Happy Birthday to you! - WORLD FOOTBALL
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| CopyHardNews / Reprodução |
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.
24. Dino Baggio (45) took part in two consecutive FIFA World Cup™ tournaments with Italy, at USA 1994, where he played in all seven matches and scored two goals, and at France 1998, where he made five appearances up to and including the quarter-finals, where his country was eliminated by the hosts. In 1992, the combative defensive midfielder starred at the UEFA European U-21 Championship and the Men's Olympic Football Tournament in Barcelona, and he later appeared at the 1996 UEFA European Championship. After emerging at Torino, with whom he won a Serie B title, he put pen to paper with Inter Milan and then with Juventus, where he lifted the UEFA Cup. Baggio then joined a fast-improving Parma side, capturing a Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and two UEFA Cups during his six years with I Crociati. The Italian grafter subsequently turned out for Lazio, Blackburn Rovers, Ancona and Triestina, then in Serie B.
25. Ze Maria (43) participated in two FIFA Confederations Cups in a row with Brazil, hoisting the trophy in 1997 and finishing fourth in 2001. The versatile full-back also took part in the Verde-Amarela’s victorious 1997 Copa America campaign, and claimed second and third place in the 1996 and 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cups respectively. In addition, he earned a bronze medal at the 1996 Men's Olympic Football Tournament. The Piaui native played for Portuguesa and Flamengo, before packing his bags for Parma, with whom he won an Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup, UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup, of Perugia and of Inter Milan, where he bagged a Serie A title, two Italian Cups and an Italian Super Cup. While in Perugia, Ze Maria was loaned back to Brazilians clubs – namely Vasco de Gama, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro – on three occasions.
26. Martin Laursen (39) represented Denmark at the 2002 World Cup, where he played in four encounters, and at EURO 2004. The imposing defender turned professional at Silkeborg, prior to pulling on the jerseys of Hellas Verona and AC Milan, where he secured a Serie A crown, an Italian Cup, a UEFA Champions League title and a UEFA Super Cup. Laursen, named Danish Footballer of the Year in 2008, later saw out the remainder of his career at Aston Villa.
27. Yoreli Rincon (23) appeared for Colombia at the last two FIFA Women’s World Cup™ competitions, at Germany 2011 and Canada 2015. The midfielder had previously competed at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where Las Cafeteras finished fourth, and the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, in 2008. In 2012, she briefly showcased her skills at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in London. At club level, Rincon rose to prominence at Brazilian outfit XV de Piracicaba, before starring for Swedish club Rosengard (formerly Malmo), US side New Jersey Wildcats, and Italian team Torres Calcio.
28. Harry Kane (23) has recently developed into one of England’s most proficient forwards, having first burst onto the international scene at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup as well as at the UEFA European U-19 and U-21 Championships. At EURO 2016, the clinical striker was one of the first names on the Three Lions’ teamsheet, but could not prevent them from suffering a shock loss to Iceland in the Round of 16. After embarking on several loan spells in the early stages of his career, Kane established himself in Tottenham Hotspur’s starting XI and played a key role in their ultimately unsuccessful tilt at the English Premier League title last season, at the end of which he nevertheless topped the national scoring charts.
29. Oleg Shatov (26) was part of the Russia side that was eliminated in the group stage of Brazil 2014, and made two appearances at EURO 2016 two years later. The tricky winger started out at Ural Yekaterinburg and then Anzhi Makhachkala, but cemented his reputation at Zenit St. Petersburg, where he landed a Russian League winners’ medal in 2015.
30. Hope Solo (35) finally realised her dream of lifting the Women’s World Cup with the United States last year in Canada, having previously finished third at China 2007 and second at Germany 2011. The talented goalkeeper has been instrumental in her team’s recent successes, winning the adidas Golden Glove award at the past two World Cups. She was also a key member of the US squad at the last three Women’s Olympic Football Tournaments, picking up a gold medal at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and will again form her country’s last line of defence at Rio 2016. The Richland-born custodian’s CV also boasts two CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cups and seven Algarve Cups. Solo has performed between the sticks for a number of clubs in the USA and Europe, including Philadelphia Charge, Gothenburg, Lyon, Saint-Louis Athletica, Atlanta Beat, magicJack and current club Seattle Reign, which she joined in 2013.