TIM HOWARD BIOGRAPHY

An American soccer player Timothy Matthew Howard (born March 6, 1979) his plays as a goalkeeper for English club Everton and the United States national team.

Howard started his career with the North Jersey Imperials before making a move to the MetroStars. His appearances soon attracted the attention of Manchester United, who signed him in 2003. He enjoyed relative success with them as they won the 2003 FA Community Shield, the 2003–04 FA Cup and the 2005–06 League Cup. However, after United signed Edwin van der Sar, Howard went out on loan to Everton to play more first-team football and eventually signed permanently with them in February 2007.

Howard first represented the United States national team in 2002 and was third-choice goalkeeper behind Kasey Keller and Marcus Hahnemann for the 2006 World Cup. He later established himself as first-choice and started all of the United States' games at the 2010 World Cup as they reached the Round of 16.

Howard was born in North Brunswick, New Jersey, to Matthew Howard – an African American, and Esther Howard (née Fekete), a native of Hungary. His parents divorced when he was three years old, and Howard lived with his mother, a project manager for a cosmetics distributor. His father, a long-distance truck driver for a health care firm, nonetheless maintained a presence in his life. His father was determined to get Howard and his brother, Chris, involved in sports. Before the two could walk, he bought them equipment for various sports to see which games they preferred. Tim showed a preference for basketball and soccer.

Howard was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome when he was in the sixth grade.Before Howard was a teenager, Tim Mulqueen, a one time assistant coach for the United States men's national under-17 soccer team, saw his potential at a soccer camp Howard attended and took the boy under his wing.

In high school, Howard proved a star not only in soccer as a midfielder, but also on the basketball court, where he averaged 15 points per game and helped bring his team to the state finals in his senior year. However his talent and abilities as a soccer player were far more impressive. Despite his position on his high school team, Howard was a far better goalkeeper than he was a midfielder. Howard spent the first years of high school attending Montclair Kimberley Academy, a small private school in Montclair, New Jersey. Howard left MKA in his junior year to go back to North Brunswick where he grew up, and graduated from North Brunswick Township High School. By the age of fifteen he began playing in goal for U.S. youth national teams. He made his international debut against Honduras on the U-17 squad. In 1997 Mulqueen became the coach of the North Jersey Imperials, a team in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL), and served as the goalkeeping coach for Major League Soccer's MetroStars; he immediately considered Howard for a position on the Imperials. In May of that year, a month before graduating from high school, Howard played for the Imperials in his first professional game.

TIM HOWARD PROFILEFull name: Timothy Matthew Howard

Date of birth: March 6, 1979

Place of birth: North Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

Playing position: Goalkeeper

Number: 24

Club Career:
Current club: Everton
1997–1998 North Jersey Imperials
1998–2003 MetroStars
2003–2007 Manchester United
2006–2007 → Everton (loan)
2007– Everton
|source:wikipedia|

TIM HOWARD WALLPAPERS

DIDIER DROGBA BIOGRAPHY

DIDIER DROGBA PROFILE

Full Name: Didier Yves Drogba Tébily
Nationality: Ivorian
Date of Birth: 11/03/1978
Height: 6' 2" (189cm)
Weight: 14st 5lbs (91.0kg)
Previous
Clubs: Marseille, Guingamp
Position: Striker

Biography  

Didier Yves Drogba Tébily  was the top scoring team of all time and the Ivory Coast, which ranks as the top-6 score Chelsea's all-time.
 After playing at the junior level, Drogba started a professional career at the age of 18 years at Le Mans. He then signed as a professional player at the age of 21 years. In the 2002-03 season, Drogba joined Ligue 1 Guingamp and for the first time appeared to strengthen Ivory Coast's national team, in September 2002. He scored his first goal for Ivory Coast in February 2003 and recorded a score 17 goals in 34 appearances at the end of the season. Drogba joined Olympique Marseille in 2003 at a cost of £ 3.3 million transfer. He managed to bring Marseille to the UEFA Cup final in 2004 and is third in Ligue 1 top scorers with 19 goals.

 

When Didier signed from Marseille in the summer of 2004 he was a big man with a growing reputation, Though a groin operation forced him out for two months midway through his first Chelsea season and it took time to reach full power again, he ended the league-winning campaign with 16 goals to his name in all competitions, including one in the victorious Carling Cup Final against Liverpool.

