Hi guys,
In this topic you guys can post biographies, any info you have on teams or players. You can post info on maybe ur fave team/player or anything u know which is interesting about them. Plz, remember to put the team/player name in the Subject area of the post. Also include the URL where you got the info from (is its from another site)
This topic can also be used for answering each other's questions. So if you guys have any questions on a certain person or a team, post them here. The reason I started this topic is that so members can just click on one thread to find info about sports players and I noticed that there were a few new topic asking some general questions on teams. So I thought it would be better just to have one topic. Also, this way we can keep the forum for real discussions!!
Regards,
I-F Development Team
* Maria Sharapova *
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova ( Russian; born April 19 , 1987 ) is a Russian professional tennis player, and currently World No. 1 as of September 12 , 2005 . Her parents are originally from Gomel , Belarus , but moved to Russia in 1986 in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear accident . Sharapova was born in Nyagan , Russia , the following year
Career
At the age of three, Sharapova moved with her family to the resort town of Sochi, beginning to play tennis at the age of four, using a racquet given to her by Yevgeny Kafelnikov's father. At age five or six, at a tennis clinic in Moscow, Sharapova was spotted by Martina Navratilova, who urged her parents to get her serious coaching in the United States.
In 2004, Sharapova became the second youngest Wimbledon women's champion in the Open Era (after Martina Hingis) by defeating defending two-time champion Serena Williams in straight sets (6-1, 6-4). In the process she also became the first Russian ever to win that tournament.
Maria Sharapova uses the Prince Shark Racket and consequently the popularity of the racket has gone through the roof.
A 6 ft 2 in. blonde, Sharapova is regarded by many as possessing a natural beauty and figure and has done some modeling in November 2003 with IMG Models. She enjoys fashion and is known to read celebrity magazines. However, she says she does not want to overdo these activities, preferring to focus on her tennis. She is often compared to Anna Kournikova, also a Russian Bollettieri student and model. However, Sharapova, Bollettieri, and Kournikova all reject the comparison.
From June 2004 until her Wimbledon semi-final appearance in 2005, Sharapova had a 22-match winning streak on grass, including back-to-back Birmingham titles and the Wimbledon crown. Sharapova's huge success continued after winning Wimbledon, with a victory at the WTA Season-Ending Championships and consistent results.
In April 2005, Sharapova was listed by People Magazine as among the 50 most beautiful celebrities in the world. In June of 2005, Forbes magazine listed Sharapova as the highest-paid female athlete in the world, with annual earnings of $18 million. A significant portion of this amount came from endorsements.
Defending her Wimbledon title in 2005 proved to be a simple enough task at first, with Sharapova sailing through to the semi-finals with ease without losing a set. However, she dropped her first set of the tournament against a rejuvenated Venus Williams and lost the match 6-7 1-6 in one of the most thrilling and masterful displays of power and accuracy seen in the women's game. Sharapova's streak on grass was ended, as was her quest for the No. 1 ranking, with Lindsay Davenport, who lost a historic match to Venus Williams in the 2005 Wimbledon final, holding firm.
However, a back injury Davenport sustained in the Wimbledon final meant that she could not defend her titles won during the US hard court season of 2004. Because of this, she lost valuable ranking points. Sharapova was also suffering from an injury and did not complete a tournament during the season; however, she had fewer points to defend and therefore rose to the No. 1 ranking on August 22, 2005. However, Sharapova's reign was short-lived, lasting only a week after Davenport re-ascended after winning the New Haven title. Sharapova rose to No. 1 ranking again on September 12, 2005 despite losing in the Semi-finals of the US Open.
Her loss in the semifinal of the 2005 US Open against Kim Clijsters, marked the fourth time that season she lost at a Grand Slam tournament against the eventual champion: Australian Open-SF-Serena Williams, French Open-QF-Justine Henin-Hardenne, Wimbledon-SF-Venus Williams, US Open-SF-Kim Clijsters.
US Open 2005
Sharapova was defeated in the semi-finals of the US Open against Kim Clijsters after a nerve-wrecking encounter that ended 2-6 in first set, followed up by 7-6 in the second (ending in a tie-break) to finally lose with 3-6 in the third. Sharapova's defeat was much due to her inconsistent serves that led to a total of seven double faults during the encounter. Nevertheless, after falling behind 0-40 in the 12th game of the second set, the Russian started uncorking winners and managed to bring the game to deuce where after she fought off two more match points to force a tiebreak. Unfortunately, she didn't have the physical endurance left to pull-off a winning game on the last set and inevitably lost the match to Clijsters for the fourth time in a row.
Education
Sharapova studies via correspondence on the internet with the Keystone High School home schooling program and has a liking for sociology .
Awards
2003
2004
2005
Henry was born and brought up in the tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis, Essonne, where as a youngster he played for an array of local sides and showed great promise as a goalscorer. AS Monaco spotted him in 1990 and signed him up instantly.[2] Handed his professional club debut in 1994, he stayed at Monaco until 1998, where good form earned him an international call-up. Henry then moved to Italian giants Juventus, but after a disappointing season playing on the wing,[3] he joined Arsenal for a fee of 10.5 million in 1999.[2]
It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a top footballer. Initially, he struggled in the Premiership, but he soon emerged as Arsenal's top goalscorer in almost his every season there. Long-time mentor and coach Arsene Wenger's conversion of Henry into a prolific striker made him Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with over 200 goals. With the Gunners, Henry won two league titles and three FA Cups. He was also twice nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year[4] and twice received the Barclays Premiership player of the season award.[5][6] Henry spent his final two seasons with Arsenal as club captain, leading them to the UEFA Champions League final in 2006. In June 2007, after eight years in an Arsenal shirt, the French striker transferred to FC Barcelona for a fee of 16.1 million.
With the French national squad, Henry has also enjoyed success, having won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. Given his accomplishments, he is today regarded by many as one of the best footballers in the world.[3][7][8][9] Off the pitch, as a result of his own experience, Henry is an active spokesperson against football racism.
