 Miguel Veloso of Sporting Lisbon |
"Planning for next season with Miguel Veloso is one thing. Planning for next season without Miguel Veloso is something completely different"
Paulo Bento, Sporting Lisbon coach
"Veloso is a great player, I believe that he will sign for us in the future"
Ariedo Braida, AC Milan general manager
"It is impossible to ignore good players and Veloso would be hard to ignore"
Carlos Queiroz, former Manchester United assistant manager
Touted as the next big money export set to leave Portugal, Miguel Veloso is a versatile performer who can play as a defensive midfielder, central defender or at left-back.
His strength, versatility and talented left-foot have led to a queue of potential suitors from top European clubs, with Arsenal and Manchester United said to be front-runners for his signature.
The Sporting Lisbon star has more to his armoury than tough tackling and a physical presence as he is an intelligent passer of the ball with a tremendously powerful shot.
His long throughballs even rarely missing their intended target thanks to his uncanny ability to select the right option in every, even the tightest, of situations.
Although starting his career as a centre-back, it is as a defensive midfielder that Veloso has excelled, and his star is rising fast.
He is the son of former Portugal and Benfica stalwart defender António Veloso. His father was a Benfica defender for 15 years, including seven seasons as club captain, and played 40 times for the Selecção. Paulo Bento, his current coach at Sporting, spent three seasons at O Glorioso during the 90s and played alongside Veloso Sr. during the 1994/95 campaign.
Miguel tried to follow in his father's footsteps at the Estádio da Luz, but was surprisingly rejected by Benfica. At the age 14, he switched to rivals Sporting upon recommendation from his father because of the club’s unrivalled reputation in nurturing home-grown players.
Sporting do not have the budget to compete with rivals FC Porto and Benfica in the transfer market, but their ability to mould young talent has kept them competitive. Luís Figo, Simão Sabrosa, Hugo Viana, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, all passed through the Sporting academy on their way to the top.
Veloso won the youth championship with Sporting in 2004/05 then excelled on loan at third division outfit CD Olivais e Moscavide the next season. There, he accomplished, as an influential player, promotion to the second division.
As a result of this positive loan, Sporting recalled Veloso for the following season. And he burst onto the scene in spectacular fashion at the start of the 2006/07 campaign when he was thrown in at the deep end in Sporting’s opening Champions League match at home to a star-studded Inter Milan side.
The Italian giants were strong favourites and before the match much was made of Figo’s homecoming, but by the end of the ninety minutes all the talk was of Veloso, who produced a man-of-the-match performance to completely shut Figo and Patrick Vieira out and helped Sporting to a memorable 1-0 win.
In 2007-08 Veloso was everpresent, with João Moutinho, in Sporting's lineups throughout the season as his club played in the Champions League, reached UEFA Cup quarter-finals, finished second in domestic league and won Portuguese Cup for second year in a row.
Throughout his two seasons since bursting onto the scene at Sporting, Veloso has grown in stature to become a crucial cog in the dynamics of the Lisbon outfit.
Inevitably rumours quickly began swirling that some of Europe’s biggest clubs were preparing to make a bid for the talented youngster, but Veloso signed a long-term contract that will keep him at the Estádio José Alvalade until 2013.
The Coimbra-born player, who captained Portugal to victory on home soil in the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, was part of the Portuguese team that knocked out of the group stages in 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Netherlands.
However, his impressive performances in the Netherlands, where he scored twice in three group games, has earned him a call-up into the Portuguese full squad for the first time.
On August 2007, he was called by Selecção boss Luiz Felipe Scolari for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Armenia before making his international debut against Azerbaijan two months later and went on to make three starts in their final qualifying campaign against Kazakhstan, Armenia and Finland.
In the European Championship finals, Veloso only appeared once in the 2-0 group defeat to the co-hosts Switzerland.
Provided he stays injury free the pony-tailed star looks set for a glittering career at the very top of the game.
Full name: Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso
Date of birth: May 11, 1986
Birthplace: Coimbra, Portugal
Nationality: Portuguese
Height: 1.81 m
Weight: 79 kg
Club: Sporting Lisbon
Position: Defender, Defensive midfielder
Number: 24
Honours:
Portuguese II Divisão Serie D (2006)
Portuguese Cup (2007, 2008)
Portuguese Super Cup (2007, 2008)
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Technorati tags: Portugal Sporting Lisbon Miguel Veloso
His strength, versatility and talented left-foot have led to a queue of potential suitors from top European clubs, with Arsenal and Manchester United said to be front-runners for his signature.
His long throughballs even rarely missing their intended target thanks to his uncanny ability to select the right option in every, even the tightest, of situations.