In 2005/06 his season's tally was again 16, 12 coming during the successful defence of the Premiership, but before that triumph, there was also adversity.

Following handball incidents in two games and accusations of diving in the media, it took character to respond with an awe-inspiring showing against West Ham at the Bridge in March 2006.

Chelsea came back from a goal and a man down to win that game 4-1, prompting then manager Jose Mourinho to say: 'Didier should go home, switch on the TV, listen to the pundits, buy every single paper tomorrow and listen and read to see if the same people who wanted to kill him have now the common sense to say what he deserves.'

The 2006/07 campaign was when it all came together for the Ivorian, whose pace, strength and aerial power had made him the type of forward not seen at Chelsea for some time. He netted 33 times in all competitions after moulding a strike partnership with newly-arrived Andriy Shevchenko.

His 20 goals in the league won him the Premier League's Golden Boot for the first time. His 60 games tally was the second highest appearances in a season in the club's history - and he ended the campaign with the first club goal at the new Wembley as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in stoppage time of the 2007 FA Cup Final.

There were high hopes that he could reach the heights again in 2007/08 but knee injuries and an African Nations Cup meant it was hard to put a run of games together, and he ended a disrupted season with 15 goals, including another at Wembley in the Carling Cup Final defeat to Spurs.

After his double at the Bridge against Liverpool in the semi-finals, the Champions League ended with shame as he was red-carded the Final in Moscow against Man United.

If there had been ups and downs in that campaign, 2008/09 would be even more extraordinary.

The arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari into the manager's chair was greeted with excitement, but the Brazilian struggled to utilise the injury-affected Didier alongside the free-scoring Nicolas Anelka, eventually opting to go with the Frenchman alone.

Lacking match fitness, Didier found it hard to make an impact in the first half of that season, eventually doing so against Burnley in the Carling Cup, but after a fine individual goal, he reacted to coins thrown from the away end and was punished with a three-match ban that further hinder his involvement.

Scolari's dismissal and Guus Hiddink's arrival in mid-February sparked a return to form and the starting line-up for the Ivory Coast captain, and he repaid the Dutchman with a number of vital goals.

Controversy though was never far away. Eliminated from the Champions League in injury time of the semi-final against Barcelona, again he did not react well, confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo in front of the TV cameras. Another three-match ban followed, reduced on appeal from four.

Still there was one more twist to come, as he powered home a header in the FA Cup Final against Everton, levelling up Louis Saha's opener for his fourth goal in as many Wembley visits. Chelsea lifted the Cup once more.

From the moment his two-goal salvo turned a deficit into victory versus Hull on the opening day of the 2009/10 campaign, the signs were good that the player could pick up where he left off the previous season.

The early season formation adopted by the Dutchman's successor, Carlo Ancelotti, allowed Didier to play close to Anelka and he locked into an incredibly consistent run of scoring. By Christmas he had found the net 18 times in 21 games as he departed for the African Nations.

On his early return to club duty at Hull, he scored his third direct free-kick of the season before he went on the rampage against Arsenal with a brace - making it 12 goals in 12 games against the Gunners.

However as Champions League ambition faded once again, Didier was sent off near the end of defeat by Inter, maintaining what was almost becoming a traditional ban for the start of the next Euro campaign. It was his one red card of the season.

Back in the middle of a three-man attack for the league run-in, Didier netted a vital winner at Old Trafford that put Chelsea on top of the table and with our destiny in our own hands.

An historic 8-0 win against Wigan on the final day and a second-half hat-trick was a great way way to reclaim both the Premier League and the Golden Boot.

His winner in the 2010 FA Cup Final, a direct free-kick against Porstmouth meant the season had a pair of Ivorian bookends - a Didier goal at its start and at its finish.

Voted the club's Player of the Year by the fans, his 37 goals is the second best total in Chelsea history and included strikes at Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford.

Following hernia surgery that saw him miss most of pre-season, he began 2010/11 with a hat-trick against West Brom, followed by a hat-trick of assists at Wigan in the first away game. It looked like being another scary season for defences around Europe.

However illness struck in the autumn in the form of malaria. Didier battled on and was captain for a spell with Terry and Lampard both injured, but his power was down and Chelsea's flying start to the campaign gave way to an extended period of well-below-par results with important players missing. Coming on as a sub away to Spurs before Christmas, he scored to salvage a point but frustratingly missed out on a winner when his penalty was saved, a rare spot-kick failure indeed.