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Henry is of Antillean heritage; his father, Antoine, is from Guadeloupe (La Dsirade island), and his mother, Maryse, is from Martinique. He grew up in the heavily urbanised Les Ulis, a tough environment for the youngster.[2] Despite its hardships, the town provided good facilities for footballers. In 1983, the six-year-old Henry showed great potential, which prompted Claude Chezelle to recruit the youngster at the local club CO Les Ulis. Five years later, Henry played his first game for the club. His father put a lot of pressure on him to attend training, although the youngster was not particularly drawn to football. Henry went on to join US Palaiseau in 1989, but after a year his father fell out with the club. Henry then moved to Viry-Chtillon for two years. US Palaiseau coach Jean-Marie Panza followed him there; Henry would name Panza as his mentor in future years.
In 1990, AS Monaco sent scout Arnold Catalano to watch the 13-year-old play. Henry scored all six goals as his side won 6–0. Catalano asked Henry to join Monaco without even attending a trial first. Catalano requested that Henry complete a course at the elite academy Clairefontaine, but the director there was reluctant to accept Henry due to his poor school results. Despite this, Henry was allowed to complete the course, and he joined Arsne Wenger's AS Monaco as a youth player. Subsequently, Henry signed professional forms with AS Monaco and was given his professional debut in 1995. Wenger put Henry on the left wing because he believed that his pace, natural ball control and skill would be more effective against full-backs than centre-backs. In his four seasons with Monaco, the young winger scored 21 goals in 125 appearances, and helped the club win the Ligue 1 title in 1996-97.[10]
In June 1997, Henry's good form was rewarded with a call-up to the U-20 French national team, where he played in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside future teammates William Gallas and David Trezeguet.[11] Within four months, France head coach Aim Jacquet called Henry up to the senior team. The 20-year-old made his senior international debut on October 11, 1997 in a 2–1 win against South Africa.[12] Jacquet was so impressed with Henry that he took him to the 1998 World Cup. Although Henry was a largely unknown quantity at international level, he ended the tournament as France's top scorer with three goals.[13] He was scheduled to appear in the final—where France beat Brazil 3–0—as a substitute, but the sending off of Marcel Desailly forced a defensive change instead. On Bastille Day 1998, he was awarded France's highest decoration, the Lgion d'Honneur.[13]
Henry's good form for Monaco continued during the 1997-98 season, as he helped the club reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.[14] He then left Monaco in January 1999, one year before his friend and teammate David Trezeguet, and moved to ItalianSerie A club Juventus for 10.5 million. The Frenchman played on the wing,[15] but he was unable to cope with the Italian defensive discipline of the Serie A. Henry scored just three goals in 16 appearances.[16]
Unsettled in Italy, Henry transferred from Juventus in August 1999 to Arsenal for 10.5 million, reuniting with his former manager Arsne Wenger.[3] Brought in as a replacement for Nicolas Anelka, he was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move which would pay rich dividends in years to come. Initially, doubts were raised concerning Henry's adapting to the English game when he failed to score in his first ten games,[2] but he quickly discovered his scoring ability and ended his first season at Arsenal with a goal tally of 26.[17]
The following summer, Henry was a member of France's Euro 2000 championship squad, again scoring three goals, including the equalizer against Portugal in the semi-final, and finishing as the country's top scorer.[18] France later won the game in extra time following a converted penalty kick by Zinedine Zidane. France went on to defeat Italy in extra time in the final, and Henry earned his second major international medal.[19]
Henry's second season with Arsenal proved to be a breakthrough as he became the club's top goalscorer.[3] In the 2001–02 season, Henry netted 32 goals in all competitions as he led Arsenal to a double and his first silverware with the club.[3] However, the 2002 FIFA World Cup featured a stunning early exit for both Henry and France as the reigning champions were eliminated in the group stage after failing to score a goal in any contest.[20] After France lost their first match in group play, Henry was red carded for a sliding, studs-up challenge in their next match against Uruguay. France played to a 0–0 draw, but Henry was forced to miss the final match due to suspension; France lost 2–0 to Denmark.
