DIDIER DROGBA Profiles

After a gentle-paced start to his career in France, Didier hit full sprint after his move to the big time at Marseille where his stunning form and goalscoring helped his club to the 2004 UEFA Cup Final and himself to the France Footballer of the Year Award.

And sprinting plays a big part in the big man's armoury; his pace allied to strength making Didier the type of forward not seen at Stamford Bridge for a long, long time. He also possesses aerial power in front of goal that at times borders on awesome.

Signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2004, Didier's transfer fee makes him the second most expensive striker in British football history, only surpassed by the money paid by Man United for Wayne Rooney.

The man who has spearhead the Ivory Coast to a first World Cup Finals moved from Africa to live in France as a young child and played his early junior football at right-back. He dabbled with various small clubs and even turned down the chance of a trial at Paris Saint-Germain, preferring to learn his trade before attempting the big time.

He did that at Second Division Le Mans before moving up a division to Guingamp whom injury had prevented him joining some years earlier. It was during this spell in Brittany that Didier first came to the attention of Jose Mourinho but after scoring 17 goals in 2002/3 and becoming an international, he had moved out of Porto's price range. Olympique Marseille swooped and they did not regret their move.

Two seasons ago, Didier's second at l'OM, he netted 18 times in 35 league games and six times in the UEFA Cup including braces against Liverpool and Newcastle. FIFA recognised the achievements with a nomination for World Player of the Year.

A groin operation forced him out for most of October and November of his first season at Chelsea and it took some time for him to reach full power again. But Didier scored in the Carling Cup Final and the man asked to fill the central position in the front three netted ten times in the Championship winning campaign and 16 times in all competitions.

Player Info:
Number: 15
Date of Birth: 11 Mar 1978
Career Signed in Chelsea: 20 Jul 2004
Previous clubs: Le Mans, Guingamp, Marseille

(Chelsea site)

THIERRY HENRY We Are Learning the Hard Way

Thierry Henry believes Arsenal are paying a heavy price for their mistakes this season.
The captain was disconsolate as he spoke after Tuesday’s heartbreaking exit from the Carling Cup at the hands of Wigan. Arsenal were on the cusp of another trip to Cardiff before Jason Roberts profited on hesitancy in the home defence to fire in from close range.

“I think that is a reflection of our season right there,” said Henry. “It is difficult to take. I know they had a lot of opportunities to score but we had a lot of opportunities.

“On the other side it difficult with the goal we conceded. We conceded the same goal at Everton when maybe we were not playing that great but it looked like we were going to get back to a good position.

“It was a long ball not really looking for anyone. It would have been sweeter if they had scored with one of their better chances.

“When you play like we did — desire, commitment and creating chances — there is nothing to say about it. I thought we played tremendously at times.

“But at the moment we are making mistakes we cannot afford. We are learning the hard way and it is a bit difficult to swallow.

“We can’t always rely on good football sometimes we need to come out with the win. They did something that we did not do. We did not score at their ground and they did. They kept on believing and got their reward.”

Henry is set to miss Saturday’s trip to Bolton in the FA Cup Fourth Round. Arsenal have already lost at the Reebok Stadium this season in the Premiership, the Frenchman believes it is imperative to get some consistency back on their travels.

“For us it is really important to get points away from home,” he said. “As you saw [on Tuesday] we can play great football but we need to get back on track away from home and make sure we can grab that fourth place in the Premiership.”

(Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com 25 January 2006)

WAYNE ROONEY Biography

Birthdate: 24 Oct 1985
Birthplace: Croxteth, Liverpool
Position: Striker
Appearances: 271
Goals: 122
Joined United: 31 Aug 2004
United Debut: 28 Sept 2004 v Fenerbahce (H)
International: England




Wayne Mark Rooney was born on October 24th, 1985 at Croxteth, Liverpool. He is the first child of parents of Irish descent Thomas Wayne and Jeanette Marie Rooney.

Wayne Rooney burst onto the Old Trafford stage in September 2004, netting an unforgettable hat-trick against Fenerbahce on his debut।

He'd arrived from Everton, his boyhood club, a few weeks earlier, becoming the world's most expensive teenager in the process.

But it wasn't his performances for the Toffees that had sparked United's interest, mind you. Staff at Carrington knew about Wayne from a much, much earlier age.

"Our U-9 side played Everton's boys one day and they absolutely hammered us," now-Academy manager Paul McGuinness remembers. "Rooney scored a few

[six, actually], but there was one that stood out. It was basically the classic overhead kick, the perfect bicycle kick, which for a kid of eight or nine years old was really something special."

