Happy Birthday to you! - WORLD FOOTBALL
 |
| Getty Images |
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.
7. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (39) represented Japan at two FIFA World Cups™ – at Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 – as well as at the 2003 and 2005 FIFA Confederation Cups, the 1997 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2000 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament. The influential defender also led his compatriots to glory at the 2004 AFC Asian Cup. At club level, he spent 12 years at Gamba Osaka, during which time he won a J. League title, prior to joining Red Bull Salzburg, where he claimed an Austrian Championship. After three seasons in Europe, Miyamoto returned to his homeland to ply his trade for Vissel Kobe.
8. Horst Eckel (84) made six appearances for West Germany at Switzerland 1954, where he and his team-mates lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy for the first time. Four years later, the hard-working midfielder was part of the side that finished fourth at Sweden 1958. Eckel developed into a star at Kaiserslautern, claiming two German League titles, but also defended the colours of Rochling Volklingen, a club he later coached.
9. Anderson Polga (37) helped Brazil capture the FIFA World Cup for the fifth time at Korea/Japan 2002, where he played in two matches. After rising to prominence at Gremio, where he earned winners’ medals in two Campeonato Gaucho campaigns and a Brazilian Cup final, the solid centre-back signed for Sporting Lisbon, with whom he secured two Portuguese Cups and two Portuguese Super Cups. Polga was an unused substitute in the 2005 UEFA Cup final, which Sporting lost to CSKA Moscow. Nine seasons down the line, he returned to Brazil to star for Corinthians, holding aloft the FIFA Club World Cup in 2012.
10. Gabri (37) was a member of the Spanish golden generation that lifted the 1999 U-20 World Cup in Nigeria, where he made seven appearances and scored three goals – two against Brazil in the group stage and one versus Japan in the final. The following year, the tough-tackling midfielder picked up a silver medal at the Olympic Football Tournament in Sydney. A product of Barcelona’s youth system, he established himself in the first team and bagged two Liga titles, a Spanish Super Cup and a UEFA Champions League crown during his time at Camp Nou. The Spaniard later turned out for Ajax, where he claimed two Dutch Cups and two Dutch Super Cups, as well as Qatari outfit Umm-Salal and Swiss clubs Sion and Lausanne.
11. Ricardo (40) was Portugal’s last line of defence at Germany 2006, where he helped his country finish fourth, and at UEFA EURO 2004 also, where A Selecção das Quinas reached the final against Greece. He also played at EURO 2008, and was the back-up goalkeeper at Korea/Japan 2002. The confident shot-stopper made his name at Boavista, winning a Portuguese League title, a Portuguese Cup and a Portuguese Super Cup, prior to moving south to Sporting Lisbon, where he lifted another Portuguese Cup and reached the UEFA Cup final. Ricardo would later pull on the No1 jersey at Real Betis, Leicester City, Vitoria Setubal and Olhanense.
12. Hong Myungbo (47) took part in four consecutive FIFA World Cups (Italy 1990, USA 1994, France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002) with Korea Republic, scoring two goals in 16 matches. The talented defender also starred at the 2001 Confederations Cup and finished third at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. He began his career with Pohang Steelers, where he landed a Korean League title, a Korean League Cup, a Korean FA Cup and an AFC Champions League crown. The Seoul native later played for Kashiwa Reysol, where he won the J. League Cup, as well as turning out for LA Galaxy. A move into coaching saw him take charge of his country at the 2009 U-20 World Cup and the 2012 Olympic Games, where his charges obtained bronze medals. After taking over at the helm of the senior Korea Republic team and overseeing their 2014 FIFA World Cup venture, he recently took up the reins at Hangzhou Greentown (China).
13. Memphis Depay (22) shot to stardom at Brazil 2014, scoring two goals and helping the Oranje clinch third place. The pacy winger had previously participated in the 2011 U-17 World Cup, the 2011 UEFA European U-17 Championship, and the 2013 UEFA European U-21 Championship. After coming through the ranks at PSV Eindhoven, where he scooped a Dutch League title, a Dutch Cup and a Dutch Super Cup, Depay signed with Manchester United in 2015.