Profile Football Stars: Mar 13, 2012

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Shinji Kagawa

Profile Football Stars | Shinji Kagawa | Kagawa started playing football in his primary school years. He joined Kobe NK Football Club and later moved to FC Barcelona in Sendai Miyagi, Miyagi Prefecture. Shinji Kagawa, is a Japanese footballer plays for German Bundesliga who club Borussia Dortmund. Previously he played for Cerezo Osaka. By mid-2010, Kagawa was represented with a sports agency run by retired German professional footballer Thomas Kroth, the which Ultimately handled his transfer to Borussia Dortmund.

In the summer of 2010, Kagawa transferred from Cerezo to Borussia Dortmund for € 350,000. On 22 October, Kagawa opened the scoring in the seventh minute as Dortmund crushed 1. Kagawa scored again on 5 November, as Dortmund brushed aside Wolfsburg 5-1 and moved within two points of league leaders Bayern Munich. On 28 January 2012, Kagawa scored twice in Dortmund's 3-1 win against Hoffenheim.

Kagawa played as a member of the Japan national under-20 football team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada. On 24 May 2008 he made his senior international debut in a friendly Kirin Cup match. Japan won the match against Côte d'Ivoire 1-0. In September 2010 he scored the only goal of the game in Japan's 1-0 win over Paraguay in Yokohama. It took five months to rehab Kagawa his injury from the AFC Asian Cup. In the quarterfinals against Qatar, he scored two goals. The game ended 3-2, a win for Japan. In the semi-finals against South Korea, Kagawa broke his metatarsal and missed the finals where Japan beat Australia after extra-time.

Personal information
Full name Shinji Kagawa
Date of birth 17 March 1989 (age 22)
Place of birth Tarumi-ku, Kobe, Japan
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder

Club information
Current club Borussia Dortmund
Number 23

Youth career
2001 - 2005 FC Barcelona Miyagi

Senior career
years Team
2006 - 2010 Cerezo Osaka 125 (55)
2010 - Borussia Dortmund 39 (16)

National team
2006 - 2008 Japan U19 4 (0)
2007 - Japan U20 2 (0)
2008 - Japan U23 3 (0)
2008 - Japan 29 (9)

Honours

Japan
     AFC Asian Cup: 2011

Club
Borussia Dortmund
     Bundesliga: 2010-11

Individual
     J. League Division 2 Top scorer: 2009

Wayne Rooney

Profile Football Stars | Wayne Rooney | Rooney featured at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and is Widely regarded as his country's best player. As of September 2011, he has won 73 international caps and scored 28 goals. Along with David Beckham, Rooney is the most red carded player for England, having been sent off twice. Rooney made his senior international debut in 2003 Becoming the youngest player to Represent England (a record later broken by Theo Walcott). He is England's youngest ever goalscorer. He played at the UEFA Euro 2004 and scored four goals, briefly Becoming the competition's youngest goalscorer. Rooney has won the Premier League 'Goal of the Season' award by the BBC's Match of the Day poll on three Occasions.

Rooney began playing for Liverpool Schoolboys and until May 2010 he held the record of 72 goals scored in one season. At age nine, Rooney played for Copplehouse boys' club in the local Walton and Kirkdale junior league and scored 99 goals in his final season before being spotted by Everton scout Bob Pendleton.

Rooney sustained a broken metatarsal in That game after a tackle made by Paulo Ferreira. Rooney's goalscoring further improved in the 2005-06 season, as he managed 16 goals in 36 Premier League games. On 11 February 2012, Rooney marked his 500th career game by senior scoring two goals as United beat rivals Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford. On 4 March Rooney scored the first goal in a 3-1 away win against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane and went past Joe Spence in Manchester United's all-time top goalscorers table heading up to sixth place overall with 169 goals. He scored another brace in his next game, against Atletico Bilbao in the Europa League. On 11 March Rooney scored two goals That Brought the United the victory against West Bromwich Albion in a 2-0 home win.

Arsenal youngster Theo Walcott broke Rooney's appearance record by 36 days in May 2006. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, after England drew with Algeria, the England players were Rooney scored three goals.

