Andrea PIRLO

• Date of Birth: 19-05-1979
• Height: 177 cm
• Shirt number: 21
• Position: Midfielder
• Current club: AC Milan (ITA)

Equally at ease in a deep-lying playmaking role or a more advanced position, Andrea Pirlo is a linchpin for both club and country.

Carlos Alberto Tévez (born 5 February 1984 in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires Province) is an Argentine footballer who made his name with Argentine giants Boca Juniors, Corinthians in Brazil and later in England with West Ham United. He is currently playing for Manchester United, on a two-year loan from Media Sports Investments.

He is regarded as one of the most promising prospects to come out of Argentina. Like Argentine teammate Lionel Messi, he has been labelled as the “New Maradona”. Diego Maradona once described him as the “Argentine prophet for the 21st century”.

Full name: Carlos Alberto Tévez
Date of birth: February 05, 1984
Birthplace: Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nationality: Argentinian
EU passport: No
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 74 kg

Club: Manchester United
Position: Forward [C]
Number: 32
Contract expires: June 2009
Previous clubs: (youth) All Boys > Boca Juniors > (€16m) Corinthians > West Ham > (free) Manchester United

International debut: March 2004, v Ecuador
Caps: 34
Goals: 7
World cups: Germany 2006

Michael Ballack (born 26 September 1976) is a German football midfielder who plays for Chelsea of the English Premier League and is the captain of the German national team. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He was selected as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He has won the German Footballer of the Year award three times 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Ballack began his career as a youth at Chemnitzer FC, his local team, and made his professional debut in 1995. Although the team were relegated in his first season, his performances in the Regionalliga the following season led to a transfer to Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club; his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for Germany. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4.1 million in 1999. The 2002 season saw him win a slew of runners-up medals: Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, German Cup, UEFA Champions League and Germany lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup Final.

A €12.9 million move to Bayern Munich led to further honours: the team won the Bundesliga and German Cup double in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Ballack had become a prolific goalscorer from midfield, scoring 58 goals for Bayern Munich between 2002 and 2006. He joined Premier League side Chelsea in mid-2006 and won his first English honours, the FA Cup and Football League Cup, in his first season at the club. Injury ruled out much of 2007 but he returned the following season, helping Chelsea reach their first ever Champions League Final.

Internationally, Ballack has played in the European Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann appointed him captain of the national team in 2004. He captained his country in the Euro 2008 Final but the team lost to Spain.

WAYNE ROONEY
Klub: Manchester United
Negara: Inggris
Usia: 24 (24 Oktober 1985)
Posisi: Pemain depan
Penghargaan Sebelumnya: -
Tahun 2009 menjadi tahun membahagiakan bagi Wayne Rooney, setidaknya sebagian, di mana dia sukses membawa Manchester United menjadi juara Liga Primer Inggris untuk kali ketiga secara berturut-turut, dan mengantar timnas Inggris ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010.

Prestasinya hanya kurang lengkap setelah gagal menaklukkan Barcelona di final Liga Champions. Karena itu juga potensinya untuk meraih penghargaan Ballon d'Or ikut terpengaruh.

Namun tahun depan, segala sesuatunya bisa berbalik 180 derajat, terutama jika Inggris menorehkan sukses di Afrika Selatan.

Atribut

• Menjadi bapak untuk kali pertama setelah Coleen melahirkan Kai di awal November.
• Menemukan kembali performa terbaiknya di level internasional
• Mengantar United meraih gelar Liga Primer untuk kali ketiga secara berurutan
• Nyaris menjadi topskor Liga Primer musim lalu
• Menjadi kapten Inggris untuk kali pertama pada laga ujicoba melawan Brasil beberapa waktu lalu

Apa katanya...
"Saya merasa tersanjung bermain dengan sejumlah pemain hebat. Di United, saya sempat bersama Cristiano Ronaldo dan pastinya saya sempat bermain bersama Lionel Messi di timnas. Tapi satu yang saya suka adalah Wayne Rooney. Dia adalah pemain yang komplit." - Carlos Tevez mengenai Rooney kepada News Of The World.

Prediksi
Rooney memiliki kesempatan meraih tropi ini, setidaknya masuk dalam jajaran sepuluh besar. Tahun depan, jika dia bisa memperbaiki performanya, bukan tidak mungkin dia akan masuk tiga besar, atau bahkan meraih gelar Ballon d'Or.

