David Beckham

Player Information
Full name: David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE
Date of birth: May 02, 1975
Birthplace: Leytonstone, England
Nationality: English
EU passport: Yes
Height: 180 cms
Weight: 74 kgs

Club: Milan
Position: Midfielder [R, C]
Squad Number: 0
Contract expires: June 2012 (on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy)
Previous clubs: Manchester United > Preston North End > Manchester United > (£25m) Real Madrid > Los Angeles Galaxy > Milan (loan)

International debut: September 1996, v Moldova
International Caps: 100
International Goals: 17
World Cups: France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA Champions League (1999)
Intercontinental Cup (1999)

English FA Premier League (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
English FA Cup (1996, 1999)
Spanish Super Cup (2003)
Spanish La Liga (2007)

English League Young Footballer of the Year (1997)
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1999)

Biography

1975
Born May 2 in Leytonstone, London.
1991
May: Signs for Manchester United as a trainee
1992
September: First team debut as a substitute in the Rumbelows Cup tie at Brighton and Hove Albion.
1994
Plays 5 matches on loan for Preston North End.
1995
April: Premier League debut at home to Leeds United.
1996
September 1: Made his England debut in a 3-0 away win over Moldova in a qualifier for the 1998 World Cup finals in Kishinev.
1997
May: Manchester United win another Premiership title and reach the semi final of the UCL. David is voted Young Player of the Year.
1998
June 26: Scored his first goal for England after 30 minutes of his 17th international, a trademark free kick against Colombia in the opening round of the World Cup in Lens, France.
June 30: In a second-round tie against Argentina in St Etienne, he was sent off two minutes into the second half for kicking Diego Simeone. He was largely vilified at home for his dismissal as it was seen as a contributory factor to England's loss on penalties after the match ended in a 2-2 draw. It was the first red card of David's career.
1999
March: Becomes a father to Brooklyn.
May: Manchester United completed the unprecedented Treble of Premiership, FA Cup and European Cup. Named UEFA MVP.
July: Marries Victoria Adams aka Posh Spice, a member of the Spice Girls.
2000
Another successful campaign as Manchester United wins again the Premiership, with David scoring 6 goals in 31 apps.
November: Peter Taylor gave him the greatest honour of his career in making him the captain of England, fulfilling his childhood dream.
2001
January: Sven-Goran Eriksson appointed him the permanent captain when he took over as England boss.
May: Manchester United won the Premiership title. He was given the English captain armband for the first time in a friendly in Italy.
October 6: At his home ground of Old Trafford, he scored one of the most famous goals of his career - a free kick deep into stoppage time that gave England a 2-2 draw against Greece and effectively sealed their place at the 2002 World Cup finals.
2002
June 2: He won his 50th cap in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup finals in Saitama but was replaced after 63 minutes of the 2-2 draw with Sweden.
June 7: In what he describes as one of the highlights of his England career, Beckham scored with a penalty to give England a 1-0 win over Argentina in the enclosed dome of Sapporo in their second group match. England would later be eliminated by Brazil.
2003
May: A stray boot, kicked in frustration by Sir Alex Ferguson, accidentally struck Becks on the forehead in the dressing room.
June: His era as a Man Utd player came to an end in the summer of 2003 when Florentino Perez took him to Real Madrid for 35 millions euros.
2004
June: Captains England at Euro 2004, where team loses in Quarter finals to host Portugal.
2005
October 8: Became the first England player to be sent off twice when he was dismissed against Austria in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory at Old Trafford.
2006
June 15: David Beckham was named Budweiser Man of the Match after England's 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
June 25: Scored to give England a 1-0 win over Ecuador in their second round match in Stuttgart to become the first English player to score a goal in three World Cup finals tournaments.
July: One day after England was eliminated by Portugal in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, Beckham stepped down as the team captain after holding the role for six years.
August 11: David Beckham's England career appears to be at an end after new manager Steve McClaren left him out of his squad.
September 16: David Beckham says he has a "burning desire" to prove new England coach Steve McClaren wrong after being dropped from the national team.
October 17: Beckham has joined Raul and Roberto Carlos in an exclusive club of three after making his 100th appearance in the UEFA Champions League at Steaua Bucuresti.
2007
January 11: David Beckham is set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the Spanish season and sign a five-year deal for U.S. side Los Angeles Galaxy worth $1 million a week, the biggest in world sport.
January 13: Coach Fabio Capello says Beckham won't play for Real Madrid again. "He is not going to play any more. He will practice, but he is not going to play. The player's decision is to go to Los Angeles. He has always been a great professional, but a player who has such a major contract with another team ... we cannot count on him," he said.
February 10: Beckham, who had not been selected for Real Madrid's six previous matches, made a scoring return as his team came from behind to beat 2-1 Real Sociedad in the Primera Division.
June 1: Marked his first appearance for his country in 11 months, and first under Steve McClaren's reign, by setting up skipper John Terry's 68th minute opener with a trademark free-kick only for Diego to equalize in injury-time in the 1-1 friendly draw against Brazil.
June 17: Helped Real Madrid to end their four-year trophy drought when they won the league title for the 30th time after a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu.
July 21: Made his long-awaited debut for Los Angeles Galaxy in front of a capacity crowd when he came on as a substitute in the 78th minute of the exhibition match against Chelsea. The match ended with a 1-0 victory for the English team.
August 15: Started his first game for the Galaxy, scored his first goal on a free kick in the 27th minute and Los Angeles beat D.C. United 2-0 in the SuperLiga semifinals. Beckham also captained the LA team and notched his first assist on the Galaxy's second goal.
August 30: Beckham suffered a sprained right knee and will be sidelined for "approximately six weeks," ending his fist MLS season.
2008
March 26: Became only the fifth player (after Billy Wright, Sir Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and Peter Shilton) to win 100 caps for England when he featured in the 0-1 defeat against France in Paris.
April 3: Scored his first goal in Major League Soccer, his eighth-minute strike helping the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. Beckham collected a pass from Donovan outside the penalty area and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Joe Cannon to open the scoring. Beckham returned the favor for Donovan in the 37th minute, flicking the ball with his right foot to his hard-charging teammate, who lofted a shot over a rapidly-closing Cannon to put the Galaxy up 2-0..
April 7: Named Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 2.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

