Fernando Llorente Torres

Zone Soccer Player | Fernando Llorente Torres | A Spanish international since late 2008, he helped the national team win the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Several seasons he spent in the junior Various levels of the club, moving in 2003 to CD Baskonia of Tercera División, Effectively Athletic's youth team, and also a feeder club since 1997. Llorente scored 12 goals in 33 appearances for Baskonia, paving way for his promotion to Athletic Bilbao, Athletic's reserve team, then in the Segunda División B.  After featuring in 16 games and scoring four goals for the Athletic Bilbao in the first half of season, Llorente was awarded with a contract extension until June 2008.  Before the 2005-06 season, Llorente's squad number was Promoted from number 32 to 9. He scored in the opening day, a Basque derby against Real Sociedad 3-0 win.

Athletic's poor form and lack of goals led to coach Félix Sarriugarte into rotating the players, allowing Llorente to force his way back into the side. Llorente ended the season with only two goals in 23 matches, although he did score an Important goal in the closing minutes of a 1-1 away draw with Valencia CF. In preparation for the 2007-08 season, Llorente scored six goals in as many pre-season games, and another against CD Numancia Caja Duero in the Trophy.  Prior to 2008-09, Llorente was confident of a Successful Season. "I know that I am capable of scoring Despite Athletic's modest start to the season, he netted 14 league goals - a career-best - with another four in the Cup, Helping his team reach the final against Barcelona (1-4 loss). In the 2009-10 season, Llorente netted again in double figures; additionally, he led all Scorers in the Europa League for a lengthy period, with eight goals. He added 14 in the league as Athletic finished in eighth position.

On 28 August 2010, Llorente scored the first goal of 2010-11, in a 1-0 win at Hercules CF. His form continued in the next ten league fixtures, as he found the net seven times, eventually finishing the season with 18 goals (19 overall), as Athletic qualified to the Europa League. In January / February 2012, in two away games separated by only four days, Llorente scored five goals: he started with a hat-trick in a 3-2 win against Rayo Vallecano, adding two in Athletic's win over CD Mirandés for the Spanish Cup semifinals (2-1).  Llorente scored on both legs of the 2011-12 Europa League round-of-16 against Manchester United, as Athletic won both games and went through 5-3 on aggregate.

Llorente represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. On 14 November 2008, senior national team manager Vicente del Bosque called Llorente for a friendly against Chile. After scoring 14 goals for Athletic in 2008-09, del Bosque named Llorente in his 23-man squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He came from the bench against hosts South Africa, and scored in a 2-0 victory.  During the 2009-10 season, Llorente was not called up once, as Álvaro Negredo del Bosque favored. Additionally, Llorente was called several times by the Basque Country national football team. He scored one goal for the tricolor in a match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, in 2006.

Personal information
Full name Fernando Llorente Torres
Date of birth 26 February 1985 (age 27)
Place of birth Pamplona, Spain
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position Striker

Club information
Current club Athletic Bilbao
Number 9

Youth career
Funes FC 1994-1995
1995-1996 River Ebro
1996-2003 Athletic Bilbao

Senior career
years Team
Baskonia 2003-2004 33 (12)
Athletic Bilbao 2004-2005 16 (4)
2005-Athletic Bilbao 231 (80)

National team
2003 Spain U17 3 (2)
2005 Spain U20 4 (5)
2005-2006 Spain U21 9 (5)
2008-Spain 20 (7)

Honours

Club
Athletic Bilbao
     Spanish Cup: Runner-up 2008-09
     Spanish Supercup: Runner-up 2009

Country
     FIFA World Cup: 2010
     FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009
     UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup: 2003

Individual
     FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005 Silver Boot

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Jesús Navas

Zone Soccer Player | Jesús Navas | In 2005-06, Navas once again impressed, being a crucial element as the Andalusians Their first UEFA Cup won; he Appeared in all 12 matches, Including the final against Middlesbrough. In August 2006, a deal was arranged for Navas 'transfer to Chelsea, but the player Declined the move, citing possible homesickness. In the league, Navas was consistently listed in the best players' ranks, entering the 'Top 50' of Don Balon magazine each year since 2005. For the next three seasons, Navas continued to be a regular for Sevilla, always being the club's top assister, while adding nine league goals. He also helped it to the 2007-08 domestic cup, and to the third place in the following season's league.

After breaking into the Sevilla first team, Navas made his debut for the U-21's in September 2004. He On 9 November 2009, Navas was called-up by coach Vicente del Bosque for friendlies with Argentina and Austria. Called-up for the World Cup final stages in South Africa by manager Vicente del Bosque, Navas scored his first goal as an international on 3 June 2010, in a warm-up friendly with South Korea, netting the game's only goal four minutes from time . Itself in the tournament, he Appeared in three matches, Including 30 minutes plus extra time in the final against the Netherlands (1-0), as Spain lifted its first FIFA World Cup trophy.

Navas' older brother, Marco, is also a footballer and a midfielder. After also graduating from Sevilla's youth academy, he amassed three first-team appearances, but played Mainly in the second division. Navas initially Refused to travel with Sevilla during pre-season to the United States due to his acute homesickness, later Deciding That he would travel in a bid to rid Himself of this condition.