LIONEL MESSI
Klub: Barcelona
Negara: Argentina
Usia: 22 (24 Juni 1987)
Posisi: Pemain depan
Penghargaan sebelumnya: Peringkat dua (2008), Peringkat tiga (2007)
Lionel Messi menjadi kandidat kuat peraih gelar Ballon d'Or tahun 2009, merujuk pada performa dan kontribusinya untuk Barcelona musim lalu.

Melihat kapabilitasnya sebagai pemain depan, memang tak mengherankan jika Messi tidak mendapatkan penghargaan tersebut. Orang akan beranggapan sebaliknya jika Messi tidak mendapat penghargaan tersebut.

Dengan usia yang masih 22 tahun, masa depannya sebagai pemain terlihat cerah luar biasa.

Atribut

• Topskor Liga Champions 2008/09 dengan sembilan gol
• Mencetak 30 gol dari 34 pertandingan di La Liga di tahun 2009
• Menandatangani kontrak yang akan berakhir pada 2016 dengan klausul buy-out sebesar 250 juta euro
• Membawa Argentina melenggang ke Afrika Selatan

ANDREY ARSHAVIN Klub: Arsenal Negara Asal: Rusia Usia: 28 (Lahir 29 Mei 1981) Posisi: Gelandang Prestasi Sebelumnya: Tidak ada

Gelandang yang satu ini dianugerahi teknik di atas rata-rata dan bisa dikatakan sebagai salah satu pemain terbaik di bursa transfer Januari lalu. Tidak seperti biasanya, Arsenal ternyata tergoda dan menggaetnya dari Zenit St Petersburg dengan nilai transfer £15 juta.

Pemain Rusia ini tidak membutuhkan waktu lama untuk beradaptasi dengan gaya sepakbola Inggris yang mengandalkan kecepatan dan mampu menjadi salah satu pemain kunci Arsenal. Pemain berusia 28 tahun ini juga mampu meringankan tugas Francesc Fabregas dan sering menjadi penghubung para penyerang untuk mencetak gol.

Atribut

• Pemain termahal Arsenal seharga £16.9 juta..
• Menjadi salah satu dari sembilan pemain Arsenal yang mampu mencetak empat gol dalam sebuah laga tandang. Hebatnya dia melakukan ke gawang Liverpool di Anfield!
• Salah satu pemain kreatif yang dimiliki The Gunners. Sejak datang ke Emirates Februari lalu, Arshavin menyumbang 14 assist dan 12 gol.
• Gagal membawa Rusia ke Piala Dunia 2010 setelah dibungkam Slovenia di babak play off
  
• Apa Katanya?
  
  "Pada awalnya saya ragu dia mampu bermain penuh komitmen selama 90 menit. Lihat saja sekarang, berlari tanpa mengenal lelah. Tidak mungkin kita tidak memperhatikannya. Saya selalu melabelinya sebagai pemain hebat segala bisa. Dia memiliki karakter pemenang. Hal itu menjadikannya mudah beradaptasi di Inggris dalam waktu relatif singkat. Kepintaran membuatnya tahu apa yang harus dibutuhkan untuk menembus lebel tertinggi sepakbola. Jika dia mampu beradaptasi sepenuhnya dengan gaya Inggris, sukses pasti menghampiri, karena dia bukan saja seorang pemain spektakuler, tetapi efektif." -- Guus Hiddink kepada Daily Mail.
  
  Prediksi
  
  Arshavin mungkin akan berada di papan bawah. Kegagalan bersama Rusia di Piala Dunia, dan ketidakmampuan Arsenal meraih gelar juara di bulan Mei ditambah penampilan yang labil musim ini akan menjadi penghalang. Jika Arsenal bisa meraih sesuatu musim depan, dia bisa menjadi kandidat kuat Ballon d'Or tahun depan.
  
  
  

Robin van Persie

Squad Number: 11 Position: Forward Place of Birth: Rotterdam, Netherlands Date Of Birth: 06/ 08/ 1983 Height: 6'0 Weight: 11st 2lbs This Season Appearances: 14(0) Goals: 8 Yellow Cards: 4 Red Cards: 0 Minutes on Pitch: 1187

Robin van Persie

Robin Van Persie was Arsenal's first signing of the 2004 closed season. The 20 year old signed from Feyenoord for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of �3 million.