Despite international disappointment, 2002–03 proved to be another productive season for Henry, as he scored 42 goals in all competitions while contributing 23 assists, remarkable returns for a striker.[3] In so doing, he led Arsenal to another FA Cup triumph.[21] During the summer that followed, Henry returned to form for his country at the 2003 Confederations Cup. France, playing without team stalwarts Zidane and Patrick Vieira, won, in large part owing to Henry's outstanding play for which he was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group in three of France's five matches.[22] In the final, he scored the golden goal in extra time to lift the host country over Cameroon 1–0.[22] Henry was awarded both the adidas Golden Ball as the outstanding player of the competition and the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top goalscorer with four goals.[22]
Henry was again instrumental in Arsenal's successful 2003–04 season. Together with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pirs, Henry ensured that the Gunners became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league campaign unbeaten as Henry collected his second Premiership medal.[23] Yet, Arsenal again failed to secure back-to-back league titles when they lost out to Chelsea F.C. in the 2004–05 season. However, the club did win the FA Cup, and Henry managed 31 goals in 42 appearances.[24] That summer, Henry also played in all of France's Euro 2004 matches. France beat England in the group stages but lost to the eventual winners Greece 1–0 in the quarter-finals.[25]
The departure of compatriot Vieira in the summer of 2005 meant that Henry assumed club captaincy. Along with being chief goal scorer, he was responsible for leading a very young team.[26] The 2005–06 season proved to be one of remarkable personal achievements for Henry but disappointment in the team silverware department. On 17 October2005, Henry became the club's top goalscorer of all time;[27] two goals against Sparta Prague meant he broke Ian Wright's record of 185 goals.[28] On February 1, 2006, he scored a goal against West Ham, bringing his league goal tally up to 151 and thus breaking Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin's league goals record.[29] Henry also scored his 100th league goal at Highbury, a feat unparalleled in the history of the club, and a unique achievement in the Premier League.[30]
Nevertheless, Arsenal failed to win the league title again, but some hope was preserved when Arsenal, who hitherto never enjoyed much success in Europe, reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. The Gunners eventually lost 1–2 to FC Barcelona, and Arsenal's inability to win the Premiership for two consecutive seasons combined with the relative inexperience of the Arsenal squad caused much speculation that Henry would leave for another club. However, he declared his loyalty and love for the club and subsequently accepted a four-year contract.[31] He reaffirmed this months later by saying "If an opportunity like Barcelona comes again, with all my respect for such a club, I will refuse" and that he will stay at Arsenal for life.[32] Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein later claimed the club had turned down two bids of 50 million from Spanish clubs for Henry before the signing of the new contract.[33] Had the transfer materialised, it would have surpassed the world record 47 million paid for Zinedine Zidane.[33]
Amidst the summer speculation, Henry was one of the automatic starters in the France squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was played in the unfavoured lone striker role, but despite an indifferent start to the tournament, Henry became one of the top players of the World Cup. He scored three goals, including France's goal against returning champion and tournament favourite Brazil.[34] However, France subsequently lost to Italy on penalties (5–3) in the final.[35] Henry was one of 10 nominees for the Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament,[36] an award which was ultimately presented to his teammate, Zidane. Henry was also named a starting striker on the 2006 FIFPro World XI team.[37]
Henry's 2006–07 season was largely marred by injury, something which was unprecedented in his entire tenure with the Gunners.[38] Although he managed 10 goals in 17 domestic appearances for Arsenal, including the winner against Manchester United on 21 January, Henry's domestic and international season was cut short on 7 March2007. Having missed games due to hamstring, foot, and back problems, he was deemed fit enough to come on as a late substitute against PSV Eindhoven in a Champions League match,[39] but began limping shortly after coming on. After the match Wenger announced that Henry had suffered new injuries to his groin and stomach muscles. At first it was expected that Henry would miss "a few weeks", but scans the next day revealed that he would need at least three months to heal, thus missing the rest of the 2006–07 season.[40] Wenger attributed Henry's injuries to a protracted 2005–06 campaign, and also reiterated that the latter was keen on staying with the Gunners to rebuild for the 2007–08 season.[38]
On June 25, 2007, however, Henry was transferred to FC Barcelona for a fee of 16.1 (€23.7) million. He signed a four-year deal for a reported 6.8 (€4.6) million per season.[42] It was also revealed that the contract included a release clause of €125 (84.9) million[43] In an open letter to The Sun, Henry cited the departure of David Dein and continued uncertainty over Arsne Wenger's future as reasons for leaving.[44][45] Henry will wear the number 14 jersey, as he had at Arsenal.
Henry has received many plaudits and awards in his football career. He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004FIFA World Player of the Year award;[46] in those two seasons, he also won back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year titles.[47] Furthermore, Henry is the only player ever to have won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006),[31] and has emerged as the French Player of the Year on four occasions, which is an all-time record. Henry was voted into the Premier League Overseas Team of the Decade in the 10 Seasons Awards poll in 2003,[48] and in 2004 he was named by football legend Pel as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.[49]
In terms of goalscoring awards, Henry was the European Golden Boot winner in 2004 and 2005 (albeit sharing it with Villarreal's Diego Forlan in 2005) and is the first ever player to retain the award.[50] Henry has also been the top goalscorer in the Premiership for four seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).[10] In 2006, he became the first player to score more than 20 goals in the league for five consecutive seasons (2002–2006).[51] Henry is currently third in the list of all-time English Premiership goal scorers, behind Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. He is also France's second-highest goalscorer of all time behind Michel Platini, with only one goal separating the two.
Although Henry played up front during his youth,[2] he spent his time at Juventus playing on the wing. Upon his joining Arsenal in 1999, Wenger immediately changed this, switching Henry to his childhood position, often pairing him with Dutch veteran Dennis Bergkamp.[15] During the 2004–05 season, Wenger switched Arsenal's formation to 4-5-1.[52] This change forced Henry to adapt again to fit into the Arsenal team, and he played many games as a lone striker.[15] Still, Henry remained Arsenal's main offensive threat, on many occasions conjuring spectacular goals. Manager Wenger even once said of his fellow Frenchman: "Thierry Henry could take ball in the middle of park and score a goal that no one else in the world could score."[53]
One of the reasons cited for Henry's impressive play up front is his ability to calmly score from one-on-ones.[54] This combined with his pace[1][2] means that he can get in behind defenders regularly enough to score. When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position,[55][56] something which enables him to contribute heavily in assists: between 2002–03 and 2004–05, the striker managed almost 50 assists in total thanks to his unselfish play and creativity.[27] In set pieces, Henry was also the first-choice penalty and free kick taker for Arsenal, having scored regularly from those positions.
