1.
Zinedine Zidane
Zizou was born in Marseille and raised in La Castellane. Though born in Marseille, Zidane has never played for Olympique de Marseille. Zizou career began at age 14, son of Algerian immigrants is seen by a talent scout and offered a place at the Academy of AS Cannes. During the French league, Zizou played for AS Cannes and Bordeaux, before it was bought by Juventus for £ 3 million.
In 2001 Zidane transferred from Italian club, Juventus FC to Real Madrid with a contract for 4 years. Transfer fee of € 66 million, making it a football player with the most expensive transfer in the world. He scored a 2-1 victory against German club, Bayer Leverkusen in the 2001-2002 Champions League Final at Hampden Park in Glasgow. The next year at the 2002 World Cup he only appeared once defended as injury-hit France. In the tournament, the French failed to score one golpun and slumped in the bottom group in the first half that failed to qualify for the next round.
In 2004 after Euro 2004 ends, Zidane retired from international football, but when the French have difficulty escaping to the 2006 World Cup, Zidane announced on August 2005 that he would return to play in the national team. French finally escaped, but the new Zidane through injury-filled season in Madrid, decided that he would step down after the World Cup ends.
On 25 April 2006, Zidane officially announced his decision to quit the club and national team football after the World Cup France 2006. [3]
Zidane in 2004.
On May 7, 2006 Zizou played last game as a host to Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Real Madrid players wore special T-shirt marked "Zidane 2001 - 2006" written below the club logo. As might be expected, Real Madrid fans gave him a warm welcome and support throughout the game Zizou. This match against Villarreal CF and, unfortunately for Zidane, the best results obtained by Real Madrid is the series 3-3. Zizou scored the second goal for Real Madrid without a massive celebration. Zizou traded his T-shirt with Juan Roman Riquelme, Villarreal CF player and Argentine midfielder. At the end of the match, Real Madrid fans say goodbye to Zizou by giving it a long applause, which made him shed tears.World Cup 2006
In two early matches of World Cup 2006, he performed poorly and even had to miss the third match due to yellow card accumulation. Zidane then showed again his best game in the later rounds, starting from the aborted match against Spain 3-1, then defeated Brazil 1-0, and then defeated Portugal 1-0. With the form of game time, many who hope that Zidane will hang with the beautiful shoes by beating Italy in the final, but his career ended when he was red-carded bitter referee Horacio Elizondo in the final match due to gore the Italian defender, Marco Materazzi in the chest.
Although his football career ended a bitter Zidane voted best player of World Cup 2006 version of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and the reporters who covered the event with the gets 2012 points, the Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro in the second position with 1977 points and another Italian, Andrea Pirlo in the top three with 715 points. The reason he was chosen to be the best player because it managed to show a charming appearance and showed good leadership in bringing the French struggled in the group stage to the final round. France coach Domenech and the "Emperor" Beckenbauer defends FIFA's decision to continue to provide the title though Zizou considered doing such stupid act against Materazzi. Materazzi might be saying the words very offensive to the world's best player three times so that makes it into emotions and finally perform the action.
According to a BBC report, the selection carried out on Player of the rest period after the first round. BBC correspondent Gordon Farquhar, argued that "if we ask the journalists who have made the selection after the game ended - whether they would change her voice - maybe they'll do it." [4]
Song called Headbutt inspired by Zinedine Zidane ramming head into Marco Materazzi's chest in the 2006 World Cup final became the most famous songs in France. In two and a half weeks early, there are 80,000 downloaders song on the site.Degree obtained
Zidane, a player who has won all the prestigious world championships, is a true champion. The degree to which he had dedicated to French and his club, among others:
* World Cup (1998)
* European Cup (2000)
* Champions League (2001/2002)
* Toyota Cup (1996, 2002)
* Domestic league:
o A Series (1996/1997, 1997/1998)
o La Liga (2002/2003)
* Runner Up World Cup (2006)
Zidane was elected three times World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003) and once as European Footballer (1998) as well as the Player of the 2006 World Cup.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Birth date: February 5, 1985
Birthplace: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Height: 186.5 cm
Playing position: Left/right winger, striker
First club: Sporting Lisbon
Career debut: 1999 vs Moreirense
Current club:
Real Madrid
International team: Portugal
Int’l debut: August 20, 2003 vs Kazakhstan
Cristiano Ronaldo biography
Ronaldo started playing competitive football for amateur club Andorinha when he was just eight years old, and then for local team CD Nacional when he was 10. He moved to Sporting CP, one of Portugal’s largest football clubs in 1996.