Van Persie is still only young (22-years-old) but is fast assuming the mould of the classic Dutch forward. Tall and strong with exceptional technical ability, the young Dutchman also has alarming pace which saw him take a place on the wing at Feyenoord. Van Persie is also reputed to be something of a dead ball specialist.

The Dutchman's preferred position is 'in the hole' a la Dennis Bergkamp, though he was originally schooled as a left-winger. The 20 year old will likely be playing alongside his compatriot Bergkamp in his first season with Arsenal, but that will hardly quash rumours that the young striker is being lined up for the legendary number 10 shirt.

Arsenal beat several other teams in securing Van Persie's signature including Sevilla, Werder Bremen, Shalke 04, Glasgow Rangers and PSV. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger had originally tried to sign the Dutchman in the January transfer window but Feyenoord rejected the offer and Wenger signed Jose Reyes instead.

Robin Van Persie was born on August 6, 1983 in the West coast, industrial town of Rotterdam. The player remained faithful to his hometown and played for both Excelsior Rotterdam and then Feyenoord youth teams.

Van Persie has received caps for the Dutch national team at both U-19 and U-21 level. The forward is still waiting for his first senior call up, but this is believed principally to be because of personal problems with the Feyenoord manager, Bert van Marwijk.

In 2002 Van Persie signed a three and a half year deal with Feyenoord. And the player got his first appearance in January 2002 at the age of 18 due to injury shortages. In February of the same year Van Persie featured as a 57th minute substitute in the UEFA cup fourth-round, first-leg clash against Glasgow Rangers. He then played from the start in the return leg at Feyenoord, which the Dutch side won 3-2 thus booking their progress to the next stage. It was a competition that Feyenoord would win in that year, by beating Borussia Dortmund of Germany 3-2 in the final.

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
Klub: Inter Milan / Barcelona
Negara: Swedia
Usia: 28 (3 Oktober 1981)
Posisi: Penyerang
Penghargaan Sebelumnya: Tidak ada


Apakah ada yang meragukan kualitas Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Penyerang mematikan ini memiliki kemampuan teknik mumpuni disertai penyelesaian yang mematikan.

Tapi, Ibra terkenal kerap mandek pada laga-laga penting. Kepindahannya ke Barcelona musim panas lalu dipandang sebagai konsekuensi untuk menandingi aksi transfer Real Madrid.

Namun, sejak mendarat di Camp Nou, Ibra menemukan permainan terbaiknya. Striker berkebangsaan Swedia ini berpeluang mematahkan para peragunya seiring masih banyak pertandingan yang akan dijalaninya bersama Barca.

Atribut:

• Tiba di Camp Nou dengan transfer senilai €69 juta
• Juara Piala Super Eropa dan Piala Super Spanyol bersama Barcelona
• Sudah mencetak delapan gol di Primera Liga Spanyol
• Mampu mencetak 12 gol dalam bulan terakhirnya di Inter Milan serta membantu mereka meraih gelar liga ketiga beruntun
• Finis sebagai topskor Serie A Italia dengan 25 gol musim 2008/09
• Terpilih sebagai Pemain Terbaik Swedia oleh Aftonbladet dan federasi sepakbola Swedia

Mereka bilang...
"Dia membawa sesuatu yang tidak dimiliki Barcelona dalam tujuh tahun terakhir: penyerang tengah dengan fisik tangguh dan kemampuan teknik hebat. Kombinasi itu membuat Ibrahimovic pemain depan yang istimewa" -- ujar Txiki Begiristain kepada As.

Prediksi
Ibrahimovic bukan menjadi bagian dari kesuksesan Barcelona saat menjuarai Liga Champions Mei silam, tapi kekaguman fans terhadapnya tak bisa dibohongi. Akan menjadi kejutan besar jika Ibra berhasil memenangi Ballon D'Or tahun ini.

SAMUEL ETO'O Klub: Barcelona / Inter Negara Asal: Kamerun Usia: 28 (Lahir 10 Maret 1981) Posisi: Penyerang Prestasi Sebelumnya: Tidak ada

Salah satu penyerang dengan bakat besar saat ini. Eto'o mengalami masa kelam pada tahun 2009, tetapi hal tersebut dialami di luar lapangan yang mengharuskannya meninggalkan Camp Nou dan terlibat dalam sebuah pertukaran pemain antara Barcelona dan Inter yang melibatkan uang besar plus Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Eto'o dapat dikatakan kurang beruntung. Jika harus melihat ke belakang, pada tahun 1997 Eto'o mencetak 30 gol, tetapi saat itu Ronaldo membuat 34 gol. Sejarah seperti terulang, saat Eto'o menemukan permainan terbaiknya dan jarang mengalami cedera, dia masih kalah dalam urusan mencetak gol dari Diego Forlan.