Given that, perhaps his performance on his United debut wasn't that surprising after all! Indeed, it merely hinted at what was to follow. By the end of the 2004/05 campaign Rooney had amassed 17 goals in 43 appearances and was rightly named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Rooney’s second season at Old Trafford again saw him take huge strides. He ended the season with 19 goals in 48 matches and was voted both Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year by fans and PFA Young Player of the year (again) by his fellow professionals.

The young striker openly aims to better his goal tally each season and, despite a difficult World Cup with England in 2006, Rooney went on to net 23 times for United as the Reds lifted the Carling Cup and a first English title in three years.

Cristiano Ronaldo stole all the headlines in 2007/08, but Rooney chipped in with another 18 goals, a tally that included three league braces and four goals in Europe. His exciting strike partnership with 19-goal Carlos Tevez

was one of the key factors in the Reds' Premier League and Champions League double triumph and cemented his iconic status at Old Trafford.

But it's not just Wayne's goals that have endeared him to the United faithful. A tireless worker, Rooney always gives 100 per cent and can't stand losing. They're traits that have, from time to time, landed him in hot water but Reds fans recognise the odd over-zealous challenge or act of petulance is merely a by-product of Rooney's immense passion and will to win.

The striker's ability to adapt is an attribute often overlooked. Although most at home leading the line or playing just behind a main striker, Rooney has delivered sparkling displays from out wide on numerous occasions. With pace to burn and an eye for a long, raking pass, Rooney's just as effective creating chances as he is taking them.

That said, goals are Rooney's bread and butter and not even the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov at Old Trafford in September 2008 could diminish Rooney's potency. Indeed, the pair forged a strong partnership up front and, in January 2009, Wayne embarked on a scoring run that saw him net in five consecutive league games.

A month earlier, he stole the

show in Japan as United lifted the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to Rooney's goal in the final and a brace off the bench in the semi.

There was more success to follow in 2008/09 as the England striker picked up his third league winners' medal with the Reds in May. Sadly, however, Rooney and United couldn't add another European title as Barcelona ran out victorious in the Champions League final in Rome.

The striker began the 2009/10 campaign in fine fettle, netting in the Reds' opening two games against Chelsea, in the Community Shield, and Birmingham City in the league.

Another energetic display from Rooney followed in the 5-0 thrashing of Wigan at the DW Stadium on 22 August during which he fired his 100th and 101st goals for the Reds.*

RONALDINH0 Best of the Best

"I still have a video of my father, which I watch before every game I play for Brazil. It gives me strength, makes me determined." -Ronaldinho

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira -- or Ronaldinho Gaucho to nickname-happy Brazilians -- was born on March 21, 1980 in the southern city of Porto Alegre. Like most Brazilian soccer prodigies, he came from a poor family and was raised in the heart of the dirt road-laced settlements known as favelas.

But his family loved the sport and found joy in playing it. Ronaldinho's father, Joao da Silva Moreira, played in an amateur club when he wasn't working as a welder or guarding the Gremio soccer stadium. Even though it was Ronaldinho's older brother Roberto who was a rising star in the Gremio club, Joao saw in young Ronaldinho a true champion. The way the boy dribbled a ball around the furniture at home was unbelievable.

Sadly, Joao would never get to see Ronaldinho shine on the world stage. When Ronaldinho was only eight, Joao drowned in a swimming pool.

Roberto's own dreams were shattered along with his knee; relegated to a substitute player, he nonetheless had a fruitful career playing in Switzerland, Japan and Mexico. This gave him the experience necessary to manage his little brother's soccer career.

Hardly out of Gremio's boot camp, Ronaldinho was a key player in Brazil's victory in the Under-17 World Championship in 1997. And he scored 15 goals in 14 matches for Gremio, making the chiefs of the national squad salivate along with the Europeans teams. PSV Eindhoven offered Gremio about 7 million euros for Ronaldinho. The club promptly turned down the chump change.

Enter Wanderley Luxemburgo, the head coach of the national team going to the 1999 Copa America in Paraguay. Coming in at the end of a match against Venezuela, Ronaldinho scored a goal so perfect, it belonged in the Louvre. The following day, the Brazilian press was comparing him to the legendary Pele.

A few months passed and Europe was starting to realize Ronaldinho's value. Leeds offered the staggering sum of close to 75 million euros -- about $96 million -- but Gremio refused, keeping the star for the 2000 season.

But Ronaldinho was hungry for the bigger pitches, and eventually found himself in the starting team of Paris Saint-Germain and in the hearts of French fans. Many say his seasons there were lukewarm, with a low goal count (eight in 27 matches in his second year).

2002 was the year of the "Ro"s. In the World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan, it was the deadly trio of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos that made nations shiver. But it was Ronaldinho who really blew the world away in a spectacular free kick against England. The curve of the ball seemed to defy physics and glided past David Seaman's fingers. Ronaldinho's art helped capture Brazil's world victory. Ronaldinho has scored 27 goals in 57 games for the five-time world champion team.