David Beckham is one of the world’s most recognised sportsmen. Years of success on the field at Manchester United combined with a high-profile lifestyle off it had ensured him a rare level of wealth and celebrity even before he became part of Real Madrid’s galácticos project in 2003.
More than anything, however, Beckham is a dedicated professional, who takes immense pride from his role as England captain. His talent with a football was evident from an early age: as a boy he won a Bobby Charlton Soccer Schools National Skills competition and before long he had signed up for his favourite team, Manchester United.

Beckham was part of a remarkable United youth side containing fellow future England internationals Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes that won the FA Youth Cup in 1992. Although it was not until the 1995/96 season, when he was 20, that he established himself in the first team at Old Trafford, the wait was worthwhile.

That campaign ended with him collecting Premiership and FA Cup winner’s medals and Beckham began the following season by scoring a memorable goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon. He ended it with the award for English football’s Young Player of the Year and in between made his England debut in a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier against Moldova.

Beckham had to wait until the 1998 finals in France to score his first international goal and fittingly it was a trademark free-kick in a 2-0 victory over Colombia. It is arguable that during the past decade nobody in world football has delivered better set-pieces than the Englishman, who is famed for his ability to provide perfect crosses from the right flank.

Unfortunately for Beckham, the 1998 FIFA World Cup ended in dismay as he was sent off for aiming a kick at Diego Simeone during England’s second-round loss to Argentina. That act of petulance made him a convenient scapegoat for the defeat, yet he won over his critics with his subsequent efforts in an England shirt.

After helping United complete a treble of Premiership, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League successes in 1999, Beckham received personal recognition as he finished second in both the FIFA World Player and European Footballer of the Year polls.

The next year he was named England captain for the first time for a friendly in Italy and he quickly grew into the role. Relishing the extra responsibility, Beckham sealed his country’s place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with a spectacular late free-kick in their last qualifier against Greece and his excellent form in 2001 earned him second place in the FIFA World Player of the Year voting.

A foot injury meant Beckham faced a race against time to be fit for Korea/Japan but he eventually appeared in every match of England’s run to the quarter-finals in the Far East and enjoyed a moment to savour as his penalty brought a 1-0 victory over old rivals Argentina.

After collecting his sixth Premiership winner’s medal in 2003, Beckham said goodbye to English football for a new challenge at Real Madrid. However, he remains a fixture in the England team. He scored fine goals against Wales and Azerbaijan during Germany 2006 qualifying and completed 50 matches as national captain during last November’s friendly against Argentina.

Beckham will be 31 when the FIFA World Cup kicks off and will surpass the 90-cap mark during the tournament. But what he really wants is to end it by emulating another Londoner, Bobby Moore, and lifting world football’s greatest prize.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Perhaps the most famous footballer in the world, David Beckham's main attributes are his long-range shooting ability - especially from free-kicks - accurate crossing from the right, and seemingly limitless reserves of energy.