Meski demikian, Eto'o memiliki waktu banyak untuk membuktikan diri bersama Inter dan penyerang Kamerun itu mulai mendulang gol bersama Diego Milito.

Atribut

• Menjadi bagian saat Barcelona meraih tiga gelar dalam satu musim.
  
• Meninggalkan Camp Nou dengan penuh amarah.
• Musim lalu 30 gol mampu dilesakkannya, namun gagal meraih predikat Pichichi.
  
• Memulai karir dengan baik di Inter meski hingga detik ini belum mencetak gol di kompetisi Eropa.
• Akan memimpin Kamerun di Piala Afrika dan Piala Dunia 2010.

Salah satu penyerang dengan bakat besar saat ini. Eto'o mengalami masa kelam pada tahun 2009, tetapi hal tersebut dialami di luar lapangan yang mengharuskannya meninggalkan Camp Nou dan terlibat dalam sebuah pertukaran pemain antara Barcelona dan Inter yang melibatkan uang besar plus Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Eto'o dapat dikatakan kurang beruntung. Jika harus melihat ke belakang, pada tahun 1997 Eto'o mencetak 30 gol, tetapi saat itu Ronaldo membuat 34 gol. Sejarah seperti terulang, saat Eto'o menemukan permainan terbaiknya dan jarang mengalami cedera, dia masih kalah dalam urusan mencetak gol dari Diego Forlan.

Meski demikian, Eto'o memiliki waktu banyak untuk membuktikan diri bersama Inter dan penyerang Kamerun itu mulai mendulang gol bersama Diego Milito.

Atribut

• Menjadi bagian saat Barcelona meraih tiga gelar dalam satu musim.
  
• Meninggalkan Camp Nou dengan penuh amarah.
• Musim lalu 30 gol mampu dilesakkannya, namun gagal meraih predikat Pichichi.
  
• Memulai karir dengan baik di Inter meski hingga detik ini belum mencetak gol di kompetisi Eropa.
• Akan memimpin Kamerun di Piala Afrika dan Piala Dunia 2010.

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

It is fair to say that even by the standards of his own extraordinary life, the 2008/09 was a rollercoaster ride for Didier.

Sidelined for much of the first half of the campaign, the Ivorian bounced back with the arrival of Guus Hiddink to become the Premier League's most feared striker once again.

His form has continued into the new season under Carlo Ancelotti, with decisive goals coming in games against Hull and Stoke while adding assists aplenty with his rampaging style of play.

A new contract was signed over the summer, taking him to 2012, but it could all have been so different after 2008/09 began with such frustration.

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

Lacking match fitness, Drogba found it hard to make an impact, eventually doing so against Burnley in the Carling Cup, but a fine individual goal was ruined by its celebration.

Showered by coins from the away end at Stamford Bridge, Drogba reacted, tossing one back into the Shed End, earning him a three-match ban that would further hinder his involvement.

Scolari's dismissal and 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, against Juventus in Europe and Portsmouth at home, before a run of five in four games against Bolton, Liverpool and Arsenal.

His best performance of the season was arguably against Fulham at the beginning of May, combining with Anelka and Florent Malouda to rip our west London neighbours apart.

Four days later Drogba was at the centre of controversy again. Eliminated from the Champions League in injury time of the semi-final against Barcelona, despite having had a number of penalty calls waved away, he did not react well, confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo in front of the TV cameras. Again there was a three-match ban, reduced on appeal from four.

It was the second season in succession that Drogba's European campaign had ended in shame. A year earlier he was sent off in Moscow, minutes before the penalty shootout that saw us beaten by Manchester United.

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.

A man for the big occasions, nobody has scored more in cup finals for Chelsea, with Drogba having also netted in the Carling Cups of 2005, 2007 and 2008, and the FA Cup in 2007.