Personal information
Full name Wayne Mark Rooney
Date of birth 24 October 1985 (age 26)
Place of birth Croxteth, Liverpool, England
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Forward

Club information
Current club Manchester United
Number 10

Youth career
1996 - 2002 Everton

Senior career
years Team
2002 - 2004 67 Everton (15)
2004 - Manchester United 241 (122)

National team
2000-2001 England U15 4 (2)
2001-2002 England U17 12 (7)
2002-England U19 1 (0)
2003-England 73 (28)

Honours
Club

Manchester United
     Premier League (4): 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11
     Football League Cup (2): 2005-06, 2009-10
     FA Community Shield (3): 2007, 2010, 2011
     UEFA Champions League (1): 2007-08
     FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008

Individual
     PFA Players' Player of the Year (1): 2009-10
     PFA Young Player of the Year (2): 2004-05, 2005-06
     PFA Fans' Player of the Year (2): 2005-06, 2009-10
     PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2): 2005-06, 2009-10
     FWA Footballer of the Year (1): 2009-10
     Goal of the Season (3): 2004-05, 2006-07, 2010-11
     Goal of the Month (6): October 2003, January 2005, April 2005,
     January 2007, March 2007, February 2011
     Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year (2): 2005-06, 2009-10
     BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year (1): 2002
     Bravo Award (1): 2003
     UEFA Euro 2004 Team of the Tournament
     FIFPro World Young Player of the Year (1): 2004-05
     Premier League Player of the Month (5): February 2005, December 2005,
     March 2006, October 2007, January 2010
     Barclays Player of the Year (1): 2009-10
     FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (1): 2008
     England Player of the Year (2): 2008, 2009
     Golden Boot Award Landmark 20 (1): 2009-10
     FIFA / FIFPro World XI (1): 2011

Thomas Vermaelen

Profile Football Stars | Thomas Vermaelen | Vermaelen started his career in his home country with Germinal Ekeren, the which later changed its name to Germinal Beerschot after a merger. Thomas Vermaelen, is a Belgian footballer who plays for the Premier League club Arsenal and the Belgian national team.

Vermaelen joined the academy of Dutch club Ajax. It was however the only match he played during the season in the which Ajax won the Eredivisie championship. Performances That season resulted in a call-up to the Belgium national football team. Ajax won the Johan Cruijff Shield and another KNVB Cup Following the season and in 2007, They won the Johan Cruijff Shield for the second consecutive time. Following the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in mid-season, Vermaelen served as captain of Ajax for the remainder of the 2008-09 season and he played mostly as a left-back.

Vermaelen joined Arsenal from Ajax for an initial fee of € 10 million (rising to € 12 million) on 19 June 2009, signing a four-year contract. After Kolo Touré surrendered the number 5 jersey to him upon joining Manchester City, Vermaelen, with William Gallas, Arsenal's central defense formed pairing. Vermaelen made his Premier League debut on 15 August 2009 in 1-6 away win against Everton, and scored in the 37th minute. He Became the 84th Arsenal player to score on Their debut. He then scored a brace against Wigan in a 4-0 victory. The game finished 3-0 to Chelsea.

He Became notable for being a goal scoring defender, due to his spectacular 25-yard left footed goal against Blackburn Rovers and many headed goals during the first half of Arsenal's 2009-10 season. Vermaelen finished the season with 45 games and 8 goals in all competitions under his belt. Vermaelen scored Arsenal's second goal in their 3-0 win over West Brom on 5 November. He also featured in the 1-1 draw with Fulham on 26 November, when he scored a 65th minute own-goal but salvaged a point with an 82nd minute equalizer for Arsenal. On 3 December, Vermaelen scored the second goal against Wigan to win the match 4-0. On 12 March 2012, Vermaelen scored the winner in the 95th minute against Newcastle United.

Personal information
Full name Thomas Vermaelen
Date of birth 14 November 1985 (age 26)
Place of birth Kapellen, Belgium
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Defender

Club information
Current club Arsenal
Number 5

Youth career
1999 - Germinal Ekeren
1999 - 2000 Germinal Beerschot
2000 - 2003 Ajax

Senior career
years Team
2003 - 2009 Ajax 94 (8)
2004 - 2005 RKC Waalwijk (loan) 13 (2)
2009 - Arsenal 57 (11)

National team
2005 - 2007 Belgium U21 11 (1)
2008 - Belgium U23 5 (0)
2006 - Belgium 34 (1)