A stunning long-range strike away to Bolton in January 2011 was his last for 11 games as Fernando Torres came onto the scene and the right mix up front was sought by Ancelotti.

Didier was on the bench for a Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford and although he came on at half-time and scored, Chelsea went out. It was a sad way to mark his 300th appearance for the club.

Although 13 goals in all competitions and no medals in 2010/11 suggests an indifferent season by his standards, his combined league total of goals and assists was still the second highest by any top-flight player in that season. His 109 shots were the most attempts on goal.

Physically a match for any defender and able to score any type of goal, his ability to make and take chances as well as take on the opposition backline single-handed has marked Didier down as one of the world's very finest strikers for many seasons.

Pre-Chelsea
Didier was signed in the summer of 2004 from Marseille where he had been named France's Player of the Year. A reported fee of £24 million was paid.

The man who spearheaded Ivory Coast to a first World Cup Finals in 2006 moved from Africa to live in France as a young child and played his early junior football at right-back.

He dabbled with various small clubs and even turned down the chance of a trial at Paris St-Germain, preferring to learn his trade before moving onto the big stage.

He did so at second division Le Mans before shifting up a division to Guingamp, a club he had been prevented from joining some years earlier due to injury.

It was during this spell in Brittany that Didier first came to the attention of Jose Mourinho, then Porto's manager - but after scoring 17 goals in 2002/03 and becoming an international, he had moved out of the Portuguese club's price range.

Marseille swooped and they did not regret their move. In his second season at l'OM, he netted 18 times in 35 league games and six times as the 2004 Uefa Cup Final was reached, including braces against Liverpool and Newcastle.

In addition to his France Footballer of the Year award, Fifa recognised the achievements with a nomination for World Player of the Year. Mourinho made the player a top target in his first summer of transfer activity at Chelsea - and this time the price wasn't a problem.


International career
Didier made his Ivory Coast debut in 2002, and captained his country to their first ever World Cup appearance in 2006, where he scored in a narrow defeat by Argentina which was followed by an equally-close reverse against Holland.

There may have been a few choice words from the 32-year-old when Ivory Coast were drawn in the 'group of death' for the second World Cup running ahead of South Africa 2010.

Chelsea's all-time international goalscorer, having netted 43 times in 69 matches by that stage, suffered a broken arm in a pre-tournament warm-up game which left his participation in 2010's Finals in question leading up to the opening game. He came on as sub although his play looked restricted, but he did find the net during defeat to Brazil next match. Once again Ivory Coast left after three games. Didier was again the captain.

In the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast have struggled to live up to expectations. In Ghana in 2008 they were expected to challenge but eventually finished fourth, having lost the final on penalties to Egypt in 2006, Drogba missing his. In an incredible shoot-out in the quarter-final against Cameroon that eventually ended 12-11, Didier scored as the first of the original five takers and then later scored the decisive spot kick.

In 2010, they bowed out in extra-time of the quarter-finals as coach Vahid Halilhodzic lost his job, making way for Sven Goran Eriksson to coach the side in South Africa after Guus Hiddink had turned the post down.

Didier's exploits for club and country won his Africa's Player of the Year in 2006 and 2009. For Ivory Coast, he is simply their biggest star.|source|

ANDY CARROLL BIOGRAPHY

Andrew Thomas Carroll (born 6 January 1989) is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team as a striker.

Carroll has been compared to Newcastle legend Alan Shearer,Chelsea striker Didier Drogba,and also to former Newcastle and Everton striker Duncan Ferguson due to his skill in the air. He is referred to as a classic No. 9 centre forward, owing to his strength, powerful shot and excellent heading ability.Former Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan stated "he is probably in the top three headers of a ball I have ever seen in football".

After Newcastle's game at home to Blackpool, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway described Carroll as the best striker in the Premier League.

Born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Carroll attended Brighton Avenue Primary School and Joseph Swan School.

Carroll and his ex-girlfriend have a daughter, born 15 September 2009

PROFILE OF ANDY CARROLL

Birth Name: Andrew Thomas Carroll
Date of birth: 6 January 1989
Place of birth: Gateshead, England
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position: Striker
Current club: Liverpool

ALEX SONG BIOGRAPHY

 

Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong born 9 September 1987, more commonly known as Alex Song, is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Premier League side Arsenal and the Cameroon national team as a midfielder. He is the cousin of The Panthers central defender Rigobert Song (though he refers to him as uncle). He plays as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four and has also played as a stand-in centre back and right back. Originally a utility player on the fringes of the first team, he quickly became an integral part of the first team during the preseason to the 2008–09 campaign. He played for the Cameroon national football team in 2010 FIFA World Cup. Song also possesses a French passport.