Although starting his career as a centre-back, it is as a defensive midfielder that Veloso has excelled, and his star is rising fast.
He is the son of former Portugal and Benfica stalwart defender António Veloso. His father was a Benfica defender for 15 years, including seven seasons as club captain, and played 40 times for the Selecção. Paulo Bento, his current coach at Sporting, spent three seasons at O Glorioso during the 90s and played alongside Veloso Sr. during the 1994/95 campaign.
Miguel tried to follow in his father's footsteps at the Estádio da Luz, but was surprisingly rejected by Benfica. At the age 14, he switched to rivals Sporting upon recommendation from his father because of the club’s unrivalled reputation in nurturing home-grown players.
Sporting do not have the budget to compete with rivals FC Porto and Benfica in the transfer market, but their ability to mould young talent has kept them competitive. Luís Figo, Simão Sabrosa, Hugo Viana, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, all passed through the Sporting academy on their way to the top.
As a result of this positive loan, Sporting recalled Veloso for the following season. And he burst onto the scene in spectacular fashion at the start of the 2006/07 campaign when he was thrown in at the deep end in Sporting’s opening Champions League match at home to a star-studded Inter Milan side.
The Italian giants were strong favourites and before the match much was made of Figo’s homecoming, but by the end of the ninety minutes all the talk was of Veloso, who produced a man-of-the-match performance to completely shut Figo and Patrick Vieira out and helped Sporting to a memorable 1-0 win.
In 2007-08 Veloso was everpresent, with João Moutinho, in Sporting's lineups throughout the season as his club played in the Champions League, reached UEFA Cup quarter-finals, finished second in domestic league and won Portuguese Cup for second year in a row.
Throughout his two seasons since bursting onto the scene at Sporting, Veloso has grown in stature to become a crucial cog in the dynamics of the Lisbon outfit.
The Coimbra-born player, who captained Portugal to victory on home soil in the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, was part of the Portuguese team that knocked out of the group stages in 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Netherlands.
However, his impressive performances in the Netherlands, where he scored twice in three group games, has earned him a call-up into the Portuguese full squad for the first time.
On August 2007, he was called by Selecção boss Luiz Felipe Scolari for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Armenia before making his international debut against Azerbaijan two months later and went on to make three starts in their final qualifying campaign against Kazakhstan, Armenia and Finland.
In the European Championship finals, Veloso only appeared once in the 2-0 group defeat to the co-hosts Switzerland.
Provided he stays injury free the pony-tailed star looks set for a glittering career at the very top of the game.
Full name: Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso
Date of birth: May 11, 1986
Birthplace: Coimbra, Portugal
Nationality: Portuguese
Height: 1.81 m
Weight: 79 kg
Club: Sporting Lisbon
Position: Defender, Defensive midfielder
Number: 24
Honours:
Portuguese II Divisão Serie D (2006)
Portuguese Cup (2007, 2008)
Portuguese Super Cup (2007, 2008)
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 Ryan Babel of Liverpool |
"He has the body, speed and pace – everything he needs to develop his game. In fact, he could be the new Thierry Henry"
George Boateng, former Netherlands player
"He has all the potential to be the next Thierry Henry"
Marco van Basten, former Netherlands coach
"He's quick, strong and you can't guess what he's going to do next because he's a bag of tricks"
Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool legend
A tall, quick striker who can play on the wings or through the middle, Ryan Babel is one of the many players from the famous Ajax youth production line.
The right-footed Babel is predominantly a left winger but can also be employed as striker or on the opposite wing.
His speed and trickery equip him to cause defenders problems and, allied with his scoring threat, make him a real handful.
With awareness of the field, great vision, good first touch, and strength on the ball, he handles situations well.
Scouted by Ajax at the age of eleven, the Amsterdam-born forward played the 1998/99 season for their D1 team.
He then passed through the C1, B1 and A1 teams quickly, and, in January 2004, he signed his first professional contract.
On February 2004, Babel made his first team debut for Ajax as a 17-year-old in the 4-0 win against ADO Den Haag.
Nine months later, the youngster registered his first senior goal in a 5-0 league win against De Graafschap.
He played three seasons at the Amsterdam ArenA with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings, before moved to Liverpool in July 2007 in a five-year deal worth £11.5 million.
He was handed the number 19 shirt and made his Premier League debut as a second-half substitute at Aston Villa in the opening day of the 2007/08 season.
It wasn't long before he opened his goal account in a red shirt, defeating two Derby County defenders before lashing home in a 6-0 romp over newly-promoted Derby at Anfield.
Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year, including his first Champions League goal for Liverpool in an 8-0 demolition of Beşiktaş. He netted twice in the game - one being a cheeky back-heel - and almost completed a hat-trick, from a header from a Harry Kewell cross, but was denied by the crossbar.
Babel has been part of the Netherlands national team since March 2005, when coach Marco van Basten sent him as a first-half substitute for the injured Arjen Robben in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania in Bucharest. He paid off van Basten's faith by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win, making him the fourth-youngest goalscorer in the Dutch history and the youngest in 68 years at the age of 18 years and 97 days.
Despite featuring at senior level, Babel was still eligible for the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup, being held in the Netherlands. He scored two goals in four games as the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals. There they were defeated by Nigeria, 10–9 in a penalty shoot-out, at which Babel scored his penalty.
In 2006, van Basten included Babel in the Dutch 23-man squad for 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, though he only featured once, as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina.
Babel was one of the stars as the Netherlands U-21 team won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the 4-1 victory over Serbia in the final, helping him scoop man of the match.
In May 2008, Babel was selected for the Dutch squad which will compete in the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland. Sadly, he was removed from the squad after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in training.
He was part of the Dutch team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which they were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
After being slowly blooded into the Liverpool side, Babel has became a more prominent figure in the Reds line-up and is being hotly tipped for this season to be his breakout season.
Full name: Ryan Guno Babel
Date of birth: December 19, 1986
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 78 kg
Club: Liverpool
Position: Forward
Number: 19
Honours:
UEFA U-21 European Championship (2007)
Dutch Johan Cruijff-schaal (2005, 2006)
Dutch KNVB Cup (2006, 2007)
Liverpool Young Player of the Season (2008)
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Technorati tags: Netherlands Liverpool Ryan Babel
The right-footed Babel is predominantly a left winger but can also be employed as striker or on the opposite wing.
His speed and trickery equip him to cause defenders problems and, allied with his scoring threat, make him a real handful.
With awareness of the field, great vision, good first touch, and strength on the ball, he handles situations well.
Scouted by Ajax at the age of eleven, the Amsterdam-born forward played the 1998/99 season for their D1 team.
On February 2004, Babel made his first team debut for Ajax as a 17-year-old in the 4-0 win against ADO Den Haag.
Nine months later, the youngster registered his first senior goal in a 5-0 league win against De Graafschap.
He played three seasons at the Amsterdam ArenA with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings, before moved to Liverpool in July 2007 in a five-year deal worth £11.5 million.
He was handed the number 19 shirt and made his Premier League debut as a second-half substitute at Aston Villa in the opening day of the 2007/08 season.
It wasn't long before he opened his goal account in a red shirt, defeating two Derby County defenders before lashing home in a 6-0 romp over newly-promoted Derby at Anfield.
Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year, including his first Champions League goal for Liverpool in an 8-0 demolition of Beşiktaş. He netted twice in the game - one being a cheeky back-heel - and almost completed a hat-trick, from a header from a Harry Kewell cross, but was denied by the crossbar.
Babel has been part of the Netherlands national team since March 2005, when coach Marco van Basten sent him as a first-half substitute for the injured Arjen Robben in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania in Bucharest. He paid off van Basten's faith by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win, making him the fourth-youngest goalscorer in the Dutch history and the youngest in 68 years at the age of 18 years and 97 days.
In 2006, van Basten included Babel in the Dutch 23-man squad for 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, though he only featured once, as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina.
Babel was one of the stars as the Netherlands U-21 team won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the 4-1 victory over Serbia in the final, helping him scoop man of the match.
In May 2008, Babel was selected for the Dutch squad which will compete in the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland. Sadly, he was removed from the squad after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in training.
He was part of the Dutch team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which they were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
After being slowly blooded into the Liverpool side, Babel has became a more prominent figure in the Reds line-up and is being hotly tipped for this season to be his breakout season.
Full name: Ryan Guno Babel
Date of birth: December 19, 1986
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 78 kg
Club: Liverpool
Position: Forward
Number: 19
Honours:
UEFA U-21 European Championship (2007)
Dutch Johan Cruijff-schaal (2005, 2006)
Dutch KNVB Cup (2006, 2007)
Liverpool Young Player of the Season (2008)
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 Manuel Neuer of Schalke 04 |
"Manuel Neuer has very much potential"
Jens Lehmann, former Schalke and Germany goalkeeper
"He is world class"
Mirko Slomka, former Schalke coach
"Manuel is a fantastic goalkeeper. I'd like someone to show me a better keeper in Germany"
Marcelo Bordon, Schalke captain
Considered to be one of the most talented young German keepers, Manuel Neuer is a promising candidate to succeed his hero and idol as a child, Jens Lehmann.
