort, strength and lots of crosses.
Even though he suffered an injury that would keep him from playing for over 2 months, Drogba managed to score 16 goals in his first season for Chelsea, including another 5 in Champions League, a competition in which Drogba seemed like a fish in water.
Winning the Premiership and the Carling Cup meant a new step for the Ivorian footballer, Drogba tasting the cup of real success for the first time.
Although being helped by a tremendous performance by Drogba, Chelsea didn't manage to win the Champions League trophy, stopping in the finals, they are considered amongst the favorites each year and many (including me), believe that only time separate Chelsea and Drogba from being crowned the kings of Europe.
Didier Drogba Biography – Preview
It's said that a great soccer striker will score a goal every two opportunities he has. Then how would this logic rate Didier Drogba, one of today's most famous strikers, who doesn't even need a second chance to score? Regardless, he is a player that emerged on the first pages rather late and a Didier Drogba Biography is in call, especially now, that the player is on the top of his game.
Let's take a look at his rough early life and follow him going up through the ranks of soccer. As you will see in this Drogba biography, he started low and had to work extremely hard to get to where he is today.
Full name Didier Yves Drogba Tebily
Date of birth March 11, 1978
Place of birth Abidjan,Ivory Coast
Height 6.2FT - 1.88M
Playing position Striker
Didier Drogba Biography – Early Career
Born in the Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba didn't have anything brought to him on the silver platter, as his family struggled to give the young boy a proper education in a harsh environment.
Moving to France with his family meant a huge step for Didier, as he was sent to live with his uncle, Michel Goba, who was a professional footballer. His uncle, a striker in the Ivory Coast national team and playing for second division club Brest, introduced the young footballer Drogba to the joy of soccer as well as teaching him a few tips and tricks needed by every striker.
At age 15, Drogba rejoined his family in the town of Levallois, where he took up soccer for the local team's youth club. At age 17, he made his debut in the first squad of the team that played in the fourth French division. Playing at such a low level, when Le Mans, who was playing in the second division at that time, offered him a contract, Didier Drogba immediately signed.
Season Club Games Goals
1998-2002 Le Mans 62 11
2002-2003 En Avant Guingamp 45 20
2003-2004 Olympique de Marseille 35 19
2004-Present Chelsea 91 42
Didier Drogba Biography – Le Mans and Guingamp
Didier Drogba played for four years at Le Mans in the second division and although content with the fact that he was finally having a better life with the modest wage offered by the club, he was hungry for more in regards of soccer.
At age 24, being already considered a mature footballer, Drogba was finally noticed by a first division club, in En Avant Guingamp, who were at that time a mid-table Ligue 1 team.
Being a major breakthrough in his professional career, Guingamp was the perfect setting for a talented footballer such as Drogba to make himself noticed. And that's exactly what happened after only 1 and a half years spent at the club, when Olympique de Marseille, a regular Top 5 team in France, clinched a contract with him.
Years National Team Games Goals
2002-Present Ivory Coast 40 28
Didier Drogba Biography – Olympique de Marseille
It was 2003 and Didier Drogba emerged rather late on the first scene of top European soccer, at age 25. Still, his appetite for goal wouldn't allow him to lay low, even though he reached a comfortable level for any footballer, Marseille being a team that would battle each year for the league and cup, as well as on the European front, in the UEFA Champions League.
The main passion for Drogba, goals, remained his primary target and he managed to score 18 times in 35 matches for Marseille, of which 5 in the UEFA Champions League group stages and another 6 in the following UEFA Cup run.
Didier Drogba © Photo by Free-ers-flickr.com
Age 26, it was the perfect setup for him to step in the light, as he got a contract offer from what is still the most important club in the career of Drogba, Chelsea London. And not just any Chelsea, but Roman Abramovici's Chelsea, a team studded with 24-carat footballers in which many thought that Drogba would have no room.
Didier Drogba Biography – Chelsea
The English Premiership seemed to be the perfect league for Didier Drogba (or was it the other way around?), since the type of soccer played in England fits like a glove on Drogba's qualities: commitment to effort, strength and lots of crosses.
Even though he suffered an injury that would keep him from playing for over 2 months, Drogba managed to score 16 goals in his first season for Chelsea, including another 5 in Champions League, a competition in which Drogba seemed like a fish in water.
Winning the Premiership and the Carling Cup meant a new step for the Ivorian footballer, Drogba tasting the cup of real success for the first time.
Although being helped by a tremendous performance by Drogba, Chelsea didn't manage to win the Champions League trophy, stopping in the finals, they are considered amongst the favorites each year and many (including me), believe that only time separate Chelsea and Drogba from being crowned the kings of Europe.
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