National team
The summer after he made his debut against Moldova in September 1996, Beckham was vilified in England for his sending off in the FIFA World Cup match against Argentina. He featured at UEFA EURO 2000™ and was made captain in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup, scoring a brilliant added-time free-kick against Greece which earned England a place in Korea/Japan before exorcising his Argentina demons in Sapporo. Inspirational as England qualified for UEFA EURO 2004™, his reputation suffered as he missed penalties against France and Portugal in the finals. Returned to form in 2006 World Cup qualifying with excellent goals against Wales and Azerbaijan.

Club
A lifelong Manchester United FC fan despite being born in London, Beckham was part of United's much-vaunted 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning side. He established himself in the first team in the 1995/96 English double-winning season and a goal from the halfway line in the first game of the next campaign, at Wimbledon FC, marked his arrival. Beckham's efforts in the treble-winning team of 1998/99 that lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy won him second place in the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year polls. His coruscating form in 2001 brought another second place in the FIFA poll and Beckham helped United to a sixth title during his time at the club in 2002/03, and scored twice in the Champions League loss to Real Madrid CF, the club he joined in the summer for €35m.

2003: Beckham quickly settled, relishing his new central role and winning over the fans with his range of passing and work ethic. Life was not quite so rosy in 2004, however, as Madrid failed to win a trophy.

2004/05: Started the season playing in the centre of midfield but by the end of the campaign, new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo had switched Beckham to the right wing with pleasing results. His cannonball strike in the 5-0 defeat of UD Levante in November was a sight to behold.

Did you know?
David and Victoria Beckham have three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. David has all three boys' names tatooed on his body and also has Victoria's name imprinted on his arm in Hindi.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Simply the most famous footballer in the world, David Beckham's main attributes are his long-range shooting ability - especially from free-kicks - pin-point accurate crossing from the right, and seemingly limitless reserves of energy.

National team
The summer after he made his debut against Moldova in September 1997, Beckham was vilified in England for his sending off in the FIFA World Cup match against Argentina. He also featured at UEFA EURO 2000™ but matured considerably after being made captain in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup, scoring a brilliant added-time free-kick against Greece which earned England a place at Korea/Japan before exorcising his Argentina demons in Sapporo.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Again inspirational as England qualified automatically ahead of Turkey from Group 7. Beckham appeared in seven of the eight qualifiers, sitting out only the home victory against Slovakia, and scored five goals, including one penalty.

Club
A lifelong Manchester United FC fan despite being born in London, Beckham was part of United's much-vaunted 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning side. He established himself in the first team in the 1995/96 English double-winning season and a goal from the halfway line in the first game of the next campaign, at Wimbledon FC, marked his arrival as a star. Beckham's efforts in the treble-winning team of 1998/99 that lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy won him second place behind Rivaldo in the voting for FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year. And his coruscating form in 2001 brought another second place in the FIFA poll, behind Luis Figo.

2002: Beckham helped United to a sixth title during his time at the club. He also scored twice in the Champions League loss to Real Madrid CF, the club he was to join in the summer for €35m.

2003/4: Beckham quickly settled, relishing his new central role and winning over the fans with his range of passing and work ethic. Life was not quite so rosy in 2004 as Madrid failed to win a trophy.

Did you know?
David and Victoria Beckham have two sons, Brooklyn and Romeo. David has Brooklyn's name tattooed on his lower back and Romeo's across his shoulders. He also has Victoria's name imprinted on his arm in Hindi.

©uefa.com 1998-2004. All rights reserved.

John Terry

Player Information

Full name: John George Terry
Date of birth: December 07, 1980
Birthplace: Barking, London, England
Nationality: English
EU passport: Yes
Height: 182 cms
Weight: 74 kgs

Club: Chelsea
Position: Defender [C]
Squad Number: 26
Contract expires: June 2012
Previous clubs: (youth) Chelsea

International debut: June 2003, v Yugoslavia
International Caps: 29
International Goals: 1
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

English League Cup (2005, 2007)
English FA Premier League (2005, 2006)
English FA Community Shield (2005)
English FA Cup (2007)

UEFA Champions League Best Defender (2005)