Henry married Englishmodel Nicole Merry in July 2003.[2] The ceremony was held at Highclere Castle, and on 27 May2005 the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, Tea.[57] Henry dedicated his first goal since Tea's birth to her by holding his fingers in a "T" shape and kissing them after scoring in a match against Newcastle United.[58] When Henry was still at Arsenal, he also purchased a home in Hampstead, North London.[2] But in July 2007, following Henry's transfer to Barcelona, it was announced by his solicitor that the couple were to divorce.[57]
An avid National Basketball Association fan, Henry is often seen with his good friend Tony Parker at games when not playing football. Henry stated in an interview that he admires basketball as it is similar to football in pace and excitement.[59] Having made regular trips to the NBA Finals in the past, he went to watch Parker and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals;[60] and in the 2001 NBA Finals, he went to Philadelphia to help with French television coverage of the Finals as well as to watch Allen Iverson whom he named as one of his favourite players.[59][61]
Henry is a member of the UNICEF-FIFA squad, where together with other professional footballers he appeared in a series of TV spots seen by hundreds of millions of fans around the world during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. In these spots, the players promote football as a game that must be played on behalf of children.[13]
Henry is also an ambassador against racism as he has been subjected to racism in the past. Most notably, during a training session with the Spanish national team in 2004,[62][63] a Spanish TV crew caught Aragons motivating Henry's then Arsenal teammate Jos Antonio Reyes and referring to Henry as "black shit".[58] The incident caused an uproar in the British media with calls for Aragons to be sacked. Henry and Nike started the Stand Up Speak Up campaign against football racism as a result of the incident.[64]
In 2006, Henry was valued as the ninth most commercially marketable footballer in the world,[65] as well as being the eighth richest Premiership player, with 21 million.[66] In terms of past endorsements, Henry featured in the RenaultClio adverts in which he popularised the word va-va-voom, meaning "life" or "passion". The word was subsequently added to the Oxford Concise English Dictionary.[67] He was also a part of Nike's Joga Bonito campaign, Portuguese for "play beautifully".[68] His deal with Nike ended after the 2006 World Cup, when he signed a deal with Reebok to appear in their "I Am What I Am" campaign.[69]
With the French national team:
FIFAWorld Cup
Appearances: 1998, 2002, 2006
Winner: 1998
Runner-Up: 2006
European Championship
Winner: 2000
Appearances: 2000, 2004
Confederations Cup: 2003
With Monaco:
Ligue 1: 1996–97
French Super Cup: 1997
With Arsenal:
FA Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04
FA Cup: 2002, 2003, 2005
FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004
UEFA Champions League Runner Up : 2006
UEFA Cup Runner Up : 2000
Personal Honours:
European Golden Boot: 2004, 2005
FA Premier League Top Scorer: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
Onze d'Or: 2003, 2006
PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2002–03, 2003–04
FWA Footballer Of The Year: 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
FIFA World Player of the Year
Runner-up: 2003, 2004
World XI Striker: 2006
Edited by damilola - 16 years ago
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder. He currently plays for and captains Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy[2] and is also a member of the England national team.
He has twice been runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, and in 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer.[3] He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004.[4] Such global recognition has made him an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.[5][6] Beckham was captain of England from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006. He made 58 appearances as captain, and ended his tenure in that role after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. He continued to make contributions for the England national team in 2007 competitions.[7]
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premiership title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons. In his final season, Real clinched the La Liga title (Beckham's only major trophy with the club) in the final game of the season. In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid and sign a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.[8] He played his final match with Real on 17 June, after which the team was awarded the 2006–07 La Liga championship.
Beckham's new contract with the Galaxy, effective 1 July 2007, gave him the highest salary of any MLS player in history. He debuted for the team on 21 July in a friendly versus Chelsea at the Home Depot Center[9], and on 15 August, he had his first start with the team, scoring his first goal in the 2007 SuperLiga semi-final. His first league start then came on 18 August in front of a record crowd at Giants Stadium.[10]
Beckham was born at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, London, England; the son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham (b. Edmonton, London, July-September 1948), a kitchen fitter and Manchester United fan, and wife (m. London Borough of Hackney, 1969) Sandra Georgina West (b. 1949) [11], a hairdresser. He regularly played football in Ridgeway Park, Chingford as a child. He attended Chase Lane Primary School and Chingford Foundation School as a child. His mother's father is Jewish,[12] and Beckham has referred to himself as "half Jewish"[13] and spoken of the influence the religion has had on him, although he is not known to practice Judaism or any other faith. In his book Both Feet on the Ground, he stated that growing up he always attended church with his parents and his two sisters, Joanne and Lynne.
His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who would frequently travel to Old Trafford from London to attend Manchester United's home matches. David inherited his parents' love of Manchester United and his main sporting passion was football. He attended one of Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester and won the chance to take part in a training session at FC Barcelona, as part of a talent competition. As a child he played for a local youth team called the Ridgeway Rovers - coached by his father, Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby.
He was a Manchester United mascot for a match against West Ham United in 1986. Young Beckham had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City and attended Tottenham Hotspur's, which was the first club he played for, school of excellence. During a two-year period in which he played for Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990.[14] He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his fourteenth birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on 8 July 1991.
He was part of a group of young players at the club who guided the club to win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992, with Beckham scoring in the second leg[15] of the final against Crystal Palace. He made his first appearance for United's first-team that year, as a substitute in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion, and signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. United reached the final of the Youth Cup again the following year, with Beckham playing in their defeat by Leeds United, and he won another medal in 1994 when the club's reserve team won their league.
He went to Preston North End on loan in the 1994–95 season to get some first team experience, then made his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United on 2 April 1995, in a goalless draw against Leeds United.
United manager Alex Ferguson had a great deal of confidence in the club's young players. When three of his first-team players left the club at the end of the 1994–95 season, his decision to let youth team players replace them instead of buying players from other clubs, drew a great deal of criticism. The criticism increased when United started the season with a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa,[16] with Beckham scoring United's only goal of the game; however, United won their next five matches and the young players performed well. Beckham became a regular player on the team and helped them to win the Premiership and FA Cup double that season, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Chelsea and also provided the corner that ric Cantona scored from in the FA Cup Final. Despite playing regularly for Manchester United, Beckham did not break into the England squad before Euro 96.[17]
At the beginning of the 96/97 season David Beckham was given the number 10 shirt that was last worn by Mark Hughes. In August 1996, Beckham became something of a household name when he scored a spectacular goal in a match against Wimbledon. With United leading 2–0, Beckham noticed that Wimbledon's goalkeeper Neil Sullivan was standing a long way out of his goal, and hit a shot from the halfway line that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net.[18]
With Eric Cantona retiring at the end of the 96/97 season, this left the coveted number 7 shirt free, and with Teddy Sheringham arriving from Tottenham Hotspur, Beckham left his number 10 shirt for Sheringham and picked up the number 7 jersey. Some fans had felt the number 7 shirt should be retired after Cantona had himself retired. United started the 1997–98 season well, but their performance deteriorated and the club finished the season in second place, behind Arsenal.[19]
In the 1998–99 season, he was part of the United team that won the treble — Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, a unique feat in English football. There had been speculation that the criticism that he had received after being sent off in the World Cup would lead to him leaving England, but he decided to stay at Manchester United.