That 2006/07 campaign was when it all came together for the 2004 summer arrival, whose pace, strength and aerial power made him the type of forward not seen at Chelsea for some time. He netted 33 times in all competitions.

Although his 15 goals the next year fell short of that number, there were still Goal of the Season contenders among them and had the African Cup of Nations and a recurring knee problem not intervened, he might have matched a total that had made him Chelsea's highest scorer in a season since Kerry Dixon in 1984/85.

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 José Mourinho - but after scoring 17 goals in 2002/03 and becoming an international, he had moved out of Porto's price range.

Olympique Marseille swooped and they did not regret their move. After a gentle-paced start to his career in France, Didier hit full sprint following the move to the big time.

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.

A groin operation forced him out for two months midway through his first season and it took time to reach full power again,though he still netted 10 league goals, and 16 in total.

In 2005/06 his season's tally was again 16 goals, 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, 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 4-1, prompting 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.'

Didier captained Ivory Coast in their maiden World Cup Finals in 2006 and found the net against Argentina before returning to Chelsea where he was asked to mould a strike partnership with newly-arrived Andriy Shevchenko.

He found playing with two-up suited as the flow of goals turned into a torrent.

His 20 in the league won the Premiership Golden Boot. His 60 games tally was the second highest appearances in a season in the club's history.

Cristiano Ronaldo profile

Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Birth date: February 5, 1985
Birthplace: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Height: 186.5 cm
Playing position: Left/right winger, striker
First club: Sporting Lisbon
Career debut: 1999 vs Moreirense
Current club: Real Madrid
International team: Portugal
Int’l debut: August 20, 2003 vs Kazakhstan

Cristiano Ronaldo biography

Ronaldo started playing competitive football at the age of eight for amateur club Andorinha, and then for local team CD Nacional when he was 10. He moved to Sporting CP, one of Portugal’s largest football clubs in 1996.

Ronaldo trained in the youth team before making his senior debut in 1999 against Moreirense in which he scored a brace. He made his European debut in a Champions League qualifier against Inter.

Ronaldo played for Portugal’s youth side in the UEFA U-17 Championships and drew attention internationally.

Liverpool under manager Gérard Houllier back then was reported to have interest in signing Ronaldo; and it was also revealed later that Arsenal was closed to signing him before his move to Manchester United in 2003.

Ronaldo’s signature came after Sporting defeated United 3–1; on the way back to England the United players spoke enthusiastically about the young winger and suggested manager Sir Alex Ferguson to secure his signature, which he did for a price of £12.24 million.

Ronaldo made a memorable debut for Manchester United as a substitute against Bolton; his 30 minutes performances created hype with United fans and the English media with his dazzling dribbles. He scored his first goal for the club with a free kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth in November.

Despite promising starts, his first two seasons at the club received mixed reviews; he’s being praised for his skills, but also often criticised for lack of consistency and poor decision making on the field.

Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal shortly after being signed by United in a match against Kazakhstan in August 2003.

A controversy broke out in World Cup 2006 where Ronaldo was alleged to influence the referee to send off his United team mate and England striker Wayne Rooney in their quarter finals clash.

Ronaldo was being used as the scapegoat for England’s defeat in the World Cup and the hatred towards him had prompted his intention to leave England and United. In the end United managed to keep him, and Ronaldo had a great season in the Premiership against all odds.

Ronaldo won both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year Award in 2007; the first player since 1977 to bag the double in the same season.

Ronaldo was also voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association; and was the top 3 finalists for both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year awards in 2007.

Ronaldo continued his fine form in the 2007/2008 season, netted in 42 goals in all competition (31 in Premier League), and was again voted as the PFA Player of The Year and Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year.

His performance contributed to United’s double for the season; winning the Premiership in succession as well as bringing home the UEFA Champions League trophy, in which he scored a goal in the final.

Ronaldo was crowned as both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year in 2008.

Ronaldo scored 26 goals in the 2008/09 season, helping United to another Premiership title, and again reached the final of the Champions League in which they lost to Barcelona.

Ronaldo became the world’s most expensive football player following his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in July 2009 in a £80 million transfer. He was welcome by 80,000 fans in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium during his official presentation.

Ronaldo’s Real Madrid career started well and was in untouchable form until his injury in October.

FRANK Lampard

Chelsea Midfielders
Height: 1.83m. Weight: 76.00kg. Nationality: England
Born: 20/06/1978 in Romford