Biography

1980
Born December 7 in Barking, London, England.
2005
April: Wins Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year Award.
2006
April: Helps Chelsea claim its second straight Premier League title.
June 25: Defender John Terry was named the Budweiser Man of the Match after he anchored an England back line that completely smothered Ecuador's forwards on the way to a 1-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
August 10: John Terry has been appointed the new captain of England's football team, taking over from David Beckham, the Football Association (FA) has announced.
August 16: Makes a scoring debut as captain of England in his country 4-0 triumph over Greece. "The whole night really could not have gone any better," he said.
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
November 6: Included in the FIFPro Team of the Year.
December 28: John Terry underwent back surgery in France to remove a sequestrated lumbar intervertebral disc. He is expected to miss weeks rather than months.
2007
February 25: Taken off the field on a stretcher after Arsenal defender Abou Diaby accidentally kicked him in the head in the 58th minute of the English League Cup final. He was put on a stretcher with an oxygen mask placed over his mouth and a brace around his head. He was taken to hospital for tests but was able to return to the Millennium Stadium little more than an hour later -- still in his kit -- where he joined his team mates celebrating the 2-1 victory secured by two Didier Drogba goals.
May 1: Lost the Champions League semi-final with Chelsea against Liverpool on penalties 4-1 after drawing 1-1 on aggregate on a dramatic night at Anfield.
May 19: Won the English FA Cup with Chelsea over Man United following a 1-0 extra time victory at the New Wembley.
July 27: Signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea. The England skipper put pen to paper today to end months of speculation over his future.
October 5: Included in the FIFPro Team of the Year.
December 18: Set to be sidelined for up to six weeks after breaking three bones in his right foot. Scans showed Terry had fractured the bones, including his third metatarsal, when he was tackled by Emmanuel Eboue late in the first half of Chelsea's 1-0 Premier League loss to Arsenal on Sunday.
2008
February 24: Member of the Chelsea squad that lost the Carling Cup Final in extra time against Tottenham.
May 21: Missed a penalty in the shootout which would have won Chelsea the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final. Terry appeared to slip on the penalty spot before he made contact with the ball and could only hit the post. Chelsea then went on to lose 6-5 on penalties to Manchester United.
August 28: Voted UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year. "For me personally it's an amazing achievement," he said, adding: "To be a great defender you need a lot of attributes - to be quick, strong, good in the air and you also need plenty of great team-mates around you and I'm very lucky to have that."
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Established as one of England’s first-choice central defenders during Rio Ferdinand’s suspension, John Terry is equally dominant on the ground and in the air.
Despite missing the opening game against France, Terry was one of England’s shining lights at UEFA EURO 2004 and continues to hold down one of England’s two central defensive positions in the face of competition from Ferdinand and Sol Campbell.

Terry became captain of Chelsea in the 2003/2004 season and has since led them to two successive Premiership titles in 2006 and 2006.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A commanding central defender who dominates in the air and on the ground, John Terry has made the transition from bright prospect to fully-fledged star by leading Chelsea FC to consecutive Premiership titles.

Club
Terry rose through the youth ranks at Chelsea to make his debut for the club in October 1998 under Gianluca Vialli. He was Chelsea's young player of the year in 2001 and in 2002 scored the winning goals in both the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup in the latter of those campaigns. Terry became captain as Chelsea finished Premiership runners-up in 2003/04 and was a virtual ever-present the following season in the London club's march to the Premiership title for the first time in 50 years. Voted PFA Player of the Season, Terry was also included in uefa.com's Team of the Year in 2005 and captained Chelsea to another league championship in 2005/06.

National team
Terry made a wonderful competitive debut against F.Y.R Macedonia in UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying, producing a towering display in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand. He missed the opening game of the finals through injury, but played in the next three matches as England lost to Portugal in the quarter-finals. Displaced Sol Campbell as a first choice during the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and was an ever-present as Sven-Göran Eriksson's side again reached the last eight in Germany.

Did you know?
His brother, Paul, plays for another English club, Yeovil Town FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

One of the brightest defensive prospects in England, John Terry is a powerful central defender who dominates in the air and on the ground and is tipped as a future captain of his country.

National team
Received his first England call-up in Sven-Göran Eriksson's squad to face Liechtenstein and Turkey in UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying in March 2003, but had to wait for a friendly against Serbia and Montenegro that June to finally appear.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Made a wonderful competitive debut against F.Y.R Macedonia with a towering display at the back in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand. In only his third competitive game he was arguably England's man of the match in the crucial draw in Istanbul.

Club
A Londoner, Terry rose through the youth ranks at Chelsea FC to make his debut for the club in October 1998 under Gianluca Vialli. However, he only became a regular following the appointment of Claudio Ranieri. He was Chelsea's young player of the year in 2001 and the following season enhanced his growing reputation by playing almost 50 games in total, scoring the winning goals in both the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup before the Blues were beaten by Arsenal FC. He excelled again the following term, too, as Chelsea finished fourth.

