MAXI RODRIGUEZ PROFILE

MAXI RODRIGUEZ BIOGRAPHY

Maximiliano Ruben "Maxi" Rodriguez born 2 January 1981 in Rosario, Santa Fe is an Argentine footballer who plays for Liverpool in the Premier League. Nicknamed La Fiera, he is commonly used as a right winger or a left winger, but can also operate as an attacking midfielder.

Rodríguez arrived in Spain in his early 20s, and went on to spend the bulk of his professional career there, playing for Espanyol and Atlético Madrid and amassing La Liga totals of 232 games and 58 goals, over the course of eight seasons.

Rodríguez won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Argentina under-20s on home turf, scoring four goals in seven matches, scoring the first and last goals for the winners.

He made his full squad debut in a friendly match against Japan on June 8, 2003, in which he also scored. After being part of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup squad, Rodríquez was called for the 2006 FIFA World Cup by national boss José Pekerman. On 16 June, he scored twice in Argentina's 6–0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro in the group stage.

In the round of 16, Rodríguez scored the winning goal against Mexico in a 2–1 extra time victory. He controlled a cross-field pass from Juan Pablo Sorín with his chest before volleying into the top corner from outside the penalty area with his left foot, in the 98th minute. In an unofficial online poll by FIFA, it was voted the best goal of the tournament.

After Argentina lost the quarter-final game against Germany on 30 June 2006, Rodríquez punched German player Bastian Schweinsteiger in the back. FIFA fined him CHF5,000 and suspended him from two matches in the 2007 Copa América for violent conduct. However, after a serious knee injury in a friendly with Spain in October 2006, he missed the continental competition, as national team manager Alfio Basile, whom initially intended to select the player, eventually rested him for precaution.

Rodríguez scored in Diego Maradona's first game in charge of Argentina, a 0–1 friendly win in Scotland. On 19 May 2010, he was named in the squad of 23 for the World Cup in South Africa and, in the last home game before the finals five days later, scored twice against Canada in a 5–0 win.

MAXI RODRIGUEZ PROFILE
Full name: Maximiliano Ruben Rodriguez
Date of birth: January 2, 1981
Place of birth: Rosario, Argentina
Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position: Winger / Attacking Midfielder

Club information
Current club Liverpool
Number 17

Senior career
1999–2002 Newell's Old Boys 56 (20)
2002–2005 Espanyol 111 (26)
2005–2009 Atlético Madrid 121 (32)
2010– Liverpool 40 (4)

National team
2003– Argentina 41 (12)

source: wikipedia

VERA ZVONAREVA PROFILE

Vera Igorevna Zvonareva is a professional tennis player from Russia. She was introduced to tennis at the age of six and turned professional in 2000. She has reached a career high ranking of World No. 2 and is currently ranked World No. 3 by the WTA.Zvonareva has won eleven WTA Tour singles titles and reached the finals of the 2008 WTA Tour Championships, 2010 Wimbledon Championships and 2010 US Open. She also was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Zvonareva was born September 7, 1984 in Moscow to Igor Zvonarev and Nataliya Zvonareva . Igor played Bandy in the USSR championship with Dynamo Moscow, while Nataliya played field hockey and was the bronze medalist at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Vera was introduced to tennis at the age of six by her mother, although no other members of her family play tennis

VERA ZVONAREVA PROFILE

Full name:Vera Igorevna Zvonareva
Country: Russia
Residence: Moscow, Russia
Date of birth: September 7, 1984 (1984-09-07) (age 26)
Place of birth: Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height: 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Turned pro: September 2000
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Singles
Career record: 410–192
Career titles: 11 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest ranking: No. 2 (October 25, 2010)
Current ranking: No. 3 (January 31, 2011)

Doubles
Career record: 155–99
Career titles: 5 WTA, 0 ITF
Highest ranking: No. 9 (August 8, 2005)
Current ranking: No. 33 (November 8, 2010)

GERARD PIQUE PROFILE

GERARD PIQUE BIOGRAPHY

Gerard Pique i Bernabeu born 2 February 1987 in Barcelona, Catalonia is a Spanish footballer, currently playing as a central defender for FC Barcelona.

A product of Barça's cantera, he initially left the club for Manchester United in 2004, where he remained for four years, before returning to Barça under Josep Guardiola's leadership, helping the club become the first Spanish club ever to complete the treble. Piqué is one of four players to have won the UEFA Champions League two years in a row with different teams, the others being Marcel Desailly, Paulo Sousa and Samuel Eto'o.

