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.

David Villa

Player Information

Full name: David Villa Sánchez
Date of birth: December 03, 1981
Birthplace: Langreo, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 175 cms
Weight: 69 kgs

Club: Valencia
Position: Forward [C]
Squad Number: 7
Contract expires: June 2014
Previous clubs: Sporting Gijon B > Sporting Gijon > (€2.5m) Zaragoza > (€12m) Valencia

International debut: February 2005, v San Marino
International Caps: 33
International Goals: 18
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA European Football Championship (2008)

Spanish Copa del Rey (2004, 2008)
Spanish Super Cup (2004)

UEFA European Football Championship Top Scorer (2008)

Biography

1981
Born December 3 in Langreo, Spain.
2006
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
2008
April 16: Helped Valencia CF to rescue a disappointing season by claiming the Copa del Rey following a 3-1 final win over Getafe CF.
June 10: David Villa won the Carlsberg Man of the Match award not only for his three goals but for displaying the vision, energy and speed of thought, during Spain's 4-1 defeat of Russia. He became one of only seven strikers, including legends Michel Platini and Marco van Basten, to have hit a treble at a UEFA European Championship.
June 14: Scored in the 90+2 minute to hand Spain a dramatic 2-1 victory against Sweden in Innsbruck to be named Carlsberg Man of the Match. The victory guarantee Spain's presence in the UEFA Euro 2008 quarter-finals as Group D winners.
June 29: Crowned top scorer at UEFA EURO 2008 despite missing the final because of a thigh injury incurred in semifinal's 3-0 win against Russia.
June 30: Selected by the UEFA Technical Team in the official UEFA EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament.

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.

Francesc Fabregas

Player Information

Full name: Francesc Fábregas Soler
Date of birth: May 04, 1987
Birthplace: Arenys de Mar, Catalonia, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 177 cms
Weight: 69 kgs

Club: Arsenal
Position: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder [C]
Squad Number: 4
Contract expires: June 2014
Previous clubs: (youth) Barcelona > Arsenal

International debut: March 2005, v China
International Caps: 24
International Goals: 0
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA European Football Championship (2008)

English FA Cup (2005)

FIFA U-17 World Cup MVP (2003)
FIFA U-17 World Cup Top Scorer (2003)
English FA Premier League Young Footballer of the Year (2008)

Biography

1987
Born May 4 in Arenys de Mar, Catalonia, Spain.
2003
August: Member of the Spanish team that reached the FIFA U-17 World Championship final in Finland, scoring 5 goals.
2005
March: Becomes the youngest player to debut for Spain in 63 years when he played in an exhibition game against China at 18.
June: Member of the Spanish team that reached the FIFA World Youth Championship quarterfinals.
2006
July: Short-listed for the best young player at the 2006 FIFA World Cup award.
August 12: Declared he is happy at Arsenal. "At my age - or any age - I do not think there is a better club to be at than Arsenal," he added.
August 14: Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon admitted that Fabregas will not now arrive at the club this season.
September 12: Arsene Wenger revealed that midfielder Cesc Fabregas will sign a new eight-year contract.
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
2007
February 25: Member of the "Young Arsenal" squad that lost the English League Cup final against Chelsea 1-2 in the Millennium Stadium.
2008
April 27: Voted Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year, in the same ceremony he was also included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
June 29: Won the UEFA Euro 2008 with Spain after defeating Germany 1-0 in the final. He contributed to the team effort but was overshadowed by his midfield peers.
June 30: Selected by the UEFA Technical Team in the official UEFA EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Fabregas is being groomed to become Spain’s midfield playmaker of the future. The Arsenal youngster has so far passed every test with flying colours, holding his place in a star-studded line-up in the Premiership and in the UEFA Champions League. A brilliant passer with an eye for goal, Fabregas won the Golden Boot and the most valuable player award at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship. He also starred for Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship before making his senior debut in March 2006.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Spanish midfield playmaker Cesc Fabregas is a brilliant passer of the ball with an eye for goal and is one of a crop of outstanding youngsters beginning to establish themselves at Highbury.

National team
Fabregas was voted the player of the tournament at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship and won the Golden Boot after his six goals helped Spain reach the final. He was a key member of the Spanish squad in the 2004 UEFA Under-17 European Championship, and scored a vital 89th-minute goal against England to take the team through to the final. Has since stepped up to U21 level.

Club
Despite coming through the ranks at FC Barcelona, Fabregas moved to Arsenal FC in September 2003 at the age of 16 having never played a first-team game at Camp Nou.

2003: After impressing with the reserves, he became the youngest player to feature in the Arsenal first team when, at 16 years and 177 days, he made his debut in the English League Cup against Rotherham United FC on 28 October.

2004/05: Fabregas made his Premiership debut in the 4-1 win away to Everton FC on the opening day of the season and went on to start 24 matches as Arsenal finished second in the league. He opened his Premiership scoring account in the 3-0 win against Blackburn Rovers FC on 25 August and scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in December's 5-1 victory against Rosenborg BK.

Did you know?
Fabregas is the youngest-ever Arsenal goalscorer, having found the net at the age of 16 years and 212 days in the 5-1 League Cup win against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in December 2003.

