Sergio Ramos

Player Information

Full name: Sergio Ramos García
Date of birth: March 30, 1986
Birthplace: Sevilla, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 183 cms
Weight: 73 kgs

Club: Real Madrid
Position: Defender [R, C]
Squad Number: 4
Previous clubs: Sevilla > (€27m) Real Madrid

International debut: March 2005, v China
International Caps: 32
International Goals: 4
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA European Football Championship (2008)

Spanish La Liga (2007, 2008)


Biography

1986
Born March 30 in Sevilla, Spain.
2007
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.
2008
May 4: Helped Real Madrid to win its 31st Primera Division title.
June 29: Won the UEFA Euro 2008 with Spain after defeating Germany 1-0 in the final. Started nervously, and made a horrendous error that could have gifted an early goal to Klose. However he improved greatly as the game wore on.
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.

Raul Gonzalez

Player Information

Full name: Raúl González Blanco
Date of birth: June 27, 1977
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 180 cms
Weight: 68 kgs

Club: Real Madrid
Position: Forward [L, C]
Squad Number: 7
Contract expires: June 2011 (his contract will be extended each season if he plays 30 competitive games)
Previous clubs: none

International debut: October 1996, v Czech Republic
International Caps: 102
International Goals: 44
World Cups: France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002)
Intercontinental Cup (1998, 2002)
UEFA Super Cup (2002)

Spanish La Liga (1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008)
Spanish Super Cup (1997, 2003)

Intercontinental Cup MVP (1998)
Spanish La Liga Top Scorer (1998, 2001)
UEFA Champions League Top Scorer (2001)
Spanish La Liga Player of the Season (2008)

Biography

1977
Born June 27 in Madrid.
1992
Joined Real Madrid after city rivals Atletico closed down their youth team set-up.
1994
At the age of 17, made first team debut against Real Zaragoza on October 29. Scored first goal a week later against his former club Atlético Madrid.
1995
April: Member of the Spanish team that reached the FIFA World Youth Championship semifinals in Qatar.
May: Won first league title with Real Madrid.
1997
Won second league. Also won Spanish Super Cup after 5-3 aggregate victory over Barcelona.
1998
Helped Real Madrid to first European Cup win for 32 years, playing in the final victory over Juventus in Amsterdam. Scored brilliant solo goal in December to give Spain 2-1 victory over Vasco da Gama in World Club Cup final in Japan.
1999
Finished 1998-99 season as "pichichi", the league's top scorer, with 25 goals.
2000
Won Champions League for second time, scoring third goal in 3-0 victory over Valencia in the final. Also voted best forward in the Champions League. Scored one goal in Euro 2000, in 2-1 win over Slovenia, but missed penalty in the final minute of quarter-final against France, consigning Spain to 2-1 defeat.
2001
Voted best forward in the Champions League for second successive season.
Won third league title, finishing season as Spain's leading scorer for second time, with 24 goals.
2002
May: Won third Champions League title, scoring the opener in Real's 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden.
June: Scores three goals in the group stages of the World Cup, but injury against Ireland ruled him out of the quarter-final defeat against South Korea.
July: Appointed captain of Spain.
2003
May: Wins fourth league title, finishing the season with 16 goals.
Breaks Fernando Hierro's record as leading scorer for Spain when he scores his 31st goal in his 59th appearance in Spain's 3-1 friendly win over Germany.
2004
May: Has a poor season, scoring just 11 goals as Real end the campaign without a trophy for the first time in five years.
June: Has a disappointing Euro 2004 failing to score as Spain go out in the first round.
2005
November: Equals Alfredo Di Stefano's all-time record of 49 goals in the European Cup.
2006
May: Awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit for an exemplary eleven years with Madrid and a decade with the Spanish national team.
August 15: Played his 100th international cap in a goalless draw with Iceland.
September 29: Spain coach Luis Aragones dropped captain Raul Gonzalez from the national squad for the first time in 10 years as his team prepares to face Sweden in next month's Euro 2008 qualifier.
2007
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.
2008
March 8: Raul Gonzalez scored his 200th Spanish league goal to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win over Espanyol. Raul converted a 74th-minute penalty that was awarded after he was pulled by defender Daniel Jarque at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
April 11: Spain coach Luis Aragones left out Raul from a list of 31 names called upon to have inoculations for the European Championships.
May 4: Helped Real Madrid to win its 31st Primera Division title.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Former Spain captain Fernando Hierro once described his young Real Madrid team-mate Raul as “a Ferrari who is going to overtake us all and break every record in Spanish football”. How right he was. Raul Gonzalez Blanco, who replaced Hierro as captain at both national team and club level, has already cemented his place among the greatest players in world football history.
Raul has spent his entire professional career at Real Madrid, although he only joined Los Blancos when local rivals Atletico de Madrid dismantled their youth set-up. Fate would have it that the young striker’s first Primera Division goal would come against his boyhood club, the team his father supports. Since his debut season as a raw 17-year-old, Raul has played a vital role in his side’s success, his name becoming synonymous with the Real Madrid cause. He has won three UEFA Champions League medals, two Intercontinental Cups, four Primera Liga titles and one European Supercup among other honours during his record-breaking career.