Piqué has also represented the Spanish national team, making his debut on 11 February 2009. He played an integral role in the Spain team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Pique started his career in FC Barcelona's youth teams as a defensive midfielder, but before he signed his first professional contract with the club, he decided to join Manchester United. The Premier League side did not pay a fee for Piqué as he was too young to have a professional contract.


On 27 May 2008, Piqué signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, with a €50 million buy-out clause.Barcelona paid a €5 million fee for the player.He expressed his joy at re-signing with his boyhood club, although he admitted he had enjoyed his spell at Manchester United:
"I am very happy to be back, I didn't think I would be here again but this is very good for me. Manchester United is a great club and I enjoyed winning things. To play with world class players has helped me and now I want to continue this at Barça."

Piqué's first goal for Barcelona came in the club's 5–2 UEFA Champions League group stage win at Sporting CP on 26 November 2008. His first domestic goal for the club followed two months later, on 29 January 2009, in a Copa del Rey match against local rivals RCD Espanyol. The goal, which came from a corner kick in the 57th minute, turned out to be the game winner in a 3–2 victory for Barcelona.

Piqué scored his first league goal for Barcelona on 2 May 2009, in a 6–2 away thrashing of Real Madrid, in El Clásico. On 13 May 2009, he picked up the first trophy of his Barcelona career as he helped his club to a 4–1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Copa Del Rey final. Three days later, Barcelona clinched the league title after Real Madrid lost 3–2 to Villarreal CF, with two games left in the season.

He played against his former club Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League Final on 27 May, which Barcelona won 2–0, hence completing a historic treble. On 26 February 2010, Pique signed a contract extension that will keep him at FC Barcelona until at least the summer of 2015. On 28 April 2010, Pique scored in Barcelona's semi-final second leg against Internazionale, scoring the only Barcelona goal of the game. Barcelona lost 3–2 on aggregate.

Pique started playing for the Spanish National team when he was 18 years old
Gerard Piqué with a shirt reading "Champions of the World" in the Palacio de la Moncloa.

Pique was a member of the Spain under-19 side that won the 2006 U-19 European Championship in Poland. In a 2–1 final win against Scotland, Piqué put in a strong performance in defence, hitting the crossbar with a header, and also providing his team's second goal for striker Alberto Bueno.

Subsequently, he played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting all six of Spain's matches and scoring a goal in the team's come-from-behind 4–2 victory over Brazil in the round of 16. However, Piqué missed the deciding penalty against the Czech Republic and Spain were eliminated at the quarter-final stage.

On 6 February 2009, Piqué was called up to the senior squad for the friendly against England on 11 February. He played the entire match in a 2–0 win, in Seville.

On 28 March 2009, he was called-up as a replacement for injured teammate Carles Puyol, and ended up scoring the only goal in Spain's victory in the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Turkey in Madrid, in what was only his second appearance.Four days later, he also started in Istanbul in a 2–1 win, also in the group stage. Pique was Spain's first-choice centre back playing along side Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol at the World Cup finals in South Africa, starting all seven matches as Spain won the tournament, defeating the Netherlands 1–0 in the final. In Spain's 1-0 group stage defeat to Switzerland, just before Gelson Fernandes scored the only goal of the game, Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok tumbled over Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas and accidentally kicked Piqué in the face, knocking him over and leaving him with a nasty cut beside his right eye.

Gerard Pique and Shakira

GERARD PIQUE PROFILE

Full name: Gerard Piqué i Bernabéu
Date of birth: 2 February 1987
Place of birth: Barcelona, Spain
Height: 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Centre back

Club information
Current club: Barcelona

Number: 3

Youth career
1997–2004 Barcelona

Senior career
2004–2008 Manchester United 12 (0)
2006–2007 → Zaragoza (loan) 22 (2)
2008– Barcelona 82 (4)

National team
2002–2003 Spain U16 7 (2)
2004 Spain U17 8 (3)
2006 Spain U19 8 (3)
2007 Spain U20 5 (1)
2006–2008 Spain U21 12 (1)
2009– Spain 31 (4)
2004– Catalonia 4 (0)

source:wikipedia

GIOVANI DOS SANTOS

BIOGRAPHY AND CAREER
Giovani dos Santos Ramirez born 11 May 1989 is a Mexican footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Spanish La Liga club Racing Santander on loan from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play as a winger or second striker. Since joining Tottenham he has had loan spells at Ipswich Town and Galatasaray. He previously played for FC Barcelona.