Song was born in Douala, Cameroon and lost his father at the age of three. Since then, his cousin Rigobert Song has been like a second father and was a major influence in choosing football as a career. Unable to find a club or academy where he could hone his skills, Petit Song, as he is known in the Cameroon side, opted to move to France, joining SC Bastia at the age of 16. One of the players who inspired Song the most when he was young was Michael Essien. Alex Song wanted to give his children a good upbringing in life, which he claims eluded him; he married at the age of 18 and is now father to two children, the oldest being two-year-old Nolan.Song is one of 28 children in his family; he has 17 sisters and 10 brothers.

Song was first capped by Cameroon in 2005.He was named in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He played for Cameroon in their first group match, a 4–2 defeat against holders Egypt; he replaced Stéphane Mbia at half time, joining his cousin Rigobert on the pitch. For the duration of the tournament he was a revelation in defence for Cameroon, earning a Man of the Match award in Cameroon's semi final, but then going off injured in the final against Egypt. He was nonetheless named in the Tournament Best XI, alongside Newcastle midfielder and compatriot Geremi.

Song was called-up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian named in the Team of the Tournament

.

ABOUT ALEX SONG
Full name: Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong
Date of birth: 9 September 1987
Place of birth: Douala, Cameroon
Height: 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position: Defensive midfielder, Centre back
Current club: Arsenal
Number: 17
Senior career
2003–2004 Bastia B 24 (0)
2004–2006 Bastia 32 (0)
2005–2006 → Arsenal (loan) 5 (0)
2006– Arsenal 99 (6)
2007 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 12 (0)
National team
2002–2003 France U16 6 (0)
2003–2004 Cameroon U17 3 (0)
2008 Cameroon U23 3 (0)
2005- Cameroon 24 (0)
referency:wikipedia 

ALESSANDRO NESTA BIOGRAPHY

Alessandro Nesta,born March 19, 1976 in Rieti, is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Milan. Considered by many as one of the best centre backs to have ever played the game, he is a four-time member of the annual UEFA Team of the Year.
Nesta was raised in the Cinecittà area of Rome. He attended the Margherita Bosco primary school where he first started playing football. His older brother, Fernando, was advised to play a sport because of a back problem and enrolled at the local football club. Alessandro threw a tantrum until his father gave in and enrolled him as well, thus marking the beginning of his career.

Nesta was a member of the Under-21 squad that won the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, in which he was named the top defender of the competition. He earned his first cap for the Azzurri against Moldova on October 5, 1996. He has been capped 78 times for Italy, and participated in Euro 1996, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, and the 2006 World Cup. He usually partnered captain Fabio Cannavaro in the heart of the defense.

During the 2006 World Cup, he suffered an injury in Italy's group match against the Czech Republic, and was forced to leave the match early. This made it three times unlucky for Nesta; he previously ruptured a knee ligament against Austria during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and missed Italy's final game in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with an injured foot.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Nesta's continuous injuries forced him to retire from the international team. Coach Roberto Donadoni unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to come out of retirement for Euro 2008.

On 7 May 2007, Nesta married his fiancée, Gabriela Pagnozzi, in a civil ceremony in Milan; the religious ceremony followed on May 30, 2007. Gabriela was working for Casa Italia, the Italian national team HQ, during the 1998 World Cup. Their relationship was born when she tended to him following his injury against Austria. "I can say, I got the injury and her in France then. And the injury has gone, she has stayed with me." Their daughter, Sofia, was born on October 19, 2006 and on March 20, 2008 their son Tommaso was born.





