Happy Birthday to you! - WORLD FOOTBALL
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In our regular Sunday feature, FIFA.com presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birthdays over the coming week.
8. Alessandro Mazzola (73) represented Italy at three FIFA World Cup™ tournaments: England 1966, Mexico 1970, where he reached the Final, and West Germany 1974. In 1968, the iconic forward helped La Nazionale to secure their first UEFA European Championship. A loyal servant of Inter Milan, he won four Serie A titles, two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups in 17 years with the Italian giants. Mazzola was the leading goalscorer in two competitions during his career, the 1964/65 league championship and the 1963/64 European Cup.
9. Prince Tagoe (29) was part of the Ghana side that made waves at the 2010 World Cup, missing out on the semi-finals following a tight defeat by Uruguay. The imposing striker also took part in two CAF Africa Cup of Nations contests, in 2006 and 2012. He rose to prominence during a loan spell at Hearts of Oak, where he topped the Ghanaian scoring charts and lifted the CAF Confederation Cup. The Accra native later starred for Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Al-Shabab (UAE) and Al-Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia), prior to trying his luck in Europe with Hoffenheim. The German club subsequently loaned him out to Partizan Belgrade, where he claimed a Serbian League and Cup double. After spells with Bursaspor (Turkey), Club Africain (Tunisia) and Kelantan (Malaysia), Tagoe signed for Israeli outfit Hapoel Bnei Lod in November 2014.
10. Aleksandar Kolarov (30) competed for Serbia at South Africa 2010 and the 2000 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament. The energetic left-back started out in his homeland with Cukaricki and OFK Belgrade, before putting pen to paper with Lazio, where he lifted the Italian Cup and Italian Super Cup. In 2010, he joined Manchester City, with whom he has since amassed two English Premier League titles, an FA Cup, an English League Cup and an FA Community Shield. In 2011, Kolarov was named Serbian Footballer of the Year.
11. Maniche (38) played a part in Portugal’s re-emergence as a major force in world football, putting in some excellent performances and scoring two goals as he and his team-mates finished fourth at Germany 2006. Two years earlier, the tireless midfielder had reached the final of EURO 2004 on home soil, where the Lusitanians lost to Greece. Maniche made his name at Porto, capturing two Primeira Liga titles, a Portuguese Cup, two Portuguese Super Cups, a UEFA Champions League crown and an Intercontinental Cup. He also played for Benfica, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Cologne and Sporting Lisbon, winning league championships in England and Italy. After hanging up his boots, Maniche fulfilled the role of assistant coach at Pacos de Ferreira.
12. Thomas Berthold (51) appeared for West Germany (and then Germany) at three successive World Cups, at Mexico 1986, where he reached the final, Italy 1990, from which Die Nationalelf emerged victorious, and USA 1994. In addition, the solid centre-back played at EURO 1988. After impressing at Eintracht Frankfurt, he packed his bags for Italy, where he defended the colours of Hellas Verona and Roma, hoisting the Coppa Italia with the latter team. A return to Germany saw the Hanau native turn out for Bayern Munich and then Stuttgart, where he held aloft the German Cup. Berthold enjoyed a swansong with Turkish outfit Adanaspor in 2001 prior to hanging up his boots.
13. Pedro Reyes (43) was an ever-present for Chile at France 1998, where the South Americans attained a place the Round of 16. The robust defender also represented his country at two consecutive Copa America contests and at the 2000 Olympic Football Tournament, where he gained a bronze medal. At club level, he marshalled Colo Colo’s defence as they clinched four Chilean League titles and two Chilean Cups. Four seasons in France with Auxerre followed, as did a return to his homeland and spells with Universidad de Chile, Union Espanola, La Serena, Audax Italiano and Deportes Antofagasta. In 1997, Reyes earned the Chilean Player of the Year award.
14. Ramon Nunez (30) helped Honduras to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where he played in three matches. As a younger man, the creative playmaker participated in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Olympic Games. He turned professional with Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas), before signing for Chivas USA and then Honduran giants Olimpia. He subsequently pulled on the jerseys of Puebla (Mexico), Cruz Azul (Mexico), Olimpia again, Leeds United (England), Scunthorpe United (England), Dallas again, and Alajuelense (Costa Rica). At the turn of the year, he committed himself to Real Espana (Honduras).