2003/4: Being named Chelsea captain added consistency to his game and Terry scored three times in 33 Premiership games as Chelsea finished runners-up. Terry was similarly impressive in the UEFA Champions League prior to the semi-final defeat by AS Monaco FC.

Did you know?
His brother, Paul, plays for another English club, Yeovil Town FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

Frank Lampard

Player Information

Full name: Frank James Lampard
Date of birth: June 21, 1978
Birthplace: Romford, England
Nationality: English
EU passport: Yes
Height: 177 cms
Weight: 78 kgs

Club: Chelsea
Position: Midfielder [C]
Squad Number: 8
Contract expires: June 2014
Previous clubs: West Ham > Swansea > West Ham > (£11m) Chelsea

International debut: October 1999, v Belgium
International Caps: 50
International Goals: 11
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

English League Cup (2005, 2007)
English FA Premier League (2005, 2006)
English FA Community Shield (2005)
English FA Cup (2007)

English FA Premier League Footballer of the Year (2005)

Biography

1978
Born June 20 in Romford, Essex. Father, also Frank, was professional footballer with West Ham United.
1992
August: Joins West Ham, where uncle Harry Redknapp is assistant manager, as a trainee. Plays 187 games for the club, scoring 39 times. In 1994, Redknapp becomes manager and Lampard senior is appointed his assistant.
1995
October: On loan to Swansea for 11 games, scores one goal.
1999
October: First appearance for England at home to Belgium.
2001
June: Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri buys the midfielder for 11 million pounds ($19.45 million).
2002
May: Following a mediocre season, Lampard fails to make England's World Cup squad.
2003
August: Lampard becomes an England regular, notching his first goal against Croatia.
2004
June: Scores three goals at Euro 2004.
July: Named Chelsea vice-captain when Jose Mourinho takes over at Stamford Bridge.
December: Voted England player of the year.
2005
February: Wins first major trophy when Chelsea hoist League Cup.
May: Helps the Blues to their first championship for 50 years with 12 league goals and 18 in total as club's top scorer.
June: Wins English football writers' player of the year award.
November: Runner-up for European Footballer of the Year.
December: Second in Fifa's World Player of the Year award.
2006
April: Helps Chelsea claim its second straight Premier League title.
June 10: Frank Lampard was named Budweiser Man of the Match for his excellent all-round game in England's 1-0 win over Paraguay in their opening match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.
August 20: Reiterated his desire to stay with the Chelsea for the rest of his playing career. "I see myself being here for a long time," he told BBC.
October 12: Included among the 30 nominees for the FIFA World Player of the Year Award.
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
2007
February 25: Member of the Chelsea squad that won the English League Cup after defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the Millennium Stadium.
March 19: An angry fan raced on to the pitch and threw a punch at Lampard after Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-1 in an FA Cup quarter-final replay. Lampard, who was celebrating with team mates, ducked to miss the punch and the spectator was manhandled to the ground before being led away by security men.
May 1: Lost the Champions League semi-final with Chelsea against Liverpool on penalties 4-1 after drawing 1-1 on aggregate on a dramatic night at Anfield.
May 19: Won the English FA Cup with Chelsea over Man United following a 1-0 extra time victory at the New Wembley.
July 1: Rejected a new Chelsea deal which would have eclipsed the £121,000 a week given to Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack.
August 5: Member of the Chelsea team that lost the English FA Community Shield against Man Utd 3-0 on penalties at Wembley.
August 9: Launched Frank TV, a new Mobile TV programme dedicated to him, available exclusively on OrangeƆs mobile phone TV service.
October 31: Took his tally of goals for Chelsea to 96 when he bagged a hat-trick in the holders? 4-3 victory over Leicester City in a thrilling League Cup fourth-round tie.
2008
February 16: Lampard became the eighth player to score 100 goals for Chelsea, when he scored twice against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup.
February 24: Member of the Chelsea squad that lost the Carling Cup Final in extra time against Tottenham.
March 12: Scored 4 goals in Chelsea's 6-1 thrashing of Derby County.
April 30: Two days before the funeral of the mother he admits was his guiding light, Frank Lampard scored a vital penalty in extra-time to drive Chelsea towards victory over Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League semi-final. It was an act of courage that had team-mates queueing up afterwards to praise him.
May 21: Lost the UEFA Champions League final with Chelsea 6-5 on penalties against Man Utd at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. Lampard was rewarded for another trademark surge into the penalty area as two fortunate deflections allowed to tuck home the equaliser. Unlucky to hit the bar in extra-time.
August 13: Signed a five-year contract with Chelsea running until the end of the 2013/14 season, ending a summer of speculation about his future.
August 28: Became the first Chelsea player, and only the second English-based footballer after Beckham nine years ago, to take the UEFA Club Best Midfielder of the Year. He said: "It feels very good. When you see the players that you're up against, there are some world-class players there. I've been up for the award for three years now so it's nice to finally win it."