Dos Santos was a member of the Mexican National U-17 team that won the 2005 U-17 World Cup held in Peru. He made his debut for the Mexico national team in a 1–0 victory over Panama on 9 September 2007.

Giovani dos Santos, was born in Monterrey, Mexico. He is the son of former Brazilian footballer Zizinho, who played for the Mexican football clubs Club América and Club Leon in the late 1980s. His mother, Liliana Ramírez, is a Mexican national. Dos Santos has two brothers and two half-brothers; the elder, Éder dos Santos, currently plays for Club América in the Primera División de Mexico as a defensive midfielder, and his younger brother, Jonathan dos Santos plays for FC Barcelona B in the Spanish Second Division.

Dos Santos earned his first selection for a Mexican national football team roster when Hugo Sanchez picked him for exhibition games against Panama and Brazil. Dos Santos appeared for the first time for Mexico in a 1–0 victory over Panama on 9 September 2007. The match was abandoned at half time because of heavy rain. He scored his first two goals for Mexico on 24 June 2009 in a friendly match against Venezuela, a game in which he was also named Man of the Match. He scored his third goal for Mexico on 19 July in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final game against Haiti in the 42nd minute and also recorded two assists in the 4–0 victory. On 26 July 2009, he helped Mexico end a 10-year drought of victory against the United States on U.S. soil with a 5–0 victory that helped secure Mexico's fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup. He was named player of the tournament. On 5 September 2009, Dos Santos contributed to all three goals in a 3–0 win over Costa Rica in the 2010 World Cup qualification stages. He scored the first goal from outside the penalty box with his preferred left foot and assisted in the following two goals.

When his brother Jonathan dos Santos was cut from Mexico's final 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup, his father Zizinho said that Dos Santos was very hurt and claimed he was unsure whether Dos Santos would play in the World Cup.

In the 2010 World Cup, Dos Santos started in every game for Mexico as a right winger. He completed 138 passes without providing an assist. He was voted runner-up for the FIFA young player of the tournament award, which eventually went to Thomas Müller of Germany.





GIOVANI DOS SANTOS PROPILE

Full name: Giovani dos Santos Ramírez
Date of birth: 11 May 1989
Place of birth: Monterrey, Mexico
Height: 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Attacking midfielder

Club information
Current club: Racing Santander (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Number: 17
Youth career
2002–2006 Barcelona

Senior career
2006–2007 Barcelona B 27 (6)
2007–2008 Barcelona 28 (3)
2008– Tottenham Hotspur 10 (0)
2009 → Ipswich Town (loan) 8 (4)
2010 → Galatasaray (loan) 14 (0)
2011– → Racing Santander (loan) 8 (2)

National team
2005 Mexico U17 8 (2)
2007 Mexico U20 6 (5)

2007– Mexico 35 (6)

Giovani Santos and Belinda (girlfriend)

JAVIER OROZCO

BIOGRAPHY AND CAREER

Javier Antonio Orozco Penuelas born November 16, 1987 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa is a Mexican professional footballer. He was brought up by and currently plays as a striker in Cruz Azul. The IFFHS has named him the 5th best international striker only behind David Villa, Samuel Eto'o, Diego Forlan, and fellow compatriot Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez with 12 goals.

Orozco made his debut on September 17, 2005, against Tigres, a game which resulted in a 1-2 victory for Cruz Azul. In the 2010 Apertura, he scored the first goal of the season, and currently leads the season with 6 goals. He scored 4 goals and had an assist against Real Salt Lake of the MLS to defeat them 5-4. He is also the top goalscorer in CONCACAF Champions League history, as he has netted 23 times.

Orozco got his first call up by interim coach Efraín Flores for friendly matches on September 4 and 7, 2010 against Ecuador and Colombia, respectively.