Ronaldo trained in the youth team before making his senior debut in 1999 against Moreirense in which he scored a brace. He made his European debut in a Champions League qualifier against Inter.
Ronaldo first gained international attention when he played for Portugal’s youth team in UEFA U-17 Championships.
Liverpool, under manager Gérard Houllier back then, was reported to have interest in signing Ronaldo. It was also revealed later that Arsenal was closed to signing him before his move to Manchester Utd in 2003.
Ronaldo’s signature came after Sporting defeated United 3–1 in a pre-season friendly. The United players spoke enthusiastically about the winger on their way home, and suggested manager Alex Ferguson to sign the player up, which he did for a price of £12.24 million.
Ronaldo made a memorable debut for United as a substitute against Bolton; his 30 minutes performances created hype with United fans and the English media with his dazzling dribbles. He scored his first goal for the club with a free kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth in November.
Despite promising starts, his first two seasons at the club received mixed reviews. He’s being praised for his technique and skill, but often criticised for lack of consistency and poor decision making on the field.
Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal shortly after being signed by United in a match against Kazakhstan in August 2003. A controversy broke out in World Cup 2006 where Ronaldo was alleged to influence the referee to send off his United team mate and England striker Wayne Rooney in their quarter finals clash.
Ronaldo was being used as the scapegoat for England’s defeat in the World Cup and the hatred towards him had prompted his intention to leave England and United. In the end United managed to keep him, and Ronaldo had a great season in the Premiership against all odds.
Ronaldo won both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year Award in 2007; he’s also voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association; and was the top 3 finalists for both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year awards in 2007.
Ronaldo continued his fine form in the 2007/2008 season, netted in 42 goals in all competition (31 in Premier League), and was again voted as the PFA Player of The Year and Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year.
His performance contributed to United’s double for the season; winning the Premiership in succession as well as bringing home the UEFA Champions League trophy, in which he scored a goal in the final.
Ronaldo was crowned as both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year in 2008.
Ronaldo scored 26 goals in the 2008/09 season, helping United to another Premiership title, and again reached the final of the Champions League in which they lost to Barcelona.
Ronaldo became the world’s most expensive football player following his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in July 2009 in a £80 million transfer. He was welcome by 80,000 fans in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium during his official presentation.
Ronaldo’s Real Madrid career started well and was in untouchable form until his injury in October. He recovered his form soon after and scored 33 goals in his first season for Real, but couldn’t help the club to win any trophies.
Ronaldo captained his national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but they were eliminated at last 16.
Ronaldo broke the La Liga single-season scoring record by netting 40 league goals in 2010/2011. He helped Real to clinch the Copa Del Rey.
2010: Lionel Messi (Argentina, striker at Barcelona)
2009: Lionel Messi (Argentina, striker at Barcelona)
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United midfielder)
2007: Kaka (Brazil, midfielder at AC Milan)
2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Italy, defender at Real Madrid)
2005: Ronaldinho (Brazil, midfielder, Barcelona)
2004: Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine, AC Milan striker)
2003: Pavel Nedved (Czech midfielder for Juventus)
2002: Ronaldo (Brazil, striker at Real Madrid)
2001: Michael Owen (England, Liverpool FC striker)
2000: Luis Figo (Portugal, Real Madrid midfielder)
1999: Rivaldo (Brazil, striker at Barcelona)
1998: Zinedine Zidane (France, Juventus midfielder)
1997: Ronaldo (Brazil, striker at Inter Milan)
1996: Matthias Sammer (Germany, in Borussia Dortmund
midfielder)
1995: George Weah (Liberia, an attacker at AC Milan)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Romania, midfielder, Barcelona)
1993: Roberto Baggio (Italy, the Juventus striker)
1992: Marco van Basten (Netherlands, the AC Milan striker)
1991: Jean Pierre Papin (France, Olympique Marseille midfielder on).
1990: Lothar Matthaus (Germany, midfielder at Inter Milan)