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Voted England’s Player of the Year by supporters of the national team in 2004 and 2005, Frank Lampard has been an inspirational figure for both club and country in that time. He was England’s top scorer in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup™ and provided Chelsea’s main source of goals during their successive Premiership triumphs in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Lampard, who came second behind Ronaldinho in the 2005 voting for FIFA World Player of the Year, has worked hard to achieve his current status in the game. Steven Gerrard, his partner in England’s midfield, considers him “probably the most improved player in the world” over the last two years, describing his progress in that time as “unbelievable”.

A schoolboy cross-country runner, Lampard his shown plenty of resilience in his rise up the football ladder. It is now ten seasons since Lampard made his debut for West Ham United, the club where he grew up under the watchful gaze of his father and uncle, Frank Lampard Sr and Harry Redknapp, who were assistant manager and manager respectively.

There were ups and downs at Upton Park for the young Lampard, as he recalled when he collected his award for the English Football Writers’ Player of the Year in May 2005. “I remember running on the touchline and being told, ‘Go and sit down with your uncle and dad because you’re not good enough to get on the pitch’,” he said.

Lampard gradually began to fulfil his promise as a goalscoring midfielder, registering seven-goal hauls in each of his last two seasons with West Ham, before he joined Chelsea in an £11million transfer in 2001. By this time he was an England international, having made his debut came against Belgium in 1999, but it was not until the 2003/04 season that he finally won a regular starting place in the national side.

Since coming off the bench to claim his first goal for England in the 3-1 friendly win against Croatia in August 2003, however, Lampard has become a near-permanent presence on Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team sheet. He ended 2003/04 with ten league goals for Chelsea and then struck three times as England reached the last eight at UEFA EURO 2004, his first senior international tournament.

If those figures were impressive then in the intervening two years, Lampard has got even better. Blessed with supreme fitness, a keen eye for goal and, in his own words, “a natural determination to compete”, he has become one of the best attacking midfielders in world football.

He is vice-captain at Chelsea and together with John Terry and Joe Cole brings some English ‘spirit’ to Jose Mourinho’s multi-national collective. Of course, he brings much more than that: Lampard played 164 consecutive league games over the course of the last five seasons and was a key contributor as Chelsea captured successive league titles in 2004/05 and 2005/06, scoring 29 Premiership goals in that period.

For England, Lampard was on target in five of their ten Germany 2006 qualifiers and set the seal on a successful campaign with the winning goals in the final two fixtures against Austria and Poland. He struck from the spot against the Austrians, having taken over the penalty-taking duties from David Beckham, while against Poland it was an exquisite volleyed effort that won the match – a goal struck with the confidence becoming a player at the very top of his game.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A dynamic player who possesses a fine range of passing and devastating shooting, Frank Lampard has developed into one of the finest exponents of the midfield player's art.

Club
A graduate of the academy at West Ham United FC, Lampard made his Premiership debut in 1996. He spent a spell on loan at Swansea City FC but was back at Upton Park as West Ham won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1999. He joined Chelsea FC for €16m in the summer of 2001 and missed just one Premiership game in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge. He was Chelsea's best player as they reached the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2003/04, and played a starring role again the following year, scoring 19 goals as Chelsea won the Premiership title and the English League Cup. That display saw him named as Football Writers' Player of the Year, and he scored 16 goals as the London club retained the Premiership crown in 2005/06.

National team
Lampard made his international debut in October 1999, but missed out on selection for UEFA EURO 2000™ and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He bounced back to feature at UEFA EURO 2004™, scoring three times before England were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Portugal, but his form was less impressive as England bowed out at the same stage, against the same opponents, at the 2006 World Cup.

Did you know?
Lampard's father Frank twice won the FA Cup with West Ham while his uncle, Harry Redknapp, is the manager of Portsmouth FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A midfield player who possesses a fine passing range, Frank Lampard is also a tireless worker and regular goalscorer.

National team
Kevin Keegan was in charge when Lampard made his international debut on 10 October 1999, although he was not selected for England's ill-fated UEFA EURO 2000™ campaign, instead captaining the Under-21s. Was selected for Sven-Göran Eriksson's first match but again missed out when the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad was announced. However, Lampard bounced back to play in UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying.