Javier Orozco is the son of Luis Antonio Orozco who played in Atletico Tecoman and Irapuato FC in the 1980's and also is brother to Luis Orozco that plays for Club Tijuana who is also a striker. Orozco is nicknamed "Chuletita", meaning "little pork-chop". The nickname "Chuletita" comes from his father,Luis Antonio Orozco, who earned the moniker "Chuleta" when he was six-years-old, by his father who would tell him "vete por las chuletas" -- a Mexican slang saying which translates roughly to "go for the money"



JAVIER OROZCO PROFILE

Full name: Javier Antonio Orozco Peñuelas
Date of birth: November 16, 1987 (1987-11-16) (age 23)
Place of birth: Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position: Striker

Club information
Current club: Cruz Azul
Number: 27

Senior career
2005- Cruz Azul 60 (13)

National team
2010- Mexico 3 (0)

CESAR DELGADO PROFILE

BIOGRAPHY
Cesar Fabian Delgado Godoy born August 18, 1981 in Rosario is an Argentine footballer. He plays for Lyon. His nickname "El Chelito" is derived from that of Marcelo Delgado (known as "El Chelo") because of their same last name.

Delgado started his career in Rosario Central.
Delgado joined Cruz Azul for the 2003 Apertura, where he finished with 16 appearances and eight goals. Delgado made 21 appearances in the subsequent Apertura, again notching eight goals. In the 2004 Apertura, Delgado scored another six goals in 15 games. On 8 January 2008 he was sold to French giants Lyon for 11,000,000 euros. Delgado made his Ligue 1 debut on January 20, 2008 against RC Lens. Delgado came on as a 85th minute substitute for Lyon teammate Lisandro Lopez on October 21, 2009 against Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League group stage week 3 match and scored an important 90th minute winner after only being on the pitch for 5 minutes to help his team comeback from a goal down and settle the score at 2–1 to Lyon. This is an important moment for him and his team because this was Lyon's first win in the UEFA Champions League against English opposition.

Delgado played several matches for the Argentina national football team during its 2006 World Cup Qualifying campaign. However, due to injury Delgado did not make the 23-man roster for the 2006 World Cup. "El Chelito" also played for the team in the Copa América 2004, scoring one goal, and was part of the gold medal winning Argentinian team at the 2004 Summer Olympics.


CESAR DELGADO PROFILE
Full name: Cesar Fabian Delgado Godoy
Date of birth: August 18, 1981
Place of birth: Rosario, Argentina
Height: 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Winger, Attacking midfielder

Club information
Current club: Lyon
Number: 19

Senior career
2001–2003 Rosario Central 65 (14)
2003–2008 Cruz Azul 151 (61)
2008– Lyon 64 (6)

National team
2003–2005 Argentina 20 (2)

MICHAEL ESSIEN PROFILE

MICHAEL ESSIEN BIOGRAPHY

Michael Kojo Essien born in Accra, Ghana 3 December 1982 is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for English club Chelsea and the Ghana national team. He is a midfielder who has often been touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert boundless energy in supporting offensive and defensive play. Essien can also play in the defending position as a right back or centre back.

Essien began his career playing for Liberty Professionals in his home country. In 2000, he moved to France joining SC Bastia. Essien spent three seasons at the club appearing in over 60 matches before joining league champions Olympique Lyonnais in 2003. At Lyon, Essien won back-to-back league titles in 2003–04 and 2004–05 and also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. During his five-year stint in France, he acquired French citizenship. In 2005, Essien signed with Chelsea for a fee of £24.4 million and, at the time of his signing, was the most expensive African footballer in history. At Chelsea, Essien helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as three FA Cups and one Football League Cup. In 2008, he appeared in the UEFA Champions League Final.

Essien is a Ghanaian international. At youth level, he represented his country at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the latter team finishing as runner-up. Essien made his senior team debut in January 2002 and has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where Ghana reached the Round of 16. He is often referred to as the Bison for his tough tackling style, boundless energy and physical presence on the pitch

Born in Accra to Ghanaian parents, Aba Gyandoh and James Essien, Essien attended Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and JSS and began his football career after graduating from St. Augustine's College in Cape Coast, playing in a local club in his native Ghana, called Liberty Professionals. He broke through when he played in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand.This led to attention from European scouts, and he even had a trial at Manchester United in April 2000, playing in the club's Under-17 team's defeat by Derby County'.

MICHAEL ESSIEN PROFILE

Full name: Michael Kojo Essien
Date of birth: 3 December 1982
Place of birth: Accra, Ghana
Height : 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position: Midfielder,Defender

Club information
Current club: Chelsea
Number: 5

Youth career
1999–2000 Liberty Professionals

Senior career
2000–2003 Bastia 65 (11)
2003–2005 Lyon 71 (8)
2005– Chelsea 139 (17)

National team
2002– Ghana 51 (9)