Honours

Club
Ajax
     Eredivisie: 2003-04
     KNVB Cup (2): 2005-06, 2006-07
     Johan Cruijff Shield (2): 2006 to 2007

Individual
     PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1): 2009-10

Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva

Profile Football Stars | Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva | Lucas scored his first goal for Atletico Mineiro against São Paulo, the game ended a 2-3 win for São Paulo. Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva, known as Lucas, is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder. He currently plays for São Paulo and the Brazilian national team. Lucas is in the list of FIFA's players to watch in 2011. On 5 September 2010

In the 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Lucas scored nine goals tied with Dagoberto as Top scorer for São Paulo. The 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder is Widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in South America, and has been attracting attention from clubs Such as Milan and Internazionale.

Lucas is a frequent member of Brazil's Under-20 international side. Lucas made his international debut for Brazil national football team in friendly match against Scotland on 27 March 2011. Recently, Lucas was called for the Brazilian team, in two friendlies against Netherlands and Romania. He was named in 23 man Mano Menezes 2011 Copa America squad. On the 28th of September, 2011, Lucas scored his first goal for the Brazilian team against Argentina.

Personal information
Full name Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva.
Date of birth August 13, 1992 (age 19)
Place of birth São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1/2 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder

Club information
Current club São Paulo
Number 7

Youth career
2002 - 2005 Corinthians
2005 - 2010 Sao Paulo

Senior career
years Team
2010 - São Paulo 53 (13)

National team
2011 - Brazil U20 9 (4)
2011 - Brazil 11 (1)

Honours

São Paulo
     Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior: 2010

National Team
     2011 South American Youth Championship
     Superclásico de las Américas 2011

Individual
     Revelation to Campeonato Paulista: 2011
     Best midfielder Campeonato Paulista to (Mesa Redonda): 2011
     Best midfielder Campeonato Paulista to (Diario de São Paulo): 2011
     Best midfielder to 2011 South American Youth Championship: 2011
     Best player in finals to 2011 South American Youth Championship: 2011
     Revelation to Campeonato Brasileiro: 2010

Sami Khedira

Profile Football Stars | Sami Khedira | Khedira moved to Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart in 2010. Before joining the youth team of VfB Stuttgart in 1995, he played at TV Oeffingen. Followed His debut on 1 October 2006 against Hertha BSC. Sami Khedira, is a German footballer currently playing for Real Madrid and the German national team.

On 30 July 2010 Khedira moved to Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee. Khedira was assigned the number 24 shirt, since 2011-2012 La Liga season he changed to the number "6" jersey. Khedira made his debut for Real Madrid on 13 August 2010 in a friendly match against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid won 4-2 the which in Penalties. This resulted in Real Madrid winning the Franz-Beckenbauer-Cup. On 3 August 2011, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid during a pre-season match against Guangzhou Evergrande. He scored his first competitive goal for Real Madrid in the Champions League, on 18 October 2011 against Olympique Lyonnais.

Khedira has Appeared 30 times in Several German youth national teams, he captained the side during the European Under-21 Championship 2009, the which Germany has won in the final against England 4-0. Khedira made his debut for the senior national squad on 5 September 2009 in a friendly match against South Africa. Khedira made his debut for the senior national squad on 5 September 2009 in a friendly match against South Africa.

Personal information
Full name Sami Khedira
Date of birth 4 April 1987 (age 24)
Place of birth of Stuttgart, West Germany
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Midfielder

Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 6

Youth career
1995 TV Oeffingen
1995 - 2004 VfB Stuttgart

Senior career
years Team
2004 - 2006 VfB Stuttgart II 21 (1)
2006 - 2010 VfB Stuttgart 98 (14)
2010 - Real Madrid 43 (1)

National team
2003 - 2004 Germany U17 10 (2)
2007 - 2009 Germany U21 15 (5)
2009 - Germany 25 (1)

Honours

Club
VfB Stuttgart
     Bundesliga: 2006-07

Real Madrid
     Copa del Rey: 2010-11

Germany
     FIFA World Cup: 3rd place 2010
     UEFA U-21 Championship: 2009

Gonzalo Higuaín

Profile Football Stars | Gonzalo Higuaín | Higuaín was born in Brest, France, the son of the former Argentine footballer Jorge Higuaín, who was playing for Stade Brestois 29 as an expatriate. Gonzalo Gerardo "El Pipita" Higuaín, is an Argentine professional footballer. On 12 February 2006, he scored his first league goal in a 3 - a victory over Banfield. Higuaín ended the 2005-06 season with five goals in 12 appearances. In the Following season, he scored eight goals in 17 league matches.

