Curated category
FIFA World Cup–winning players
- Horst-Dieter HöttgesHorst-Dieter Höttges was born on the 10th of September 1943 in the city of Mönchengladbach. He started playing football at local sides named Blau-Weiß Dahl…
- Wolfgang OverathWolfgang Overath spent his entire professional career at 1. FC Köln between 1962 and 1977. He appeared in 765 matches for the club during that fifteen-year…
- Lionel MessiOn the 14th of December 2000, a Barcelona official named Carles Rexach signed a contract for Lionel Messi on the back of a paper napkin.
- Djalma SantosDjalma Pereira Dias dos Santos began his professional journey in 1949 with Portuguesa, a club based in São Paulo. He started as a central defender before…
- Didier DeschampsDidier Claude Deschamps arrived in Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques on the 15th of October 1968. He began his athletic life playing rugby for Biarritz Olympique…
- Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was born on the 18th of September 1976 in Itaguaí, a small town near Rio de Janeiro. He grew up playing football on the streets…
- Jürgen GrabowskiJürgen Grabowski entered the world on the 7th of July 1944 in Wiesbaden, West Germany. He began his football journey with local clubs SV Biebrich 1919 and FV…
- Philipp LahmPhilipp Lahm was born on the 11th of November 1983 in Munich. He grew up playing for a local youth team in his hometown district called Gern.
- Gerd MüllerGerd Müller was born on the 3rd of November 1945 in Nördlingen, Germany. He began playing football for his hometown club TSV 1861 Nördlingen youth ranks in…
- Helmut RahnHelmut Rahn began his football journey in 1938 at the local club Altenessen 1912. He played there until 1946 before moving to SC Oelde 09.
- Nicolás OtamendiNicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi made his Primera División debut for Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield on the 10th of May 2008.
- Kylian MbappéKylian Mbappé Lottin arrived into the world on the 20th of December 1998 within the 19th arrondissement of Paris. He grew up in Bondy, a suburb located to…
- Manuel NeuerManuel Neuer made his Bundesliga debut with Schalke 04 on matchday two of the 2006, 07 season. He came on as a substitute for the injured Frank Rost during a…
- Miroslav KloseMiroslav Josef Klose arrived in the Silesian city of Opole, Poland on the 9th of June 1978. His father Josef worked as a professional footballer for Odra…
- Sepp MaierJosef Dieter Maier entered the world on the 28th of February 1944 in the small Bavarian town of Metten. He began his journey with Bayern Munich's youth sides…
- Thomas MüllerIn 2000, a ten-year-old boy named Thomas Müller left his home village of Pähl to join the youth academy of Bayern Munich.
- Diego MaradonaDiego Armando Maradona was born on the 30th of October 1960 at the Policlínico Evita Hospital in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province.
- Zinedine ZidaneZinedine Yazid Zidane was born on the 23rd of June 1972 in La Castellane, a neighbourhood in the 16th arrondissement of Marseille.
- Paolo RossiPaolo Rossi was born in the Santa Lucia district of Prato, Tuscany, on the 23rd of September 1956. He began his professional journey with Juventus during the…
- Emiliano MartínezDamián Emiliano Martínez Romero was born on the 2nd of September 1992 in Mar del Plata. He began his career within the youth ranks of Independiente before…
- PeléEdson Arantes do Nascimento arrived in the world on the 23rd of October 1940, born in the small town of Três Corações within Minas Gerais.
- Franco BaresiFranco Baresi grew up on a farmstead on the outskirts of Travagliato, a small town in northern Italy. He did not watch football on television until he was 10…
- GarrinchaManuel Francisco dos Santos arrived in Pau Grande, a district of Magé, on the 28th of October 1933. His right leg measured six centimetres shorter than his…
- Mário ZagalloMário Jorge Lobo Zagallo entered the world on the 9th of August 1931 in Atalaia, a small town within the state of Alagoas.
- RomárioRomário de Souza Faria arrived in the world on the 29th of January 1966. He grew up in a poor neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.
- Jürgen KlinsmannJürgen Klinsmann was born on the 30th of July 1964 in Göppingen, Germany. His family moved to Stuttgart when he was a teenager.
- Lukas PodolskiLukas Josef Podolski was born on the 4th of June 1985 in the Silesian industrial city of Gliwice near Katowice. His father Waldemar played football while his…
- Franz BeckenbauerFranz Anton Beckenbauer was born on the 11th of September 1945 at a clinic in the Maxvorstadt borough of Munich. He grew up in the working-class district of…
- Gianluigi BuffonGianluigi Buffon entered the world on the 28th of January 1978 in Carrara, a city in Tuscany known for its marble quarries.
- Iker CasillasIker Casillas Fernández was born on the 20th of May 1981 in Móstoles, a town in the province of Madrid. His father José Luis worked as a civil servant for…
- Lothar MatthäusLothar Herbert Matthäus entered the world on the 21st of March 1961 in Erlangen, Bavaria. His father Heinz worked as a canteen manager after fleeing across…
- Antonio CabriniAntonio Cabrini was born on the 8th of October 1957 in Cremona, Lombardy. He made his professional football debut with U.S.
- Enzo FernándezEnzo Jeremías Fernández entered the world on the 17th of January 2001 in San Martín, Buenos Aires. He grew up with four brothers named Seba, Rodri, Maxi and…
- Fabien BarthezFabien Alain Barthez entered the world on the 28th of June 1971 in the small town of Lavelanet, located within the Ariège department of France.
- Mario KempesMario Alberto Kempes Chiodi arrived in the world on the 15th of July 1954 within Bell Ville, Córdoba. His father Mario Quemp carried German heritage while…
- Paul PogbaPaul Labile Pogba arrived in the world on the 15th of March 1993 within the town of Lagny-sur-Marne. His parents traced their roots back to Guinea…
- VaváEdvaldo Izidio Neto arrived in the world on the 12th of November 1934. He grew up in a region where football was more than a game, it was survival.