Club
Like team-mate Joe Cole, he is a graduate of the academy at West Ham United FC. Lampard made his Premiership debut against Sheffield Wednesday FC in 1996 and by 1997/98 - after a spell on loan at Swansea City FC - was a regular. Ever present in 1998/99, he then played 64 matches over the next two seasons to take his tally at Upton Park to 148, scoring 23 goals.

2001: Joined Chelsea FC for €16m and missed just one game in a debut season which saw him net five goals in 37 Premiership matches and feature in the UEFA Cup.

2002/03: For the second time in his career, Lampard did not miss a game, scoring six times as Chelsea finished fourth to reach the UEFA Champions League qualifying round, where they eliminated MŠK Žilina in August 2003.

2003/4: A memorable season for Lampard whose midfield displays earned him second place in the PFA Player of the Year awards. Despite a flood of big name buys, he was consistently Chelsea's best player as they reached the Champions League semi-final and finished second in the Premiership.

Did you know?
Lampard's father, also Frank, twice won the FA Cup with West Ham and his uncle, Harry Redknapp, is the manager of Portsmouth FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

Steven Gerrard

Player Information

Full name: Steven George Gerrard
Date of birth: May 30, 1980
Birthplace: Whiston, England
Nationality: English
EU passport: Yes
Height: 188 cms
Weight: 78 kgs

Club: Liverpool
Position: Defensive Midfielder [R, C]
Squad Number: 8
Contract expires: June 2011
Previous clubs: (trainee) Liverpool

International debut: May 2000, v Ukraine
International Caps: 48
International Goals: 11
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA Cup (2001)
UEFA Champions League (2005)
UEFA Super Cup (2005)

English League Cup (2001, 2003)
English FA Cup (2001, 2006)
English FA Community Shield (2006)

English League Young Footballer of the Year (2001)
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (2005)

Biography

1980
Born May 30 in Whiston, England.
2006
April: Wins Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year Award.
August 10: Steven Gerrard has been named vice-captain of England's football team the Football Association (FA) has announced.
August 13: Helped Liverpool to lift the Community Shield at the Millennium Stadium.
August 19: Steven Gerrard revealed he had trials at Manchester United as a 14 year-old.
October 12: Included among the 30 nominees for the FIFA World Player of the Year Award.
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
2007
March 28: Scored his first double for England as he helped his country to a 3-0 win over Andorra and put to end a five-match winless run.
April 22: Included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
May 16: Lost the UEFA Champions League final with Liverpool FC to AC Milan following a 2-1 defeat at the OACA Spyro Louis in Athens, Greece.
October 5: Included in the FIFPro Team of the Year.
2008
April 27: Included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
October 1: Scored his 100th goal for Liverpool with a fantastic free-kick in the Reds 3-1 UEFA Champions League victory against PSV Eindhoven.
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

The heartbeat of his hometown club Liverpool, Steven Gerrard will travel to Germany desperate to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ because of injury.
Gerrard had highlighted his future importance to England with a stirring performance in their famous 5-1 qualifying win in Germany in September 2001, where he struck a superb long-range goal, his first for his country. However, he then sat out the finals in the Far East, one of several setbacks he suffered earlier in his career when his growing body struggled to cope with the demands of top-level football.

In his own words, Gerrard “never had the strength or energy to get around the pitch” – something that seems impossible to believe for anyone who witnessed his heroic display in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan, where he breathed fresh life into Liverpool by heading the first goal of their incredible comeback and ended the match patrolling the right flank as a makeshift full-back.

Voted English football's Player of the Year by his peers in April, Gerrard is quite simply Liverpool’s Mr Incredible - versatile enough to play across the midfield or even off the striker, and blessed with the tackling ability, passing skills and shooting power to dominate any match.

He struck 22 goals in all competitions for the Reds in 2005/06 - including two spectacular strikes that helped Liverpool win the FA Cup final - but reproducing that scoring form at international level is less straightforward given he is playing alongside two players in Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney who also excel at making runs from deep.

A product of the Anfield academy, Gerrard made his Liverpool debut in 1998 as an 18-year-old and within two years was playing for England against Germany at UEFA EURO 2000. By 2001 he was a regular in the national team and it proved a memorable year at club level too.

He helped Liverpool to a treble of League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup triumphs, scoring in the last of those finals against Alaves and earning personal recognition for his efforts in the shape of the Young Player of the Year award. In 2003 Gerrard collected further silverware as he scored in Liverpool’s League Cup final defeat of Manchester United and his growing maturity was reflected by his appointment as club captain early in the 2003/04 campaign.