But a conflict with PSG coach Luis Fernandez apparently led Ronaldinho to look elsewhere. He eyed the colossal Manchester United, who was looking for a new hotshot to replace David Beckham. But it was Barcelona that won him in July 2003, offering about 27 million euros (approximately $31 million) for a five-year contract. Ronaldinho followed in the footsteps of other Brazilian greats who climbed to glory in Camp Nou, like Evaristo de Macedo, Ronaldo, Romario, and Rivaldo.

Welcomed as a star, Ronaldinho didn't disappoint. In his first season, he took Barca to second place in the Spanish league. Graceful and swift, he marvels fans as he "sambas" past every defender and launches the ball into the net. He did this 22 times in his first season.

In fact, he was so refined that majority of team coaches and national team captains voted him the FIFA World Footballer of the Year in 2004, beating out Thierry Henry of Arsenal and Andrei Shevchenko of AC Milan, and in 2005, beating out Frank Lampard of Chelsea. Like his heroes before him, Ronaldinho took the prize while playing for Barca. He recently signed an improvement contract, increasing his buy-out clause to a reputed 150 million euros. The boy will no doubt break more records.

Ronaldinho lives in Barcelona, and when asked if he has a girlfriend during a press conference, he took out a soccer ball and said, "This is her."

What else do you need to know?

(AskMen.com)

THE RISE OF THE OTHER RONALDO

Imagine being a full-back confronting Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo in full stride - the ball is at his feet, except you can't keep track of it as he drags his legs and steps over it two, three, four times and all the while you are scrambling backwards, trying to maintain concentration. Ronaldo is most certainly a Player to Watch - but only if you can keep your eyes on him for long enough. If such a hypothetical scenario had been played out in reality, at least you would have been in good company because Ronaldo has been tormenting the world's finest full-backs over the course of the past few years. Manchester United broke the world record transfer fee for a teenager when they paid Sporting Lisbon £12.24m for the youngster in August 2003 - handing the then 18-year-old a five-year deal. United, who had just sold David Beckham to Real Madrid, needed a new star on the right flank to somehow plug the gap left by the England captain.

Their attention was first drawn to the pacy winger during a pre-season match held in the Portuguese capital. It seemed they had found exactly what they were looking for when they came up against Ronaldo playing for Sporting Lisbon that night. The United players might have been momentarily alarmed to see the name Ronaldo on the Sporting team sheet, but if anyone had explained that this was, in fact, a kid from Madeira who was allegedly named in honour of the former American president Ronald Reagan, their initial concerns would likely have been eased.

United lost the game 3-1 but were left mesmerised by the trickery, pace and dribbling skills of Ronaldo, a player that Sporting had signed up as far back as 1997 from Nacional and blooded in their first team in the 2002/03 campaign. The visitors talked about him non-stop and were so impressed that on the plane back to England they personally urged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign up Ronaldo immediately. Unknown to them, their manager had been keeping tabs on Sporting's pearl for months and as other clubs started to show an interest, Ferguson made his move for what he described as "one of the most exciting young players I've ever seen". When his record signing was announced, Ronaldo was thrilled to be given the number seven shirt worn by the departed Beckham. Curiously, seven is also the number worn by Ronaldo's idol Luis Figo and, a week after joining United, he made his full debut for Portugal alongside his mentor Figo against Kazakhstan.

Ronaldo's performance in his first game for United against Bolton Wanderers earned him rave reviews and Sir Alex, delighted to see his new signing slot into Beckham's position so well, proclaimed: "It looks like the fans have a new hero." Yet his first season at United was not all plain sailing and after showing initial promise he eventually attracted criticism for what some saw as an over-elaborate step-over dribbling action and a mystifying failure to deliver the final, killer cross.

Ronaldo, as he himself always stresses, is quick to learn and he has worked hard on that part of his game, though his manager is keen to protect his investment and has opted to let the player rest in Portugal for the past two winters. As Sir Alex explained during Ronaldo's first season: "He is only 18 and we have to be careful how we use him." The Scot's wisdom shone through in the 2004 FA Cup Final when a refreshed Ronaldo produced a devastating man-of-the-match performance against Millwall at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, scoring a header as the Red Devils prevailed 3-0 to claim their tenth cup. He took that outstanding form into UEFA EURO 2004 with Portugal, where he was instrumental in his team's memorable run all the way to the final, although disappointment lay in store as Greece pulled off a fairytale victory. Ronaldo capped a hectic summer by taking part in the Olympic Games football tournament, but Portugal failed to make an impression in Athens.

A return to the FA Cup Final a year later ended in disappointment as United were pipped to the trophy, on penalties, by Arsenal. But the Mancunians were impressed with Ronaldo's progress over the previous 12 months and offered him an improved contract. In the summer of 2005 he agreed an extension that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2010.