ALESSANDRO NESTA PROFILE
Full name: Alessandro Nesta
Date of birth: March 19, 1976 (1976-03-19) (age 35)
Place of birth: Rieti, Italy
Height: 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Centre back

Club information
Current club: Milan
1985–1993 Lazio
1993–2002 Lazio 193 (1)
2002– Milan 203 (6)

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO BIOGRAPHY

Alessandro Del Piero (born November 9, 1974 in Conegliano, Veneto) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Serie A club Juventus. Del Piero was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations. Del Piero was also voted in the list of best European players for the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. In the year 2000, Del Piero was the world's best-paid football player from salary, bonuses and advertising revenue. Along with three awards in Italy for gentlemanly conduct he has also won the Golden Foot award, which pertains to personality and playing ability. Del Piero usually plays as a supporting-striker and occasionally between the midfield and the strikers, known in Italy as the "trequartista" position. Although he is not very tall, Del Piero's playing style is regarded by critics as creative in attacking, assisting many goals as well as scoring himself, as opposed to just "goal poaching." His free-kick and penalty taking is also highly regarded. Del Piero has become famous over the years for scoring from a special "Del Piero Zone"("Gol alla Del Piero"), approaching from the left flank and curling a precise lob into the far top corner of the goal.

Alessandro Del Piero Kick the Ball

Alessandro Del Piero

Alessandro Del Piero Looks Handsome

 

Alessandro Del Piero Sexy Pose

ABOUT ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO

Birthday:1974/11/09

Full name:Alessandro Del Piero

Place of Birth: Conegliano, Veneto, Italy

Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)

Weight:

Position: Forward

Nickname(s): Pinturicchio

Wife / girlfriend: Sonia Amoruso

Lives in: Turin

ALESSANDRO MATRI BIOGRAPHY

ALESSANDRO MATRI is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Juventus.he was born 19 August 1984 in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardy, Matri started his career at Milan (30 km away from Sant'Angelo Lodigiano) and played his first Serie A match as a starter on 24 May 2003, the third last match of the season before the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final and 2003 Coppa Italia Final. The match Piacenza Calcio was won by Milan 4–2, as Milan rested almost all the regular starters. Matri did not score in that match, partnered with Michele Piccolo and replaced by Roberto Bortolotto in the 71st minute. In the next season, he played all the time at Primavera (U20) Team and has not played in the first team. In the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, he left on loan to Prato (along with Piccolo) and Lumezzane, played 64 Serie C1 matches.

In June 2007, as part of David Suazo's deal to Milan, he left for Cagliari in co-ownership deal, for €2 million. (Suazo eventually joined city rival Internazionale.) He partnered with Robert Acquafresca, which Internazionale sent him to the Sardinia as part of Suazo's deal. The young strikers scored 16 goals for the team, ahead of midfielders Pasquale Foggia and Daniele Conti (both five goals). Their replacement, Jeda and Joaquín Larrivey, scored three goals in half season and one goal in the full season, respectively. In June 2008, Cagliari bought the another half of the player's registration rights for another €2 million.

In the next season, Matri became the third choice striker, as Jeda and Acquafresca were in better form throughout the season. He did score, however, six goals in 31 matches, but only 11 of them as a starter.

After the exit of Acquafresca, Matri became the other half of a starting pair along with Jeda, with new signing Nenê, the 2008–09 Portuguese Liga top-scorer, played as a substitute. He was the team's top scorer, having scored 12 league goals, ahead Nenê (seven goals) and Jeda (six goals). At the start of the 2010–11 Serie A season, he was re-united with Acquafresca as he re-joined Cagliari. Matri, Acquafresca, and Nenê scored 11 goals in 22 games, three goals in 21 games (only 11 starts), and four times in 20 games (14 starts) in the league, respectively, before Matri's departure.

On 31 January 2011, in the final hours of the January transfer window, Matri moved to Juventus until the end of the season in loan deal that saw the remaining half of Lorenzo Ariaudo's registration rights, worth €2.5 million, being acquired to Cagliari; Juventus will also have an option to permanently acquire the player at the end of the season for €15.5 million in three installments.[5] The acquisition was a consequence of Juventus' striking vacancies caused by a out-of-season injury to fellow on-loan striker Fabio Quagliarella and the loan of Amauri to Parma.