His national team debut came at the age of 19 against the Czech Republic in Prague, in a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier ahead of France 98. Raul was part of the Spanish squad during the tournament, but was powerless to prevent his side’s first-round exit, despite scoring a cracking goal against Nigeria. At UEFA Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, the young striker would endure yet more heartbreak, missing a crucial last-minute penalty in the quarter-final clash with eventual winners France.

Injury absence
Korea/Japan 2002 was Raul’s second appearance on world football’s biggest stage, and he did not disappoint, scoring three goals in his side’s first four games. A groin injury kept him out of Spain’s decisive quarter-final clash with Korea Republic, forcing him to watch from the sidelines as his team-mates lost on penalties.

Married with four children, Raul is a family man at heart, a shy and retiring individual who celebrates every goal with a trademark kiss of his wedding ring. However, Raul’s personality changes once he crosses that white line, his fierce competitiveness and innate leadership skills are there for all to see. An incredible eye for goal, great technique and tireless work-rate make him a nightmare for any defence.

On 12 February 2003, Raul became the highest scorer in Spanish national team history as he overtook his friend Hierro’s 31-goal total with a hat-trick against Germany. Despite clearly struggling for form last season, Raul’s indefatigable will to win made him a key part of national team coach Luis Aragones’s tactical plans.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A natural finisher who started out as a midfield player, Raúl González's predatory instincts, unstinting desire and exemplary scoring record mark him out as the golden boy of Spanish football.

National team
Since making his international debut against the Czech Republic in October 1996, Raúl has become Spain's leading scorer of all-time with more than 40 goals. Brilliant in qualifying tournaments, he missed a penalty in the last minute of the UEFA EURO 2000™ quarter-final against France as Spain went home early. Touted as a potential star of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he began well enough, scoring three goals, but a groin injury ruled him out of the quarter-final with the Korean Republic which Spain lost on penalties. The Spanish captain was a central figure in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2004™, appearing in ten games and scoring in both play-off matches against Norway, although he failed to score in the finals in Portugal. Remains a leader under Luis Aragonés.

Club
Born in the capital, Raúl started out with Club Atlético de Madrid. Yet the fact he replaced Real Madrid CF great Emilio Butragueño on his top-flight debut at the age of 17 gave a clear indication of things to come. Raúl is the highest scorer still active in Spain's Primera División, having finished top of the Pichichi charts in 1999 and 2001. He is certainly a big-match performer, having hit the third goal in Madrid's victory against Valencia CF in the 2000 UEFA Champions League final, another in the 2002 final win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and the clincher against CR Vasco da Gama in the 1998 European/South American Cup. Raúl's form dipped following EURO 2000™ but he rediscovered his touch to finish top scorer in the Champions League for two years running, and won a Spanish championship in 2003. The following season, he had one spell of almost three months without a league goal and scored just twice in the Champions League, though he did sign a new long-term contract.

2004/05: Raúl was not the force of old but was a tireless worker. Scored nine times in the league, including a strike against eternal rivals FC Barcelona in a 4-2 home win on 10 April.

