- Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane, popularly nicknamed Zizou, is a French former football midfielder who played for four European clubs, including Juventus FC and Real Madrid. As a member and later captain of the French national team he participated in two World Cup finals - including winning the tournament in 1998 - and in three European Championships, winning that tournament in 2000. Having gained fame in Europe as a playmaker for Juventus, …
- David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (pronounced) (born 2 May 1975) is an English professional football (soccer) midfielder who plays for Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy. He is also currently a member of the England national team. He was twice chosen runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, and as recently as 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004.
- Michael Owen
Michael James Owen (born December 14, 1979, in Chester, Cheshire) is an English football player currently with Newcastle United. He has also played for Liverpool (1996–2004) and Real Madrid (2004-05). He plays as a striker and has enjoyed a hugely successful and high-profile career at both club and international level and was the European Footballer of the Year in 2001. Owen is currently England's 4th highest scorer of all time, with 37 goals in 82 games for his country, …
- Johan Cruijff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff - often spelled Cruyff outside the Netherlands; see IJ (digraph)); born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager/coach and former player. He was named European Footballer of the Year three times (1971, 1973, 1974) which is a record jointly held with Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. Cruijff was the most famous exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football, developed by Rinus Michels.
- Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinius van Nistelrooy (originally spelled "Van Nistelrooij") (born July 1, 1976 in Oss, North Brabant) is a Dutch footballer who plays in the position of centre forward for Real Madrid and the the Dutch national team. He has previously starred for Manchester United, where he holds the record for being the club's top scorer in European competition.
- Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez, popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi and Hugol, is a Mexican former football striker who played for four European clubs, including Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid. As a member Mexico national team he participated in three World Cups. Sánchez played twelve seasons in the Spanish "Primera División" and is the second highest goalscorer in the history of that league.
- Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former football superstar. He played in four World Cups and received a FIFA award: "FIFA Internet Player of the Century", after being voted in an international fan poll organized by FIFA in 2000 to choose the best football player of all time. Maradona won various trophies with Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli over the course of his career.
- Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco, usually referred to simply as Raúl, is a Spanish football forward. He has been playing for Real Madrid at senior level since 1994, where he is the team captain. He has played more than 100 games for the Spanish national team, and is its all-time leading goal scorer with 47 goals. He represented Spain in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments.
- Christian Vieri
Christian "Bobo" Vieri (born July 12, 1973 in Bologna, Italy) is an Italian football striker. He is currently unattached, having left Atalanta at the end of June 2007.
- Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc is a retired French football defender, who scored the first golden goal in World Cup history. Blanc is considered to be one of the great centre-halves of the 90s, eclipsed only by Franco Baresi. For France, Blanc played in Euro 92, reached the semi-finals in Euro 96, and won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. He was also well-known for kissing good friend and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez's head before the start of every match, …
- Henrik Larsson
Henrik Edward Larsson MBE (born September 20, 1971 in Helsingborg, Skåne) is a Swedish footballer. Larsson is best known for seven successful years with Scottish club Celtic. He subsequently had a two-year spell at Barcelona of Spain, where he won the Champions League. Having left Barcelona in the summer of 2006, he returned to his home town club of Helsingborgs IF. He later joined Manchester United on a short term loan in January 2007, …
- Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo "Frank" Rijkaard (born September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. Rijkaard has played for AFC Ajax, Real Zaragoza and AC Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. Since 2003 he has been the manager of FC Barcelona. He is of Surinamese descent.
- Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol i Saforcada (born April 13, 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish footballer who is the current team captain of FC Barcelona. He is a regular in the Spanish national team. Puyol played for Spain at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup; Puyol has been capped over 60 times. He has also played for the unofficial Catalonia national football team in one friendly.
- Xabi Alonso
Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Basque Country Spain, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Liverpool F.C.. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. Alonso has gained the reputation as being one of the best passers of the ball in the world. He also has a reputation for scoring spectacular long range goals, …
- Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov alternatively spelt Stoitchkov (born February 8, 1966, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria) is a football manager and former striker who was a member of the Bulgaria national team that finished fourth at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Apart from his footballing talent, he was notable for his on-pitch temper. He was honoured as European Footballer of the Year in 1994.
- Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier Vilalta, also known as José Samitier, was a Spanish/Catalan footballer, manager and scout who played for FC Barcelona, Madrid CF, OGC Nice, the Catalan XI and Spain. He later coached Athletic Madrid, OGC Nice and CF Barcelona and worked as a scout for both CF Barcelona and Real Madrid. During his playing career with FC Barcelona he scored 326 goals and is second only to Paulino Alcántara as the clubs all time top goalscorer.
- Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora Martínez was a Spanish from Catalonia, footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Español, FC Barcelona and Madrid CF. As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain. As a manager he won two La Liga titles with Atlético Madrid and briefly managed Spain. Zamora, nicknamed "El Divino", was noted for wearing a cloth cap and a white polo-neck jumper on the field, …
- David Albelda
David Albelda Aliqués is a Spanish football player. Albelda is currently captain of Valencia CF. He has also played for Spain and won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also played in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. Albelda has also been part of the Spanish squad in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2006 FIFA World Cup. Albelda is a defensive midfielder who started his career as a centre-back. He is best known for his leadership skills.
- Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás, as Puskás Ferenc or Ferenc Puskas Biro, was a legendary Hungarian footballer and manager, one of the greatest players of all times. He scored 84 goals in 85 internationals for Hungary, and 511 goals in 533 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. Puskás played for Honvéd and Hungary before joining Real Madrid and going on to play for Spain.
- Michael Laudrup
Michael Laudrup (born June 15, 1964) is a Danish former professional football player and manager. He is now manager of Spanish club Getafe CF. His most prominent run of football came with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he won four straight "La Liga" championships, as well as the 1992 European Cup. He most famously moved to arch rivals Real Madrid in 1994, with whom he won his fifth "La Liga" title in a row.
- Aleksandr Kerzhakov
Aleksandr Kerzhakov (born November 27, 1982 in Kingisepp) is a Russian international footballer. The striker plays for the Spanish La Liga team Sevilla FC.
- Juan Román Riquelme
Juan Román Riquelme (born June 24, 1978 in San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine professional football attacking midfielder. Riquelme was part of the Argentina national football team that participated in the 2007 Copa América.
- Fernando Morientes
Fernando Morientes Sánchez is a footballer who plays for Valencia. He has previously played for Liverpool, AS Monaco, Albacete, Real Zaragoza and most notably Real Madrid where he played between 1997 and 2005. He was a part of the successful Real Madrid sides that won the UEFA Champions League thrice between 1998 and 2002 (runner-up in 2004 with Monaco), and the Spanish Primera Liga twice.
- Javier Clemente
Javier Clemente Lázaro is a Spanish football manager who is currently manager of Serbia. He became the first manager of the newly created international team on July 21 2006 when he signed a two year contract worth €720,000. The veteran La Liga manager has spent most of his career at two clubs, Athletic Bilbao and RCD Espanyol. Between 1992 and 1998 he managed Spain and went 31 games unbeaten.
- Vladimir Beschastnykh
Vladimir Yevgenyevich Beschastnykh (born April 1, 1974 in Moscow) is a Russian football striker, the all-time goal leader for the Russian national team. In his club career that started in 1991, Beschastnykh played for "Zvezda Moscow", Spartak Moscow, Werder Bremen, Racing Santander, Fenerbahçe, and Kuban Krasnodar. In the 2004-2005 season he played for FC Orel in Russia's First Liga (second-level division after Premier Liga).
- Luis Aragonés
José Luis Aragonés Suárez Martinez, sometimes referred to as simply Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and current manager. He is currently the coach of Spain. Aragonés has spent the majority of his career as a player and coach at Atlético Madrid. He was a prominent player and then coach of the successful Atlético team of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Gianluca Zambrotta
Gianluca Zambrotta, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI, (born February 19, 1977 in Como) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer. He is extremely fast, and plays either as a full-back defender, or a side midfielder for both club and country. Considered by many the best outside back in the world, he currently plays for FC Barcelona with a contract until 2010. He is married to his wife, Valentina.
- Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960 in Leicester) is a former English international football striker who scored ten goals in two World Cups for the England national team and is currently a sports broadcaster for the BBC. He is also known for appearing in adverts for the Walkers crisp brand. It was his sense of positioning and tap-ins that made him one of England's most prolific strikers of all-time, …
- Hugo Maradona
Hugo Hernán Maradona, also known as El Turco, is an Argentine Association football coach. A former youth international, he previously played for clubs in Argentina, Europe, and Japan. Hugo Maradona is one of two lesser known brothers of Diego Maradona. Nevertheless, Hugo Maradona was able to accomplish celebrity on his own, becoming a well liked player in Japan and Italy as well as in his native Argentina.
- Paul Breitner
Paul Breitner (born September 5, 1951 in Kolbermoor, West Germany) was a German football player. One of Germany's most controversial players, he was capped 48 times for his country. His football career lasted from 1970 until 1983, mainly playing for Bayern Munich (1970-74 and 1978-83) and Real Madrid (1974-78), with a short intermezzo in Braunschweig. His early success was as a free roaming left back, …
- Julen Guerrero
Julen Guerrero López is a retired Basque footballer who played as a midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, Spain and the Euskadi XI. During the early 1990s he was the golden boy of Spanish and Basque football. He was awarded New Spanish Player of the Year by "El País" in 1993 and then was awarded Spanish Footballer of the Year by both "Don Balón" and "El País" in 1994.
- Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola Sala (b. Santpedor, Catalonia, Spain, January 18, 1971), also known as Pep Guardiola is a Catalan former football player. He was captain of both FC Barcelona and Spain. He also played for Brescia Calcio, AS Roma, Al-Ahli Doha and Dorados de Sinaloa. Guardiola has also played for and been a strong supporter of the Catalan XI. Guardiola was a product of the "cantera barcelonista", …
- Gonzalo Higuaín
Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín is an Argentine-French footballer. He currently plays as a striker at the Spanish club Real Madrid. Gonzalo Higuaín was born in France whilst his father, professional Argentine footballer Jorge "El Pipa" Higuaín, was playing for Brest, at that time in the French Ligue 1. Having left the country at the age of 10 months, not returning until the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Even though he does not speak French, he holds a French passport, …
- Fernando Couto
Fernando Manuel Silva Couto, <small>OIH</small> (born 2 August 1969; pron. or ) is a Portuguese professional football player, who currently plays as a defender for Parma in the Italian Serie A championship. Couto has played in a number of top clubs in Portugal, Spain and Italy and he has won the national league title of each country, as well as the European UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup trophies.
- Lionel Andres Messi
Lionel Messi (full name Lionel Andres Messi ) was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. He is an Argentine international footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona in the Primera Division, and for the Argentine national team. Biography and Career : He started playing football when he was just five years old at a club which was coached by his father. After three years he moved to...
- Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf (born April 1, 1976 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a Dutch-Surinamese football midfielder, who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He was the first, and to date, the only person to have won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998), and AC Milan (2003, 2007); he has also played for the clubs Sampdoria and Internazionale, and is a member of the Netherlands national team.
- Christian Panucci
Christian Panucci (born 12 April, 1973 in Savona) is an Italian football (soccer) player, who currently plays for AS Roma of Italian Serie A. Panucci is a renowned defender who usually plays on the right-hand side. He is a fierce tackler and can also do some good when going up field. He started playing with Genoa in 1992, and then moved to AC Milan. Panucci later moved to Real Madrid (becoming the first Italian to play for the Spanish powerhouse), Inter, Chelsea, …
- Oleg Salenko
Oleg Anatolyevich Salenko is a former Russian football striker.
- Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper. He is currently the first choice goalkeeper for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He is also the first vice-captain of Spain, as well as one of the vice-captains of Real Madrid.
- Javier Irureta
Javier Iruretagoyena Amianó, also referred to as Javier Irureta is a Spanish/Basque football manager and former player. Irureta had a distinguished career as a forward with both Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Along with Adelardo, Luis Aragonés and José Eulogio Gárate, he was a prominent member of the successful Atlético Madrid team of the early 1970s. As a manager he has coached several La Liga clubs, …