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

Fernando Torres

Player Information

Full name: Fernando José Torres Sanz
Date of birth: April 20, 1984
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 183 cms
Weight: 70 kgs

Club: Liverpool
Position: Forward [L, C]
Squad Number: 9
Contract expires: June 2013
Previous clubs: Atletico Madrid > (€30m) Liverpool

International debut: September 2003, v Portugal
International Caps: 47
International Goals: 15
World Cups: Germany 2006

Awards

UEFA European Football Championship (2008)

Spanish Segunda División (2001)

Biography

1984
Born April 20 in Madrid, Spain.
2001
May 6: Was top scorer and named player of the tournament when Spain won the European Under-16 Championship.
May 27: Made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old when Atletico Madrid were in the Spanish second division. In only his second appearance he produced a virtuoso match-winning performance against Albacete that brought the house down at the Vicente Calderon.
September: Member of the Spanish team that was eliminated in the first round of the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.
2002
July 28: Was top scorer and named player of the tournament when Spain won the European Under-19 Championship.
2003
September 6: Earned his first senior cap for Spain in a 3-0 friendly win against Portugal at the age of 19.
2004
April 28: Scored his first international goal in a friendly against Italy.
2006
August 12: Fernando Torres has indicated his wish to sign an improved contract with Atlético Madrid.
September 04: Fernando Torres has agreed a one-year contract extension with Atlético Madrid, keeping him until 2009.
October 17: Included among the 50 nominees for the European Footballer of the Year Award.
2007
June 30: Liverpool are on the brink of sealing a club record £26.5m deal to sign Fernando Torres. Luis Garcia is likely to go in the opposite direction for £4.5m, but the deal will collapse if he rejects the switch.
July 4: One day after passing a medical at Liverpool, Torres completed his €30m move to Anfield. The deal shattered Liverpool's previous club transfer record, the £14m paid to Auxerre for Djibril Cisse three seasons ago. It also made him the most expensive Spanish player in history.
September 25: Fernando Torres hit a second-half hat-trick to earn Liverpool a 4-2 win over Reading and a place in the fourth round of the English League Cup.
2008
March 5: Torres struck a hat-trick to help Liverpool FC overwhelm West Ham United FC 4-0 in the English Premier League.
April 27: Included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
May 11: Set a record for the highest league tally by a foreign player in his Premier League debut season for Liverpool, surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy's mark of 23 league goals in the final game of the 2007-08 campaign against Tottenham to reach the milestone of 24.
June 29: Torres took the Carlsberg Man of the March award for his display in Spain' 1-0 final victory over Germany at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna in which he scored the only goal of the match to end his country's 44-year wait for a major international title.
June 30: Selected by the UEFA Technical Team in the official UEFA EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament.
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.
December 2: Claimed 179 points to finish third after Cristiano Ronaldo (446) and Lio Messi (281) in the European Footballer of the Year Award.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Atletico Madrid starlet Torres is being monitored by a host of major European clubs following his excellent performances in the Spanish top flight. The 22-year-old forward was Spain’s top scorer in 2006 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying, scoring seven goals in eleven matches. Earlier in his career, Torres led Spain to win both the 2001 UEFA U-16 and the 2002 UEFA U-19 Championships, and he also played at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship. He failed to score in three appearances for Spain during UEFA Euro 2004.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A technically-gifted attacking player with a dazzling turn of pace, Fernando Torres possesses self-confidence and ability in equal abundance.

National team
Torres enjoyed a magnificent career with Spain's representative sides, earning a place in the youth football pantheon by scoring the only goal of the 2001 UEFA European Under-16 Championship final against France and repeating the feat against Germany at Under-19 level the following summer.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Promoted from the Under-21s for the September 2003 victory against Ukraine, Torres played once more as Spain qualified for Portugal, 69 minutes of the first leg of the play-off victory against Norway.

Club
Torres has been a key component in Club Atlético de Madrid's attack since scoring on his debut against Albacete Balompié in June 2001 aged 17. He scored six goals in 38 games in his first full campaign, 2001/02, and 13 in 29 the next to establish himself as a leading light in the Primera División.

2003/04: Agreed new terms with Atlético which will tie him to the club until 30 June 2008. "This is a dream for me, it is what I wanted to happen," Torres said. His superb season was not reflected in Atlético's final league position - just outside the European placings in seventh. Strikes against Real Betis Balompié and Sevilla FC were candidates for goal of the season. He continued to mature and surpassed his goal total from the previous year, scoring 19 times.

Did you know?
Torres missed a penalty in his second international against Ukraine.