Matri made his Juventus debut only two days later, playing in a league game against Palermo, ended in a 2–1 win for the Sicilian opponents. On 5 February, Matri scored his first two goals for Juventus on his return to Cagliari, when he latched onto a Miloš Krasić pass and drove into the near corner for the first, and volleyed again for the second, choosing not to celebrate on both occasions. Matri scored his third goal for Juventus in the classic Derby d'Italia, scoring a header and defeating Internazionale 1–0. He wasn't able to score in the three upcoming matches against Lecce, Bologna, and Milan. In the next match, he scored another brace, although Juventus managed to secure only one point on a 2-2 away draw match against newly-promoted Cesena. On 4 April, Matri scored his sixth goal for Juventus against Roma, which ended in a 2–0 victory for Juventus.The next match, he again scored one goal, helping the Bianconeri obtain the full three points against Genoa. On the 22nd of June, Matri offically signed for Juventus on a permanent deal which will see the player sign for € 15.5 payable over 3 years. Matri signed the contract which will tie him to Juventus until 2015.
Matri earned his first call up for the Italian national team for a friendly match against Germany that took place on 9 February 2011. On 29 March, he made his debut in the friendly game against Ukraine played in Kiev, where he scored his first goal for Italy in the 81st minute, in a match in where Italy won 2–0.

ABOUT ALESSANDRO MATRI

Full name: Alessando Matri
Date of birth: 19 August 1984 (1984-08-19) (age 26)
Place of birth: Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position: Striker
Current club: Juventus
Number 32

Youth career
1995-1996 Fanfulla
1996–2004 Milan

Senior career
2003–2007 Milan 1 (0)
2004–2005 → Prato (loan) 32 (5)
2005–2006 → Lumezzane (loan) 34 (13)
2006–2007 → Rimini (loan) 28 (4)
2007–2011 Cagliari 125 (36)
2010–2011 → Juventus (loan) 16 (9)
2011– Juventus 0 (0)
|wikipedia|

ALBERTO GILARDINO BIOGRAPHY

Alberto Gilardino,born 5 July 1982 is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Fiorentina and the Italian national team.

In his early career, he was compared to Filippo Inzaghi, and Vieri described him as the fusion of both players.

Gilardino played with Italy in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, winning the bronze medal. He also led Italy's Under 21 team to victory in the 2004 European Under-21 Football Championship.

Gilardino is currently the all-time top scorer for the Italy National Under-21 team.

He was a member of the Italy squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played in the first two matches, scoring a goal against the United States with a diving header, then coming on as a substitute in the semifinal match against Germany, hitting the post in extra time and providing the pass for Alessandro Del Piero's stoppage-time goal two minutes after the first goal sealing the Azzurri's 2–0 victory.

On 17 October 2007, Gilardino assumed the team captaincy for the first time in his international career after Daniele De Rossi was substituted during Italy's 2–0 friendly win over South Africa. He returned to the national team on 20 August 2008 and scored the first of Italy's two goals in an international friendly against Austria, which ended in a 2–2 draw.

In June 2009, Marcello Lippi called Gilardino up for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. Gilardino played a friendly match against New Zealand in Pretoria, South Africa days before Italy's first match, netting two goals and displaying a wonderful performance.

On 10 October 2009, Gilardino scored what he describes as the most important goal of his career so far, scoring in the 89th minute against Ireland. This enabled them (Italy) to qualify for the 2010 World Cup to try and defend the title they won in 2006.

On 14 October 2009, Gilardino scored a hat trick in the final 13 minutes of the game against Cyprus to cap a 3–2 victory for Italy.

Gilardino was part of the Italian 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.

Alberto Gilardino & Wife Picture

ALBERTO GILARDINO PROFILE

Date of birth: 5 July 1982 

Place of birth: Biella, Italy

Height: 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Striker

ClubCareer

Current club: Fiorentina

Alberto Gilardino Wallpapers

ALBERTO AQUILANI BIOGRAPHY

ALBERTO AQUILANI  born 7 July 1984 is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Juventus on loan from Premier League side Liverpool. He is also part of the Italian national team. Aquilani is a central midfielder, who can operate in a holding position or an attacking position in the hole behind the strikers.

Aquilani began his career at Roma and, after a brief loan spell at Triestina, returned to the Serie A club where he became a regular in the Roma side during the 2005–06 season. Unfortunately in the following season, he suffered a thigh injury and was ruled out for several months. He moved to Liverpool for the start of the 2009–10 season, in a deal that, including add ons, could potentially be worth £20m in total. Though in August 2010, after being criticised for a lack of starts at Anfield, he joined Juventus on loan until the end of the season.

Internationally, Aquilani has represented Italy at international level youth level and at the Euro 2008. He made his full international debut in November 2006 in a 1–1 draw against Turkey.