To ensure they would win the league championship, United needed to win their final league match of the season, at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match. Beckham scored the equaliser and United went on to win the match and the league.
Beckham played centre-midfield in United's FA Cup final win over Newcastle United and for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, since United's first string centre-midfielders were suspended for the match. United were losing the match 1-0 at the end of normal time, but won the trophy by scoring two goals in injury time. Both of the goals came from corners taken by Beckham. Those crucial assists, coupled with great performances over the rest of the season, led to him finishing runner up to Rivaldo for 1999's European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
Despite Beckham's achievements in the 1998–99 season, he was still unpopular among some opposition fans and journalists, and he was criticised after being sent off for a deliberate foul in Manchester United's World Club Championship match against Necaxa. It was suggested in the press that his wife was a bad influence on him, and that it might be in United's interests to sell him,[20] but his manager publicly backed him and he stayed at the club.
The relationship between Ferguson and Beckham began to deteriorate, possibly as a result of Beckham's fame and commitments away from football. In 2000, Beckham was given permission to miss training to look after his son Brooklyn, who had gastroenteritis, but Ferguson was furious when Victoria Beckham was photographed at a London Fashion Week event on the same night, claiming that Beckham would have been able to train if Victoria had looked after Brooklyn that day. He responded by fining Beckham the maximum amount that was permitted (two weeks' wages – then 50,000) and dropping him for a crucial match against United's rivals Leeds United. He later criticised Beckham for this in his autobiography, claiming he hadn't been "fair to his team mates".[21] Beckham had a good season for his club, though, and helped United to win the Premier League by a record margin.
Following an injury early in the 2002–03 season, Beckham was unable to regain his place on the Manchester United team, with Ole Gunnar Solskjr having replaced him on the right side of midfield. His relationship with his manager deteriorated further on 15 February 2003 when, in the changing room following a defeat to Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson kicked a football boot that struck Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that required stitches. The incident led to a great deal of transfer speculation involving Beckham, with bookmakers offering odds on whether he or Ferguson would be first to leave the club.[22] Although the team had started the season badly, their results improved greatly from December onwards and they won the league. He was still a first-choice player for England, however, and he was awarded an OBE for services to football on 13 June.[23]
On 10 April 2002, Beckham was injured during a Champions League match against Deportivo La Corua, breaking the second metatarsal bone in his left foot. There was speculation in the British media that the injury might have been caused deliberately, as the player who had injured Beckham was Argentinean Aldo Duscher, and England and Argentina were due to meet in that year's World Cup.[24] The injury prevented Beckham from playing for United for the rest of the season, but he signed a three-year contract in May, following months of negotiations with the club, mostly concerning extra payments for his image rights. The income from his new contract, and his many endorsement deals, made him the highest-paid player in the world at the time.[25]
During his 11-year stint at United, Beckham made 265 Premier league appearances for them and scored 61 goals. He also made 81 Champions league appearances, scoring 15 goals. Beckham won 6 Premiership titles, 2 FA Cup's, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FA Youth Cup with his time at United.
Manchester United had been keen to sell Beckham to Barcelona[26] but instead he signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid, with the transfer fee being about €35 million (25m).[27] The transfer was completed on 1 July 2003 and made him the third Englishman to play for the club after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman. Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as Ral had the right to wear it written into his contract. He decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore the number 23 shirt, as the reason behind his decision.[28]
Real Madrid finished the season in fourth place, and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage. But, Beckham immediately became a favourite with the Real Madrid supporters, scoring five times in his first 16 matches (including scoring less than 3 minutes into his La Liga debut), but the team, whose club president expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, did not match expectations.
In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckhams' home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house.[29] Beckham made more headlines on 9 October 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury, which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway. The Football Association asked Beckham for an explanation of his actions and he admitted that he had "made a mistake" and apologised.[30] He was sent off shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he was judged to have sarcastically applaud the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later. He was sent off for the third time that season on 3 December 2005 in a league match against Getafe. Although there is the notable fact that Beckham led La Liga in assists for the season.
Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona in the 2005-06 La Liga, albeit with a large 12 point gap, and only reached the last sixteen in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal by one goal.
During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.[31]
In 2007, Real Madrid won their first Spanish La Liga title in 3 years because of their superior head-to-head record against Barcelona, giving Beckham his first title since he joined Real Madrid. Initially out of favour with manager Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as Jose Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real lost seven.
On 10 January 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not been renewed yet.[32]
On 11 January 2007 Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy beginning 1 July 2007. On 13 January 2007 Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team.[33] Capello backtracked on that statement and Beckham rejoined the team for their match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007 – he scored and Real Madrid won.[34] In his final UEFA Champions League appearance, Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition (by the away goals rule) on 7 March 2007. Beckham had made a total of 103 appearances in the Champions League, the third highest number of any player at the time.
On 17 June 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3-1 win over Mallorca, which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. Although he limped off the field and was replaced, his sub made two goals and the team won the season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them. Although both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of their superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham.