Having been short-listed for the FIFA World Player of the Year accolade for two years running, Ronaldo received special recognition by fans worldwide who voted him their Young Player of the Year at the FIFPro awards in 2005. However, the season building up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ started in difficult circumstances for Ronaldo when his father was taken seriously ill and he died just a day before Portugal's qualifying match away to Russia in September. Ronaldo bravely played on to honour his dad in Moscow and helped Portugal towards the finals as they secured a 0-0 draw, with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari paying special tribute to his courage afterwards.

Ronaldo went on to guide Portugal to the top of their qualifying group for Germany 2006 and now with his first finals ahead of him, perhaps this could be the time when Madeira's golden boy starts to outshine his Brazilian namesake. But the teenager is not getting carried away just yet, saying modestly: "My only concern is to be at my best and win titles with United." (FIFAworldcup.com)

PRODIGY ROONEY GROWING UP

In the fast-track world of Wayne Rooney, the Player to Watch tag could be considered a good three years too late. All eyes have been on the young Manchester United and England striker ever since 17 August 2002 when he made his debut for his boyhood club, Everton. Indeed his first senior goal of any description, in an Everton pre-season friendly against Austrian minnows SC Bruck earlier that summer, prompted an excited stadium announcer to declare: "The third Everton goal is scored by Wayne Rooney, who many believe will be England's next Alan Shearer!" But where Shearer was 21 when he made his England debut, Rooney – who today celebrates his 20th birthday – has already become his country's key player.

His first goal in the English Premiership, a spectacular last-minute strike that ended then champions Arsenal's 30-match unbeaten run in October 2002, signalled that with Rooney anything is possible. Just as defenders bounce off his stocky boxer's frame, so Rooney sends records tumbling. He beat James Prinsep's 124-year record as England's youngest player when he made his debut against Australia on 12 February 2003 aged 17 years and 111 days. Seven months later, he became England's youngest ever scorer when – aged 17 years and 317 days – he struck the opening goal in a UEFA European Championship qualifying win away to FYR Macedonia.

It was, of course, at the European Championship in Portugal the following summer that the world at large woke up to the sheer scale of Rooney's talents. Playing without fear, he struck plenty of it into opposition defences with his thrilling runs from deep, scoring four goals as England defeated Switzerland and Croatia to reach the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old was making international football look like child's play.

There followed a £27million move to Manchester United and a remarkable debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce in October last year, since when Rooney, whom his peers voted Young Player of the Year in the spring, has swiftly become Mr Indispensable at Old Trafford. The same, of course, applies with England. Michael Owen recently described Rooney's game as "running at people, playing in that hole, shooting from distance, passing the ball, bits of skill". Just about everything, in other words.

He excelled in central defence in a Young v Old match during one England practice session this month and even enjoys trying his luck in goal on the training ground. In the words of England legend Sir Bobby Charlton to FIFAworldcup.com: "He has a marvellous appetite for the game."
The question then as Rooney steps out of his teens is just how good he can become. Sir Alex Ferguson said on signing him for United that Rooney was "the best young player this country has seen in 30 years" but while his ability is not in doubt, the youngster's temperament has been. In the 2003/04 season at Everton he picked up more bookings than goals, and twice in the last 12 months has lost his cool completely on England duty.

England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson substituted Rooney before half-time against Spain last November to spare him what appeared an inevitable dismissal. A second red-mist moment came during the defeat by Northern Ireland in September when, after collecting a yellow card, Rooney – seemingly frustrated at being played out on the left flank - swore at his captain David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand before disappearing into his shell in the second half. Rooney was sent off later in September playing for Manchester United against Villarreal for his sarcastic applause of referee Kim Milton Nielsen, yet while there is an undoubted edge to his game, it must also be acknowledged he is still growing up.

Sir Bobby Charlton, who as a director at Old Trafford has watched Rooney closely over the past 12 months, believes he will learn from his mistakes. "He's got a reputation for being a bit of a hothead but he is not," he told FIFAworldcup.com at the English National Football Museum's annual Hall of Fame dinner last week. "He learns and he'll learn very quickly and all the things that people say about him and the problems he has with referees they'll not last very long. He's a smart lad and he loves playing football so he'll not jeopardise that by being sent off. He'll realise. But he has a marvellous appetite for the game, loves playing and wants to win and you can't complain about that."

Rooney has only scored one of his ten goals for England since EURO 2004 – and that in August's 4-1 friendly loss to Denmark – but he is the man their opponents will fear most at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. Sir Bobby is not surprised by his importance to Eriksson's side. "He's a great player and they won't be denied, great players." Such praise from one of the game's greats strengthens the conviction that Rooney really will be one of the players to watch in Germany next summer. (FIFAworldcup.com)