Gonzalo Higuaín opened his tally for the new league season with a goal against Getafe on September 10. On October 8, 2011 he scored a hat-trick for Argentina in a 4-1 win against Chile, to take his tally of goals for the Argentina shirt to 12 goals from 20 games. That Meant "El Pipita" had scored 9 goals in less official than two weeks time. On 29 October Higuaín scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win against Real Sociedad in San Sebastián. On 6 November he scored once in Real Madrid's 7-1 thrashing of Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu and he also scored the liberating 3-1 in a 4-1 win against local rivals Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby on 26 November 2011. On November 22, 2011, Higuain scored Real's third goal in a 6-2 defeat of Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

Higuaín was called up by the Argentina Olympic squad for a friendly match against Guatemala in February 2008, and scored two goals in his debut as Argentina won 5-0, though the match was not Officially Recognized by FIFA as "A" international matches. Team in the Asian tour with Argentina, led by new coach Alejandro Sabella On September 2, Gonzalo Higuain played in the match against Venezuela in the city of Calcutta in India, Argentina won 1-0 in Argentina Nicolás Otamendi scoring. On 8 October 2011, scored a hat trick and Gonzalo assisted one goal for Messi in a 4-1 win against Chile, To take his tally of goals for the Argentine national team shirt 12 goals from 22 games.

Personal information
Full name Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín
Date of birth 10 December 1987 (age 24)
Place of birth Brest, France
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Striker

Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 20

Youth career
River Plate

Senior career
years Team
2004 - 2006 River Plate 35 (13)
2007 - Real Madrid 151 (86)

National team
2008 - Argentina U23 1 (2)
2009 - Argentina 23 (12)

Honours

Club
Real Madrid
     La Liga (2): 2006-07, 2007-08
     Copa del Rey (1): 2010-11
     Supercopa de España (1): 2008

Xabi Alonso

Profile Football Stars | Xabi Alonso | Alonso succeeded in the role, taking Real Sociedad to second place in the 2002-03 season. Following the season he won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield. Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region of Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar returned to Sociedad where he then manager John Toshack appointed Alonso as his team captain. Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer plays for Real Madrid who as a midfielder. Internationally, Alonso has represented Spain in the Euro 2004, Euro 2008 tournaments and in the 2006 World Cup and 2010 World Cup.

By January 2001 Real Sociedad were bottom of the league and the new manager, John Toshack, turned to the prodigious Alonso in the hope of reversing the team's fortunes. In a surprise move, the Welsh manager 19 year old Alonso made the team captain, a position held by more senior Traditionally players. Toshack lauded Alonso, Noting That the impression he had on the team was exceptional, especially for a player from the youth-team.

Under the guidance of John Toshack, Alonso's captaincy marked a Resurgence of form for Real Sociedad. The team cemented Their mid-table position in the 2001-02, finishing in 13th place. Appeared Alonso consistently in La Liga with 30 appearances over the course of the season and also scored his first league goal, finishing with a season total of 3.

Alonso arrived at Liverpool, along with Luis Garcia from Barcelona, marked the beginning of a new era at Anfield. Alonso made his Premiership debut for the Merseysiders against Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium on 29 August 2004. Liverpool lost the fixture 1-0 but Alonso was already receiving praise for his passing skills from the press. A Premier League tie against Fulham displayed more of Alonso's talents. Furthermore, Alonso scored his first goal for the team from a free kick to bring Liverpool ahead of the Opposition.

Alonso completed his £ 30,000,000 move to Real Madrid on 5 August 2009. Xabi Alonso started his third season at Real Madrid by scoring the second goal in a 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the 2011 Supercopa de España at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Alonso was named in the Spanish squad for the 2006 World Cup and he scored Spain's first goal of the tournament, his first international goal, against Ukraine on 14 June 2006Even while playing at Real Madrid, Alonso has declared Himself a Liverpool supporter and returns to watch games at Anfield when his schedule allows. Alonso is also the Director of Communications at Laspalmas.dk, a Danish supporter club for the Spanish club Las Palmas, who currently plays in the Segunda División.