Personal information
Full name Jesús Navas González
Date of birth 21 November 1985 (age 26)
Place of birth Los Palacios, Spain
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Winger

Club information
Current club Sevilla
Number 7

Youth career
1998-2000 Los Palacios
Sevilla 2000-2003

Senior career
years Team
Sevilla 2003-2004 B 32 (3)
2003-Sevilla 241 (23)

National team
2004-2005 Spain U21 5 (0)
2009-Spain 15 (1)

Honours

Club
Sevilla
     Copa del Rey (2): 2006-07, 2009-10
     Supercopa de España (1): 2007
     UEFA Cup (2): 2005-06, 2006-07
     UEFA Super Cup (1): 2006

Spain
     FIFA World Cup (1): 2010

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Hatem Ben Arfa

Zone Soccer Player | Hatem Ben Arfa | Ben Arfa started his career throughout Various clubs in the Île-de-France region, having Trained at AC Boulogne-Billancourt and Versailles. Ben Arfa spent three years at the academy and, upon leaving, signed with Lyon, where he won four Ligue 1 titles. After two years at Marseille, Ben Arfa joined English club Newcastle United on loan for the 2010-11 season with a view to a permanent deal. Ben Arfa is a former French youth international having played at all levels. Ben Arfa was called up to the senior team for the first time in October 2007 for a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against the Faroe Islands. Ben Arfa began training at ASV Châtenay-Malabry. In 1998, Ben Arfa joined sporting club AC Boulogne-Billancourt. While training at Clairefontaine during the weekdays, Ben Arfa played for FC Versailles on the weekends.  At 15 and already labeled a prodigy, Ben Arfa joined Lyon, a club the which had just won its first ever Ligue 1 championship.

La Provence later reported That Ben Arfa had in fact missed training in Lyon on 30 June, Confirming his intentions. Ben Arfa's play during the 2010 portion of the season earned praise from both Deschamps and sporting director Jose Anigo. On 10 January 2010, Ben Arfa scored his first goal of the season against amateur club Trélissac in the Coupe de France . Later That month, Ben Arfa scored an away goal in the first leg of the club's UEFA Europa League tie against Danish club FC København. In the return leg in Marseille, Ben Arfa struck again, scoring the opening goal in the 43rd minute. Marseille won the match 3-1 and the tie 6-2 on aggregate. On 27 February, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille won all four of the league matches the team contested starting with Ben Arfa all of them. On 7 April, Ben Arfa converted a penalty in a 3-0 win over Sochaux. Ben Arfa Appeared as a substitute in the match.

On 22 July 2010, reports surfaced suggesting That English club Newcastle United were looking to sign Ben Arfa. Five days later, Ben Arfa's agent declared That Newcastle were indeed interested in the player, along with German clubs Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen, Turkish club Galatasaray, and Italian club AC Milan. After continuing his rehabilitation during the summer, ahead of the 2011-12 season, Ben Arfa began participating in friendly matches with the senior team. Ben Arfa ventured back to his home country to rehab the injury and returned to Newcastle on 18 September. Ben Arfa made his season debut in the match against Nottingham Forest Appearing as a substitute. On 26 December 2011, after going the majority of the fall campaign without scoring a goal, Ben Arfa scored his first goal of the season in a 2-0 away win over Bolton.

On 7 January 2012, Ben Arfa scored Newcastle's opening goal in its FA Cup third round tie against Blackburn Rovers. On 22 January 2012, Ben Arfa scored in Newcastle's 5-2 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. Two months later, Ben Arfa scored the opener in Newcastle's away league match against Arsenal. The hosts, however, won the match 2-1. Two weeks later, on Easter Monday, Ben Arfa scored again against Bolton Wanderers.  Ben Arfa has earned caps with all of France's youth teams. With the under-16 team, he made ten appearances scoring seven goals. Ben Arfa made his debut with the team at the 2003 edition of the Aegean Cup in Turkey. At the Montaigu Tournament, Ben Arfa scored a team-leading six goals. He scored two goals in the team's 8-0 win over Gabon in the opening match. In Following the match, Ben Arfa scored the final goal in the team's 3-0 win over Russia and, in the final group stage match, bagged another double in a 3-1 victory over England.

Ben Arfa was, however, omitted from Domenech's final 23-man Euro 2008 squad on 28 May. After going nearly two years without representing France internationally, on 5 August 2010, Ben Arfa was called up to the senior team by new manager Laurent Blanc for the team's friendly match against Norway on 11 August 2010.  Ben Arfa made his return to the team in the match Appearing as a half-time substitute for Moussa Sissoko. He scored the opening goal of the match in a 2-1 defeat.

Personal information
Full name Hatem Ben Arfa
Date of birth 7 March 1987 (age 25)
Place of birth Clamart, France
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Winger

Club information
Current club Newcastle United
Number 10

Youth career
1994-1996 ASV Châtenay-Malabry
CF 92 1996-1998 Montrouge
1998-1999 AC Boulogne-Billancourt
INF Clairefontaine 1999-2002
2002-2004 Lyon

Senior career
years Team
2004-2008 Lyon 64 (7)
Marseille 2008-2011 63 (9)
2010-2011 Newcastle United (loan) 4 (1)
2011-Newcastle United 21 (5)

National team
2002-2003 France U16 10 (7)
2003-2004 France U17 17 (11)
2005 France U18 4 (0)
2005-2006 France U19 6 (1)
2007 France U21 4 (0)
2007-France 8 (2)

Honours

Club
Lyon
     Ligue 1 (4): 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
     Coupe de France (1): 2007-08
     Trophée des champions (2): 2005-06, 2006-07

Marseille
     Ligue 1 (1): 2009-10
     Coupe de la Ligue (1): 2009-10
     Trophée des Champions (1): 2010

International
France
     UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship (1): 2004

Individual
     UNFP Young Player of the Year (1): 2007-08
     UNFP Player of the Month (1): February 2010

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