Neuer won the starting position at Schalke 04 on November 2006, when coach Mirko Slomka sprang a monumental surprise in the run-up to a crunch home clash against Bayern Munich, dropping experienced first-choice keeper Frank Rost and installing Neuer in his place.
The Royal Blues drew 2-2 with the champions, the first match in a storming undefeated run that has yielded 32 of a possible 36 points since then with Neuer having picked the ball from the back of his net on just eight occasions and has kept the same number of clean sheets.
On 5 March 2008, in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League, Neuer performed a world-class display against FC Porto where he pulled off many crucial saves throughout the 120 minutes of regular time to force a penalty shoot-out.
And he capped his magical performance with two penalty saves as he denied spot-kicks from Bruno Alves and Lisandro López, emulating Lehmann when he starred in the UEFA Cup final against Inter Milan at the San Siro to lead Schalke to the title.
Neuer is a local boy, born and bred in Gelsenkirchen and he used to stand on the terraces and watch Lehmann play for his local team.
"I used to get there a long time before kick-off, because I wanted to watch Jens Lehmann warm up," Neuer recalls. "Lehmann has always been one of my role models."
Neuer appeared at every youth level for Schalke, before signing professional forms in 2005.
The coaching staff were rewarded in spades for their faith in the young lad, leaving Schalke general manager Andreas Müller to describe the custodian as "an exceptional talent."
Alongside lightning-quick reflexes and a commanding penalty-box presence, Neuer is no slouch with the ball at his feet. "He's the kind of keeper who gets involved. When he trains as an outfield player, you hardly notice the difference," Slomka observes.
He was one of only three Bundesliga players to play every single minute in the Bundesliga 2007/08 season. Neuer is also one of the two goalkeepers to get an assist - the others being René Adler of Leverkusen and Bayern's Michael Rensing.
Neuer has been a regular for the Germany U-21s since making his debut in a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on 15 August 2006.
He has rapidly become a crowd favourite as he was voted Schalke's Player of the Year in a vote organised by the official fan-club. "This award means a lot to me. To be chosen by the fans is always something special," he said.
Full name: Manuel Neuer
Date of birth: March 27, 1986
Birthplace: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Nationality: German
Height: 1.92 m
Weight: 85 kg
Club: Schalke 04
Position: Goalkeeper
Number: 1
Honours:
German Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year (2007)
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Technorati tags: Germany Schalke Manuel Neuer
Neuer won the starting position at Schalke 04 on November 2006, when coach Mirko Slomka sprang a monumental surprise in the run-up to a crunch home clash against Bayern Munich, dropping experienced first-choice keeper Frank Rost and installing Neuer in his place.
On 5 March 2008, in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League, Neuer performed a world-class display against FC Porto where he pulled off many crucial saves throughout the 120 minutes of regular time to force a penalty shoot-out.
And he capped his magical performance with two penalty saves as he denied spot-kicks from Bruno Alves and Lisandro López, emulating Lehmann when he starred in the UEFA Cup final against Inter Milan at the San Siro to lead Schalke to the title.
Neuer is a local boy, born and bred in Gelsenkirchen and he used to stand on the terraces and watch Lehmann play for his local team.
"I used to get there a long time before kick-off, because I wanted to watch Jens Lehmann warm up," Neuer recalls. "Lehmann has always been one of my role models."
The coaching staff were rewarded in spades for their faith in the young lad, leaving Schalke general manager Andreas Müller to describe the custodian as "an exceptional talent."
Alongside lightning-quick reflexes and a commanding penalty-box presence, Neuer is no slouch with the ball at his feet. "He's the kind of keeper who gets involved. When he trains as an outfield player, you hardly notice the difference," Slomka observes.
He was one of only three Bundesliga players to play every single minute in the Bundesliga 2007/08 season. Neuer is also one of the two goalkeepers to get an assist - the others being René Adler of Leverkusen and Bayern's Michael Rensing.
Neuer has been a regular for the Germany U-21s since making his debut in a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on 15 August 2006.
He has rapidly become a crowd favourite as he was voted Schalke's Player of the Year in a vote organised by the official fan-club. "This award means a lot to me. To be chosen by the fans is always something special," he said.
Full name: Manuel Neuer
Date of birth: March 27, 1986
Birthplace: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Nationality: German
Height: 1.92 m
Weight: 85 kg
Club: Schalke 04
Position: Goalkeeper
Number: 1
Honours:
German Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year (2007)
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