At youth level, Aquilani was capped for Italy at 2001 European Under-21 Football Championship qualifying. He won 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship with Italy and scored one goal. He was then promoted to the U21 team and took part in 2006 European Under-21 Football Championship qualifying, but missed out on the final tournament due to injury.

Aquilani made his senior debut on 15 November 2006 in a 1–1 friendly against Turkey.He played as a regular during the 2007 U-21 Championship held in the Netherlands, scoring two goals, and being named in the "UEFA Team of the Tournament". Italy finished 5th and qualified for the 2008 Olympics. He was named to the 23-man roster for Euro 2008, his first major international tournament. He came on as a sub in Italy's third game of the tournament, which was a 2–0 victory over France. He started Italy's quarter-final match against Spain due to the suspensions to Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. Italy lost 4–2 in a shootout after a 0–0 tie through 120 minutes. He also said to liverpool that if he had a choice between the two clubs it was juventus was his prefferd destination

Aquilani scored his first goal for Italy during the 2010 World Cup qualification match against Montenegro on 15 October 2008, a tally he doubled later in the same match. In spite of this, the national team manager Marcelo Lippi opted not to include him in the 23-man Italian squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

ABOUT ALBERTO AQUILINI

Birth Name: Alberto Aquilani

Date of birth: 7 July 1984

Place of birth: Rome, Italy

Height: 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)

Playing position: Midfielder

Career Club

Current club: Juventus (on loan from Liverpool)

Number: 14

FRANCESCO TOTTI BIOGRAPHY

Francesco Totti, born 27 September 1976 in Rome is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who is the current captain of Serie A club Roma. His position is that of a second striker or an attacking midfielder, though he is best known for playing as a second striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most capped player in the club's history. He is widely regarded as one of the finest players in his generation and also Roma's greatest player ever.

Often referred to as Il Bimbo d'Oro (The Golden Boy), Er Pupone (The Baby) and Il Gladiatore (The Gladiator) by the Italian sports media, Totti has won many individual awards, including a record five Italian Footballer of the Year awards and two Serie A Footballer of the Year awards. He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He is currently the top active Serie A goalscorer and sixth all-time in league history with 197 goals.

Totti was born and raised in Rome's Porta Metronia neighborhood. He idolized ex-Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini and regularly played football with older boys. His mother refused a lucrative offer from AC Milan to remain in his hometown, and he joined the Roma youth squad in 1989.

Totti's wife Ilary Blasi is a former showgirl who currently works as commentator and host on several Mediaset TV programs. The couple had their first baby, named Cristian, on 6 November 2005. Their second child, a daughter named Chanel, was born on 13 May 2007.

Totti's brother Riccardo serves as his agent. Totti also runs a football school called "Number Ten" and owns a motorcycle racing team called "Totti Top Sport."

Totti became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF in 2003, and the FIFA/SOS Children's Villages in January 2006. As a fundraiser for a children's charity, he published two bestselling, self-effacing joke books containing jokes the locals often told about him and his teammates. Some of the jokes were filmed in short sketches featuring himself with good friends and national teammates Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Christian Vieri, Antonio Cassano, Marco Delvecchio and Alessandro Nesta and former national team coach Giovanni Trapattoni in a short show called La sai l'ultima di Totti.

Totti is famous for his cucchiaio goalscoring technique, which inspired the title of his 2006 autobiography, Tutto Totti: Mo je faccio er cucchiaio (Romanesco for "I'm going to Chip Him").

Totti also collects jerseys from teams around the world. In 2003, after a Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Ireland, Irish players Brian O'Driscoll and Denis Hickie each received a Totti jersey in exchange for their own shirts.

Totti is featured on the cover of Pro Evolution Soccer 4 along with Thierry Henry and Italian referee Pierluigi Collina.

On February 2010, Totti signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with online gambling company Party Poker. Totti admitted that he is truly passionate about poker, playing online and with his teammates.

Francesco Totti's Family

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ABOUT FRANCESCO TOTTI

Birth Name: Francesco Totti

Date of birth: 27 September 1976  

Place of birth: Rome, Italy

Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)

Playing position: Second Striker

Attacking: midfielder

Current club: Roma

Number: 10

Club Career

1992– Roma 464 (197 gol)

National team‡

1991–1992 Italy U-16-15 19 (5)

1993–1995 Italy U-18 14 (7)

1995–1997 Italy U-19 8 (4)

1997 Italy U-21 4 (2)

1998–2006 Italy 58 (9)