A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million US during Beckham's four years at the club.[35]
It was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that David Beckham would be leaving Real Madrid to join MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy. The following day, Beckham's official press conference was held in conjunction with the 2007 MLS SuperDraft.[36] Beckham told reporters, "I'm coming there not to be a superstar. I'm coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things. With me, it's about football. I'm coming there to make a difference. I'm coming there to play football... I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."[37]
Beckham's contract with Los Angeles Galaxy took effect on 1 July, and on 13 July, was officially unveiled as a Galaxy player at the Home Depot Center. Beckham chose to wear number 23, explaining it was because NBA legend Michael Jordan also wore 23. It was announced that Galaxy jersey sales had already reached a record figure of over 250,000 prior to this formal introduction.[38]
On 21 July, Beckham made his Galaxy dbut after coming on in the 78th minute in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea during the World Series of Football tournament.[39] Two weeks later, Beckham made his league dbut as a substitute on 9 August versus D.C. United.[40]
Beckham returned to the pitch the following week, again facing D.C. United, in the SuperLiga semi-final on 15 August. During this game he had many firsts with the Galaxy; his first start, first yellow card and first game as team captain.[41] He also scored his first goal for the team, from a free kick, and also made his first assist, for Landon Donovan in the second half. These goals gave the team a 2-0 victory, and a place in the North American SuperLiga final versus CF Pachuca on 29 August.
During the SuperLiga final against Pachuca, Beckham injured his right knee, with an MRI scan revealing that he had sprained his medial collateral ligament and would be out for six weeks. He returned to play in the final home match of the season. Galaxy were eliminated from the playoffs on 21 October, in the final MLS match of the season, a 1-0 loss to Chicago Fire. Beckham played as a substitute in the match, bringing his season-totals to; eight matches played (5 league games), one goal scored, and three assists.
Beckham trained with Arsenal from January 4, 2008 for three weeks, until he returned to LA Galaxy for pre-season training.[42].
Beckham made his first appearance for the England national football team on 1 September 1996, in a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova.[43] He became an automatic first-choice player at United during the 1996–97 season, helping them to retain the Premier League championship, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year by his peers.[44]
Beckham had played in all of England's qualifying matches for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and was part of the England squad at the World Cup finals in France,[45] but the team's manager Glenn Hoddle publicly accused him of not concentrating on the tournament,[46] and he did not start in either of England's first two matches. He was picked for their third match against Colombia and scored from a long-range free kick in a 2–0 victory, which was his first goal for England.
In the second round (last 16) of that competition, he received a red card in England's match against Argentina.[47] Beckham, after having been fouled by Diego Simeone, kicked Simeone, striking him on the calf. Simeone later admitted to trying to get Beckham sent off by over-reacting to the kick and then, along with other members of his team, urging the referee to send Beckham off.[48] The match finished in a draw and England were eliminated in a penalty shootout. Many supporters and journalists blamed him for England's elimination and he became the target of criticism and abuse, including the hanging of an effigy outside a London pub, and the Daily Mirror printing a dartboard with a picture of him centred on the bullseye. Beckham also received death threats after the World Cup. [49]
The abuse that Beckham was receiving from English supporters peaked during England's 3–2 defeat by Portugal in Euro 2000, a match where Beckham set up two goals, when a group of England supporters taunted him throughout the match.[50] Beckham responded with a one-fingered gesture and, while the gesture attracted some criticism, many of the newspapers that had previously encouraged his vilification asked their readers to stop abusing him.[51]
On 15 November 2000, following Kevin Keegan's resignation as England manager in October, Beckham was promoted to team captain by the caretaker manager Peter Taylor, and then kept the role under new manager Sven-Gran Eriksson. He helped England to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals, with their performances including an impressive 5–1 victory over Germany in Munich. The final step in Beckham's conversion from villain to hero happened in England's 2–2 draw against Greece on 6 October 2001. England needed to win or draw the match in order to qualify outright for the World Cup, but were losing 2–1 with little time remaining. The rest of the England team were playing relatively poorly, and it was Beckham's inspirational performance that lifted his team mates. When Teddy Sheringham was fouled eight yards (7 m) outside the Greek penalty area, England were awarded a free-kick and Beckham ensured England's qualification with a curling strike of the kind that had become his trademark. Shortly afterwards, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2001. He once again finished runner-up, to Lus Figo of Portugal, for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
He was partially fit by the time of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played in the first match against Sweden. Beckham scored the winning goal of the match against Argentina with a penalty, causing Argentina to fail to qualify for the knockout stage. England were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil. The following month, at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Beckham escorted Kirsty Howard as she presented the Jubilee Baton to the Queen.
Beckham played in all of England's matches at Euro 2004, but the tournament was a disappointment for him. He had a penalty saved in England's 2-1 defeat to France and missed another in a penalty shootout in the quarter final against Portugal. England lost the shootout and went out of the competition.
Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in January 2005 and was involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.[52] In October 2005, Beckham's sending off against Austria made him the first ever England captain to be sent off and the first (and only) player to be sent off twice while playing for England. He captained England for the 50th time in a friendly international against Argentina the following month.
In England's opening game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006 Beckham's free kick led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra, and England won 1-0. In England's next match, played against Trinidad and Tobago on 15 June 2006, Beckham's cross in the 83rd minute led to Peter Crouch's goal, which put England into the lead 1-0. Beckham gave another assist to Steven Gerrard. In the end they won 2-0. He was named Man-of-the-Match by tournament sponsor Budweiser for this game.
During England's second round match against Ecuador, Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first ever English player to score in three World Cups,[53] and giving England a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. He was sick before the game and vomited several times as a result of dehydration and illness after he scored the winning goal.
In the quarter-final against Portugal, Beckham was substituted following an injury shortly after half time and the England team went on to lose the match on penalties (3-1), the score having been 0-0 after extra time. After his substitution, Beckham was visibly shaken and emotional for not being able to play, being in tears at one point.
A day after England were knocked out of the World Cup, an emotional Beckham made a statement in a news conference saying that he had stepped down as England captain,[54] saying, "It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95 [55] games, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under Steve McClaren". (Beckham had actually won 94 caps up to that point.) He was succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry.[56]
Having stepped down as captain after the World Cup, Beckham was dropped completely from the England national team selected by new coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006. McClaren claimed that he was "looking to go in a different direction" with the team, and that Beckham "wasn't included within that". McClaren said Beckham could be recalled in future. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kieran Richardson and the World Cup alternative to Beckham, Aaron Lennon, were all included, although McClaren eventually opted to employ Steven Gerrard in that role.