Personal information
Xabier Alonso Olano full name
Date of birth 25 November 1981 (age 30)
Place of birth Tolosa, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Midfielder

Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 14

Senior career
years Team
1999 - 2004 Real Sociedad 119 (9)
2000 - 2001 Eibar (loan) 14 (0)
2004 - 2009 Liverpool 143 (15)
2009 - Real Madrid 93 (4)

National team
2000 Spain U18 1 (0)
2002 - 2003 Spain U21 9 (0)
2003 - Spain 93 (12)
2001 - Basque Country 4 (0)

Honours

Club
Liverpool
     FA Cup: 2006
     FA Community Shield: 2006
     UEFA Champions League: 2004-05
     European Super Cup: 2005

Real Madrid
     Copa del Rey: 2011

Spain
     FIFA World Cup: 2010
     UEFA European Football Championship: 2008

individual

     Spanish La Liga Player of the Year: 2003
     FIFA / FIFPro World XI: 2011

Decorations
     Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit: 2011

Karim Benzema

Profile Football Stars | Karim Benzema | Benzema has represented France at one major international tournament: UEFA Euro 2008. Benzema was born in the city of Lyon beginning his football career with local club Terraillon. Bron. In the 2007-08 season, Benzema Became a starter and had a breakthrough year scoring over 30 goals as Lyon won its seventh straight league title. After another season at Lyon, in July 2009, Benzema signed a six-year contract with Spanish outfit Real Madrid. After struggling to Establish Himself in his debut season with the club, in the 2010-11 season, reached prominence Benzema scoring 26 goals en-route to Helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey. Prior to playing for the senior team, he played on the under-17 team won the 2004 UEFA That European Under-17 Football Championship. On his debut, he scored his first international goal in a 1-0 win.

Benzema was born in Lyon, to parents of Algerian descent. Benzema is a graduate of the Lyon academy. Benzema Quickly ascended up the ranks scoring 38 goals in one season with Lyon's under-16 team and scoring 12 goals in 14 matches with the under-18 team before earning a call up to the senior squad by manager Paul Le Guen. Lyon won the match 2-0 with Benzema Providing the assists on the second goal scored by Bryan Bergougnoux. Despite losing the title, Benzema got back on track scoring his 15th and 16th goals of the season on 17 May in a 3-1 away victory over rivals Marseille, the first goal being a penalty.

On 24 August, Benzema netted two goals in Real Madrid's 4-0 victory over Norwegian club Rosenborg in an annual friendly tournament organized for the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy. On 10 December 2011, Benzema scored the fastest ever El Clásico goal, just 22 seconds into the game but eventually the Opposing team, FC Barcelona, scored three goals (Alexis, Xavi and Cesc), ending with Real Madrid losing the game, with Karim's goal as the only one for the team.

In the tournament, the which was played on home soil, Benzema scored one goal against Northern Ireland in the group stage. Benzema made only five appearances with the team scoring no goals. Alongside Yoann Gourcuff, Benzema led the team in scoring in qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 netting three. He scored his three goals in wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, and Albania. On 17 November 2010, Benzema scored the opening goal in France's 2-1 win over England at Wembley Stadium.

Personal information
Full name Karim Benzema
Date of birth 19 December 1987 (age 24)
Place of birth Lyon, France
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Striker

Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 9

Youth career1995 - 1996 SC Bron Terraillon
1996 - 2004 Lyon

Senior career
years Team
2004 - 2009 Lyon 112 (43)
2009 - Real Madrid 82 (36)

National team
2004 France U17 2 (1)
2004 - 2005 France U18 16 (14)
2005 - 2006 France U19 8 (4)
2006 - 2007 France U21 5 (0)
2007 - France 42 (13)

Honours

Club
France Lyon
     Ligue 1 (4): 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
     Coupe de France (1): 2007-08
     Trophée des Champions (2): 2006, 2007

Real Madrid
     Copa del Rey (1): 2010-11

France U-17
     UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship (1): 2004

Individual
     Bravo Award (1): 2008
     Ligue 1 Top Goalscorer (1): 2007-08
     UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year (1): 2007-08
     UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year (1): 2007-08
     French Player of the Year (1): 2011

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012