Did you know?
Raúl's contract, which runs until 2010, reportedly has a buy-out clause of €180m.

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

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A natural finisher who started out as a midfield player, Raúl González's predatory instincts, unstinting desire and exemplary scoring record mark him out as the golden boy of Spanish football.

National team
Since making his international debut against the Czech Republic in October 1996, Raúl's performances for Spain have very much mirrored the nation's fortunes. Brilliant in qualifying tournaments, he missed a penalty in the last minute of the UEFA EURO 2000™ quarter-final with France and Spain went home early. Touted as a potential star of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he began well enough, scoring three goals, but a groin injury ruled him out of the quarter-final with the Korean Republic which Spain lost on penalties.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
The Spanish captain was a central figure in qualifying, appearing in ten games. Raúl struck five times in Group 6 before scoring in both play-off matches against Norway.

Club
Born in the capital, Raúl started out with Club Atlético de Madrid. Yet the fact he replaced Real Madrid CF great Emilio Butragueño on his top-flight debut at the age of 17 gave a clearer indication of things to come. Raúl is the highest scorer still active in Spain's Primera División, having finished top of the Pichichi charts in 1999 and 2001. He is certainly a big-match performer, having hit the third goal in Madrid's victory over Valencia CF in the 2000 UEFA Champions League final, another in the win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen two years later, and the clincher against CR Vasco da Gama in the 1998 European/South American Cup. Raúl's form dipped following EURO 2000™ but he rediscovered his touch to finish top scorer in the Champions League for two years running, adding a Spanish championship in 2003.

2003/04: Managed eleven goals in 35 Spanish league games but went almost three months without a league goal. Raúl scored just twice in the Champions League before Madrid bowed out to AS Monaco FC in the quarter-finals.

Did you know?
Raúl's contract with Madrid runs until 2005 and reportedly has a buy-out clause of €190m.

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

Iker Casillas

Player Information

Full name: Íker Casillas Fernández
Date of birth: May 20, 1981
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 185 cms
Weight: 70 kgs

Club: Real Madrid
Position: Goalkeeper
Squad Number: 1
Contract expires: June 2017 (his contract will be extended each season if he plays 30 competitive games)
Previous clubs: none

International debut: June 2000, v Sweden
International Caps: 87
International Goals: 0
World Cups: Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006

Awards

FIFA U-20 World Cup (1999)
UEFA European Football Championship (2008)

UEFA Champions League (2000, 2002)
Intercontinental Cup (2002)
Spanish La Liga (2001, 2003, 2007, 2008)
UEFA Super Cup (2002)
Spanish Super Cup (2003)

U-21 European Footballer of the Year (2000)

Biography

1981
Born May 20 in Madrid, Spain.
1997
September: Member of the Spanish team that reached the FIFA U-17 World Championship semifinals in Egypt.
1999
April: Member of the Spanish team that won the FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria.
2005
November: Extends Real Madrid contract until 2011.
2007
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.
2008
May 4: Helped Real Madrid to win its 31st Primera Division title.
June 22: Casillas was the penalty shoot-out hero as Spain held their collective nerve to throw out the record book and claim a UEFA Euro 2008 semi-final against Russia. Before this night Spain had lost three quarter-final penalty shoot-outs on 22 June but they stopped the rot at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, prevailing 4-2 on spot-kicks after 120 minutes had failed to produce a goal. Although Gianluigi Buffon saved from Daniel Guiza, Casillas denied Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale, allowing Cesc Fabregas to step up and send his side through.
June 29: Won the UEFA Euro 2008 with Spain after defeating Germany 1-0 in the final. Casillas dealed with everything that came his way, basically crosses and no spectacular saves.
June 30: Selected by the UEFA Technical Team in the official UEFA EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament.
October 15: Conceded a goal in the 7th minute of Spain's 2-1 away victory at Belgium to finish his (and Pepe Reina's) record of 717 minutes without conceding a goal in the Spanish national team. Iker Casillas also held the "individual" award after remaining a total of 617 minutes without conceding a goal while playing for the Spanish team.
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

It is often said that being a goalkeeper is a thankless task, but prodigious displays between the sticks by Iker Casillas have seen him rise to the top of world football in record time.
Casillas was born in Mostoles (Madrid) on 20 May 1981, and the 25-year-old has already acquired a medal collection the envy of many an older man. Casillas claims that he only became a goalkeeper under duress, stuck between the goalposts while his football-mad father peppered him with shots. The practice certainly came in handy as the eight-year-old Casillas was soon snapped up by Spanish giants Real Madrid following a successful trial at the Bernabeu.