On 26 May 2007, Steve McClaren announced that Beckham would be recalled to the England squad for the first time since stepping down as their captain. Beckham started against Brazil in England's first match at the new Wembley Stadium and put in a positive performance. In the second half he set up England's goal converted by captain John Terry. It looked as though England would claim victory over Brazil, but newcomer Diego equalised in the dying seconds. In England's next match, a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, Beckham sent two trademark assists for Michael Owen and Peter Crouch, helping England to prevail 3-0.
Beckham had assisted in three of England's four total goals in those two games,[57] and he stated his desire to continue to play for England after his move to the MLS.
On 22 August 2007, Beckham played in a friendly for England against Germany, becoming the first ever to play for England while with a non-European club team.[58] On 21 November 2007, Beckham earned his 99th cap against Croatia, setting up a goal for Peter Crouch to tie the game at 2-2. Following the 2-3 loss, England failed to qualify for the Euro 2008 Finals. Despite this, Beckham said that he has no plans to retire from international football and wants to continue playing for the national team.[59] After being passed over by Capello for a friendly against Switzerland which would have given him his hundredth cap, Beckham admitted that he was not in shape at the time, as he had not played a competitive match in three months.[60]. On 20 March 2008, Beckham was recalled to the England squad by Capello for the friendly against France on 26th March.
Former manager Sir Alex Ferguson said that he "practiced with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn't care about."[61] He maintained his training routine at Real Madrid and even when his relationship with management was strained in early 2007, Ramon Calderon and Fabio Capello praised Beckham for maintaining his professionalism and commitment to the club.[62][63]
Beckham was the first England player ever to collect two red cards and the first England captain to be sent off.[64] Beckham's most notorious red card was during the 1998 FIFA World Cup: after Argentina's Diego Simeone had fouled him, Beckham lashed out with his leg and the Argentine fell. England went on to lose the game on penalties.
For Real Madrid he amassed 41 yellow cards and 4 red cards.[65]
Beckham helped to keep Wayne Rooney's temper in check on several occasions.[66]
In 1997, Beckham started dating Victoria Adams, after she attended a Manchester United match. She was famously known as "Posh Spice" of the pop music group Spice Girls, one of the world's top pop groups at the time, and his team was also enjoying a great run of success. Therefore, their relationship instantly attracted a great deal of media attention. The couple were dubbed "Posh and Becks" by the media. He proposed to Victoria on 24 January 1998 in a restaurant in Cheshunt, England.
He married Adams at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999, and her name changed to Victoria Beckham. The wedding attracted tremendous media coverage. Beckham's teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple's son Brooklyn, then four months old, was the ring bearer. The media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones.[72] 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost 500,000.[73]
In 1999, the Beckhams purchased their most famous home, unofficially dubbed Beckingham Palace, near London. It is estimated to be worth 7.5 million pounds. David and Victoria have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born March 4, 1999 in London, England), Romeo James Beckham (born September 1, 2002 in London, England), and Cruz David Beckham (born February 20, 2005 in Madrid, Spain - contrary to popular opinion, Cruz is not named for family friend Tom Cruise, but is Spanish for "cross"). Both Brooklyn and Romeo's godfather is Elton John and godmother is Elizabeth Hurley.[74] They have stated that they would like to have more children, especially a daughter.[75]
In April 2007, the family purchased their new Italian villa in Beverly Hills, California, to coincide with Beckham's transfer to the LA Galaxy in July. The mansion, priced at $22 million, is near the homes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and talk-show host Jay Leno, in an exclusive gated community in the hills overlooking the city.
In April 2004, the British tabloid News of the World carried claims by his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had an extramarital affair.[76][77] A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions. Beckham dismissed both accusations as "ludicrous".[78]
Beckham's fame extends beyond the pitch; in much of the world his name is "as instantly recognizable as that of multinational companies like Coca-Cola and IBM."[79] Beckham's relationship and marriage to Victoria, who has been famous in her own right as part of the musical group Spice Girls, contributed to David's celebrity beyond football.
Beckham became known as a fashion plate, and together with Victoria, the couple became lucrative spokespeople sought after by clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, perfume and cosmetics manufacturers, hair stylists, exercise promoters, and spa and recreation companies. One recent example is a new line of aftershave and fragrances called David Beckham Instinct.[80]
In 2002 Beckham was hailed as the ultimate 'metrosexual' by the man who invented the term [2][3] and has been described as such by scores of other articles since.
