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.
19. Linda Forsberg (31) turned out for Sweden at two FIFA Women’s World Cup™ tournaments, namely China 2007 and Germany 2011, where she and her team-mates finished second. In total, the pacey winger played in eight matches on women’s football’s greatest stage. In 2008, she competed at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, where the Swedes were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Germany. Forsberg wore the jerseys of Hammarby, Djurgardens, where she won two Swedish Cups, and Rosengard (formerly LdB Malmo), where she clinched two Swedish League titles and a Swedish Cup.
20. Aurelien Chedjou (31) represented Cameroon at two consecutive FIFA World Cup™ events – South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 – as well as at the 2008 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament. In addition, the imposing centre-back starred at two CAF Africa Cup of Nations contests, in 2010 and 2015. After six seasons at Lille, during which he claimed a French League and Cup double, Chedjou signed for Galatasaray, with whom he has since bagged a Turkish Super Lig title, two Turkish Cups and three Turkish Super Cups.
21. Alan (41) participated in seven FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups with Portugal, finishing second once and third on three occasions, prior to lifting the trophy on home soil last year. The sprightly winger’s remarkable overall record in the competition reads 37 goals in 39 matches. At club level, Alan wore the colours of Cavalieri del Mare, AC Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Lokomotiv Moscow and Krylya Sovetov.
22. Miroslav Kadlec (52) was one of the Czech Republic’s key players during their run to the final of UEFA EURO 1996, in what was the country’s first appearance at the tournament since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, with whom the talented sweeper had previously taken part in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Kadlec played for a number of clubs in his homeland, as well as for German outfit Kaiserslautern, where he captured two Bundesliga crowns and a German Cup.
23. Zinedine Zidane (44) recently joined the elite club of men to have won the UEFA Champions League as a player and as a coach. The gifted midfielder, a two-time French Footballer of the Year, racked up the majority of his club honours with Juventus and Real Madrid, landing two Serie A titles, an Italian Super Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, an Intercontinental Cup and a Serie A Footballer of the Year award with the Italian heavyweights and a Liga crown, two Spanish Super Cups, the aforementioned Champions League title, a UEFA Super Cup, and an Intercontinental Cup with the Spanish giants. A three-time recipient of the FIFA Ballon d’Or and a former winner of the European Footballer of the Year award, Zidane inspired France to two World Cup Finals, one of which – in 1998 – saw Les Bleus become global champions for the very first time. He also spurred the French on to continental glory at EURO 2000.
24. Christie Rampone (41) played for USA at the last five Women’s World Cups, finishing at least third each time and holding aloft the illustrious trophy in 1999 and 2015. She also earned a gold medal at three Olympic Games, in 2004, 2008 and 2012. The respected centre-back wore the colours of numerous clubs during her career, including New York Power, Sky Blue and magicJack.
25. Dorinel Munteanu (48) was part of the Romanian golden generation that enthralled the watching world on their way to the quarter-finals of USA 1994. The incisive midfielder also appeared at France 1998, EURO 1996 and EURO 2000. In Romania, Munteanu showcased his skills with several teams, such as Dinamo Bucharest, Steaua Bucharest and Cluj. The Romanian international also enjoyed successful experiences abroad, at Cologne, Wolfsburg and Cercle Brugge.