That season ended with Gerrard appearing in all four of England’s matches at EURO 2004 but speculation over a possible move to Chelsea meant that he had, by his own admission, a “hot and cold” tournament, despite getting on the scoresheet against Switzerland. When the same speculation surfaced again last summer, in the wake of Liverpool’s Champions League victory, Gerrard looked certain to swap Anfield for Stamford Bridge but had a dramatic change of heart and signed a new four-year deal with the Merseysiders.

In between driving on his Liverpool team-mates, Gerrard – who will be 26 when the finals begin - featured in eight of England’s qualifying matches for Germany 2006, netting goals in the 2-2 draw in Austria and 2-0 home win over Azerbaijan. Still, six goals from 39 appearances up to the start of 2006 is a record ‘Stevie G’, as he is known at Anfield, will be keen to improve on. And where better to start than at his first FIFA World Cup?

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A powerhouse of a midfield player, Liverpudlian Steven Gerrard fulfilled a childhood dream by captaining his local club to the European title.

National team
It was hugely disappointing for both Gerrard and England that injury ruled him out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals - especially as he scored one of England's goals in the famous 5-1 qualifying defeat of Germany in Munich. Gerrard made his England debut against Ukraine in May 2000, and long before UEFA EURO 2004™ was an automatic choice. Now forms a devastating central partnership with Frank Lampard.

Club
Born in 1980 and signed as a trainee, Gerrard made his Liverpool FC debut in November 1998 as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers FC. In his first start, against RC Celta de Vigo in the UEFA Cup, Gerrard's ability to tackle, pass and shoot in equal measure shone through.

2001: He proved his worth with a selection of outstanding performances in 2000/01 as Liverpool won the FA Cup, English League Cup and UEFA Cup, where he scored his side's second goal in the 5-4 final win against Deportivo Alavés. Gerrard was voted England's Young Player of the Year that year. He won a second League Cup in Cardiff in March 2003, opening the scoring in a 2-0 victory against Manchester United FC. Having replaced Sami Hyypiä as captain in 2003, Gerrard justified his promotion by almost single-handedly guiding Liverpool to fourth place and turning down a lucrative Chelsea FC offer.

2004/05: A broken bone in his foot left Gerrard sidelined for two months from September, but he returned to strike the late goal against Olympiacos CFP to take Liverpool past the group stage. Although his own goal proved vital in Chelsea winning the League Cup final, Gerrard remained an inspiration and struck the first goal of the dramatic comeback against AC Milan that allowed him to lift the European Champion Clubs' Cup. Although he then seemed set to leave Anfield, he had a dramatic change of heart and signed a new four-year contract. Typically, he struck a hat-trick in the first game after agreeing his new deal, in the Champions League first qualifying round against Total Network Solutions FC.

Did you know?
Gerrard's superb strike against United in March 2001 was voted Liverpool's best Premiership goal.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A powerhouse of a midfield player with remarkable mental strength and confidence for one so young, Steven Gerrard can play in a variety of positions but is at his devastating best in the centre of the park.

National team
It was hugely disappointing for both Gerrard and England that injury ruled him out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals - especially as he scored one of England's goals in the famous 5-1 defeat of Germany in a Munich qualifying game. Gerrard made his England debut against Ukraine in May 2000, doing enough to make the squad for UEFA EURO 2000™, where he played once against Germany.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
One of four England players to feature in seven qualifiers, Gerrard scored in the home draw against F.Y.R. Macedonia but missed the corresponding fixture, a victory in Skopje.

Club
Born in 1980 and signed as a trainee, Gerrard made his Liverpool FC debut in November 1998 as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers FC. In his first start, against RC Celta de Vigo in the UEFA Cup, Gerrard's ability to tackle, pass and shoot in equal measure shone through. He proved his worth to the Anfield cause with a selection of outstanding performances in 2000/01 as they won the FA Cup, English League Cup and UEFA Cup, where he scored his side's second goal in the 5-4 final win against Deportivo Alavés. Having recovered from growing pains - Gerrard was voted England's Young Player of the Year that year. He won a second League Cup in Cardiff in March 2003, opening the scoring in a 2-0 victory against Manchester United FC.

2003/04: Having replaced Sami Hyypiä as captain, Gerrard signed a new contract in November committing him to Anfield until 2007. "I've been here since I was eight and I've never wanted to play anywhere else," he said. Justified his promotion by almost single-handedly guiding Liverpool to fourth place.

Did you know?
Gerrard's superb strike against United in March 2001 was voted Liverpool's best Premiership goal.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.