In 2007, the Beckhams were reportedly paid $13.7 million to launch this fragrance line in the US. In the world of fashion, David has already appeared on the covers of countless magazines. In 2007, U.S. covers have included the men's magazine Details, and with his wife for the August 2007 issue of W.[81]
According to Google, "David Beckham" was searched for more than any other sports topic on their site in 2003 and 2004.[82]
Upon their arrival in Los Angeles on 12 July 2007, the night before Beckham's formal introduction, Los Angeles International Airport was packed with paparazzi and news reporters.[83] On the next night, Victoria appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to talk about the their move to L.A., and presented Leno with a number 23 Galaxy jersey with his own name on the back. Victoria also talked about her NBC TV show "Victoria Beckham: Coming To America"[84]
On 22 July, a huge private welcoming party was held for the couple at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. A-List celebrities attending included Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Oprah Winfrey.[85]
Bend It Like Beckham
Beckham never personally appeared in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham except in archive footage. He and his wife wanted to make cameo appearances but scheduling proved difficult, so the director used lookalikes instead.[89]
The Goal! Trilogy
"Beckham" makes a cameo appearance with Zidane and Ral, in the 2005 film Goal!: The Dream Begins. Lookalike Andy Harmer, who played Beckham in Bend It..., also appears here in one party scene as Becks.[90] Beckham himself appears in the sequel Goal! 2: Living the Dream...[91] in a larger role, when the film's lead character gets transferred to Real Madrid. This time the story centers around the Real Madrid team, and besides Beckham, other real life Real Madrid players also appear on and off the pitch, alongside the fictional characters. Beckham also will appear in Goal! 3, scheduled for release in 2008.[92]
Asterix at the Olympic Games (Astrix aux jeux olympiques)
In his first feature film role playing someone other than himself, Beckham has a small part (again alongside former Real teammate Zidane) in this live-action French-language take on the comic, with a release scheduled to coincide with the 2008 Bejing Summer Olympic Games.[93]
Despite moving to Los Angeles, Beckham has expressed no personal interest in pursuit of acting roles, saying he is too "stiff".[94]
Beckham captained England 58 times during his tenure as England captain,[95] one of the most in England's history. With his free kick goal against Ecuador in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, Beckham gained membership into two of football's exclusive clubs: he became the only English player — and the 21st player regardless of nationality — to score in three world cups. Real Madrid team-mate Ral also achieved this feat a few days earlier.[96] It also made him only the fifth player in World Cup history to score twice from a direct free kick; the other four were Pel, Rivelino, Tefilo Cubillas and Bernard Genghini (Beckham had previously scored this way against Colombia in the first round of the 1998 World Cup). All three goals were against South American teams (Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador) and from set pieces (the two aforementioned free kicks and a penalty against Argentina).
Beckham has many tattoos on his body, one of which is the name of his wife Victoria, written in Hindi, because Beckham thought it would be "tacky" to have it in English. Another tattoo, written in Hebrew reads ??? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???????, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, that shepherds among the lilies." This is from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible, and a popular Jewish paean to fidelity. Beckham has also been ridiculed in the press for looking like a "Hell's Angel biker" and a "football yob" due to his ever-expanding number of tattoos, their design and location.[97]
A chronology of Beckham's tattoos[98] includes:
Personal Data
This is where you can find all important facts about Michael Ballack
Name:BallackFirst Name:MichaelSign of the Zodiac:LibraHeight:189 cm (6ft 2in)Weight:80 kg (176,3 pounds / 12 stone 8lbs)Marital Status:unwed; Michael Ballack and his girl-friend Simone have three children - Louis (b. August 16, 2001), Emilio (b. September 19, 2002) and Jordi (b. March 17, 2005)Secondary-school Qualification:A-Levels, Sports High School in Chemnitz Advanced Courses:German and HistoryVocation Learnt:Professional Football PlayerClubs:Chelsea FC (since 2006)
Bayern Munich FC (2002-2006)
Bayer Leverkusen (1999-2002)
Kaiserslautern FC (1997-1999)
Chemnitz FC (1990-1997)*
Karl-Marx-Stadt FC (1986-1990)
BSG Motor "Fritz Heckert" Karl-Marx-Stadt (1983-1986)**
* on June 13, 1990, Karl-Marx-Stadt FC was renamed "Chemnitz FC"
** since 1990, this club is called "Chemnitzer SV 51 - Heckert"
Shirt Number:13 (Club and Country)
First Professional Goal:October 1, 1996 (For Chemnitz FC to make it 1-0 in a Cup tie against Dynamo Dresden) First Bundesliga Game:On September 19, 1997, against Karlsruhe (Ballack was brought on in the 85th minute for Ratinho)First Bundesliga Game Started:On March 28, 1998, against Leverkusen
First Bundesliga Goal:On October 30, 1998, with a direct free-kick for Kaiserslautern to make it 2-2 against Hansa Rostock (67th minute)First International:On April 28, 1999, against Scotland (Ballack was brought on in the 60th minute for Hamann)First International Goal:On March 28, 2001, to make it 2-1 against Greece from the penalty spot (25th minute)
Michael Ballack is one of the most goal-hungry midfield players in the world. His success ratio is almost without equal in Europe. Be it in the league, in the European cup competitions or on the international stage - he nearly scores at will. He is hard to defend against, as he possess a lethal shot - of course with either foot - as well as the best offensive heading technique on the continent. It was already at his first professional club that he made his presence felt - barely out of his teens, he scored ten goals in 49 games for Chemnitz. And he proved he could find the target in the top flight as well, when coach Otto Rehhagel decided to utilise Ballack's strength for Kaiserslautern. Intitially groomed to succeed Miroslav Kadlec in the sweeper role (!), Ballack was allowed to take set pieces in only his second season with the club from platinate. He scored four times that year, only three players in the squad had a better tally.
This is where you can read about the private Michael Ballack. We hope you'll enjoy this conversation!
What constitutes a perfect, football-free weekend for you?
Michael Ballack: "If there's no game scheduled, I just put up my legs and enjoy the days with my family. Regenration and rest come first!"
How do you relax?
Michael Ballack: "That's when I do what most other fathers of a family do as well: I play games with my children. Another thing that, as far as I'm concerned, is quite relaxing is playing golf."
Which book did you last read?
Michael Ballack: "The last book I read was the biography of Robbie Williams."
Do you have any lucky accessories?
Michael Ballack: "Not really."
What is your most highly prized, non-material possession?
Michael Ballack: "The most valuable good is primarily health. As it goes without saying, a healthy body is particularly indispensible for professional athletes."
What kind of music do you prefer?
Michael Ballack: "If I have to settle on a specific genre, I'd say that pop music, R'n'B and soul are to my taste the most."
What do you enjoy more, the theatre or the cinema?
Michael Ballack: "By and large, I prefer the cinema. The last film I saw was 'King Kong'."
Are you often in Chemnitz, your hometown?
Michael Ballack: "Unfortunately, I can't make it to Chemnitz that often any more. But I go there at least twice a year. "
Do you have a favourite sport apart from football?
Michael Ballack: "Oh yes, certainly. I like playing golf. By the way, my handicap stands at 22."
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