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

Xavi Hernandez

Player Information

Full name: Xavier Hernández Creus
Date of birth: January 25, 1980
Birthplace: Terrassa, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
EU passport: Yes
Height: 175 cms
Weight: 68 kgs

Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Defensive Midfielder [C]
Squad Number: 6
Contract expires: June 2010
Previous clubs: (youth) Barcelona

International debut: November 2000, v Netherlands
International Caps: 63
International Goals: 5
World Cups: Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006

Awards

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

UEFA Champions League (2006)

Spanish La Liga (1999, 2005, 2006)
Spanish Super Cup (2005, 2006)

UEFA European Football Championship Player of the Tournament (2008)

Biography

1980
Born January 25 in Terrassa, 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.
2000
September: Member of the Spanish team that won the Silver Medal at the Sydney Olympic Games.
2005
December: Tears ligaments in his right knee during training. Xavi got hurt in a clash with Brazilian midfielder Edmilson.
2006
March: Resumes training almost 4 months after injury.
April: Returns to action after suffering a serious knee injury when he came on as a second-half substitute during Barcelona 1-0 Primera Liga win at home to Cadiz.
May: Helps FC Barcelona to win its second straight Spanish league title and 18th overall.
June 14: In a game in which a number of Spanish players stood out, Xavi was named Budweiser Man of the Match for being the primary creative figure in Spain's 4-0 victory over Ukraine.
August 20: Helped FC Barcelona to won their first trophy of the new season as they defeated Espanyol 3-0 in the second leg of the Super Cup in Camp Nou.
December 17: Played in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2006 as Barcelona is defeated by Brazil's Internacional with a late-goal in Yokohama.
2008
April 29: Member of the FC Barcelona team that lost the UEFA Champions League semifinal against Manchester United, 1-2 aggregate score.
June 29: Won the UEFA Euro 2008 with Spain after defeating Germany 1-0 in the final. Xavi displayed all of his classy playmaking skills and ran the show in the middle.
June 30: Named the Castrol Player of the Tournament for UEFA EURO 2008 after his stirring displays helped his country to the title. His ability to dictate the pace of the game from midfield brought him to the attention of the UEFA Technical Team who decide upon the Castrol Player of the Tournament, taking into account votes from the public.
October 27: Included in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year.

FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Xavi Hernandez is a product of the FC Barcelona youth system, moulded in the image of his boyhood hero, Josep Guardiola, his predecessor in the Barcelona engine room. Xavi joined the club at the age of 11, making swift and impressive progress through their junior teams.
In the summer of 1998, the Spanish Supercup was the setting for Xavi’s first appearance in the senior side, marking his debut with a goal on an unforgettable day for the young star. The following season, Xavi was called into service following an injury to team captain Guardiola and he never looked back.

As the years have gone by, Xavi’s importance to the Barcelona cause has continued to grow, having remained an automatic choice in the side despite a host of coaching changes at the Camp Nou. His outstanding performances at the heart of the Azulgrana midfield saw him make his debut for the senior national team in 2000, although the gifted young Spaniard had already amassed a wealth of international experience. Xavi was a member of the golden generation that triumphed at the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999, and a year later helped his side to a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Prodigious talent
Xavi is a magnificent reader of the game and an excellent ball-winner. Besides which, the visionary playmaker is a creative genius and is outstanding going forward, being able to dictate the pace of the game almost at will. Xavi has an uncanny knack for picking the right moment to pierce the opposition defence with a perfectly-weighted through ball.

Hard work and skill earned him a place in the Spanish squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, although he played just 124 minutes in the Far East. Having featured in almost every qualifying game in the lead-up to UEFA Euro 2004, then coach Inaki Saez decided against using him at the tournament on Portuguese soil. Despite these disappointments, Xavi has become a key figure for Spain since the appointment of veteran coach Luis Aragones. The stocky midfielder broke his national team scoring duck in a friendly against China, and is becoming a more familiar face at set-pieces thanks to his formidable long-range shooting ability.

Unfortunately for the Barcelona star, a serious knee injury had seen his involvement at Germany 2006 cast into doubt. Nevertheless, his determination and hard-work in recovery have kept his FIFA World Cup dream alive, with the Spanish fans desperate to see him back in action and pulling the strings in midfield.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

An FC Barcelona stalwart, Xavi Hernández filled the midfield anchorman role left by Josep Guardiola at his club and proves an integral squad member for Spain.

National team
Having played under Iñaki Sáez in the side that won the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, Xavi's senior Spain debut came in November 2000 against the Netherlands, and he later won his way into the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. He played three times in Korea/Japan, but did not make it off the bench at UEFA EURO 2004™. However, he won a regular starting place in 2006 World Cup qualifying, and scored his first goal for Spain in a 3-0 friendly win against China.

Club
A product of the Barcelona academy, Xavi's debut in the first team was in the 1998 Spanish Super Cup against RCD Mallorca. Barcelona went on to win the league that season, with Xavi making 17 appearances and scoring a vital goal against Real Valladolid. He was soon a regular, and in 2001/02 played 14 times in their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. One of the great moments of his career came in April 2004 as he scored the late winner that secured Barcelona's first victory at Real Madrid CF since November 1997, the Catalan side later claiming second place behind Valencia CF.

2004/05: Once again Xavi was the catalyst in many of the team's domestic and European wins. He missed just two league matches on the way to the title and scored three goals including a stunning, swerving volley to hand Barça victory against Albacete Balompié on 11 December. He was rewarded at the end of the season with a three-year contract extension until June 2010.

Did you know?
Xavi has turned down a number of big-money offers in order to stay with his beloved Barça.

©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.

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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.

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