Focused, cool under pressure, agile, and blessed with lightning reflexes, Casillas is solidity personified, a defender’s dream. Fearless and quick off his line, Casillas specialises in one-on-one situations and is not afraid to give his senior defensive colleagues a good ear-bashing, should the situation arise.

At the age of 17, Casillas was pulled out of his high-school art class with the news that he was in the squad for Madrid’s upcoming UEFA Champions League game. He may have been an unused substitute on that occasion, but within a year he would be an established member of the first-team squad. Casillas continued to impress the Madrid coaching staff, gradually gaining the edge in the battle for a starting role as Los Blancos won the Primera Liga title. Having started the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League Final in Glasgow as a substitute, Casillas leapt off the bench to replace his injured colleague and almost single-handedly kept Madrid in the game, pulling off a series of incredible saves to deny a rampant Bayer Leverkusen side.

Youth success
His talent did not go unnoticed by the national team coaching staff, who were quick to select him for Spain’s youth categories. Casillas was part of a Spanish squad that took gold at the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999, although he was not the first-choice goalkeeper.

Casillas made his debut for the senior side on 3 June 2000 in a friendly match prior to UEFA Euro 2000, although he would remain second in line behind Valencia’s Santiago Canizares at the finals. He made the Spanish number one jersey his own in qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, playing in nearly every game for La Furia Roja (The Red Fury). At the tournament, he became a key figure in the Spanish line-up as they reached the quarter-finals by defeating the Republic of Ireland on penalties. However, there was little Casillas could do when Spain went out against hosts Korea Republic in the last eight.

Having won the hearts and minds of followers of Spanish football, it would be his performances during the 2004/05 campaign that earned him the nickname ‘Saint Iker’. Casillas conceded just 30 goals in 36 appearances for Real Madrid that season, and has become something of a life insurance policy in recent years for a Madrid side not known for its defensive solidity. At national team level, he continues to be Spain’s undisputed first-choice, despite fierce competition from the likes of Pepe Reina, Víctor Valdes and Santiago Canizares.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Still a youngster in goalkeeping terms, Iker Casillas has gained a huge reputation in European football. A shot-stopper par excellence, the Real Madrid CF player is gradually developing the commanding presence in his area which could make him an all-time great.

National team
Following his international debut against Sweden, Casillas was an unused substitute at UEFA EURO 2000™. However, he was first choice two years later at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, and enjoyed hero status after Spain knocked out the Republic of Ireland in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the quarter-finals. Casillas played in Spain's entire 13-game UEFA EURO 2004™ campaign, and showed excellent form in subsequent 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

Club
Born in Madrid in 1981, Casillas' entire career has been spent with his hometown club, whom he joined as an eight-year old. His breakthrough came in 1999/00 when, still taking public transport to training as he had no driving licence, he replaced the injured Bodo Illgner and played in Madrid's UEFA Champions League triumph in an all-Spanish final against Valencia CF. Loss of form subsequently allowed César Sánchez to take the No1 jersey but Casillas reclaimed the limelight after replacing the veteran in the 2001/02 Champions League final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and preserving Madrid's 2-1 lead with a series of fine saves. He was first choice again as Madrid claimed the 2002/03 Spanish title.

2004/05: Widely lauded as the team’s best player, a smattering of outstanding performances saw him hailed as 'Saint Iker' in the national press, conceding only 30 goals in 36 Primera División matches for the runners-up.

Did you know?
Casillas' father almost won a small fortune on the football pools but young Iker forgot to hand in the winning slip.

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