Victor Valdes Arribas
Place of birth: Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona)
Date: 14-01-1982
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 78 kg

Víctor Valdés joined Barca as a youngster on 1st July 1992, from Peña Cinco Copas.


In September of the same year he moved with his family to Tenerife and didn't rejoin the club until three years later.

After quickly proving his worth with the youth teams and Barca B, the club coaches decided that the 2002-2003 season was to be Valdés time to form part of the first team squad.
At first, he alternated appearances with Roberto Bonano but finished the season as regular first choice under Radomir Antic.

He consolidated his place as in the starting line-up in the 2003-04 season.
He played most of Barca's matches that season and put in some excellent performances, helping the team to finish as runners-up.

CHARACTERISTICS

He is an extremely agile and powerful goalkeeper.
Despite his comparative youth, he likes to lead and command his defence.
He has much in common with German international Oliver Kahn, of whom he is a great admirer.

In his first season he was occasionally uncertain when coming off his line but soon ironed out this weakness in his second season.
He has enormous potential and was considered for the Spain squad for EURO 2004, finally losing out to Athletic Bilbao's Aranzubia.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

Individual Awards
2004-05 Spanish League Zamora

Samuel Eto'o Fils
Place of birth: Nkon (Cameroon)
Date: 10-03-1981
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 75 kg

Samuel Eto'o Fils made an impact on the world of football while still a teenager.
He has exceptional physical qualities and made the leap to European football at the tender age of just 16 when Real Madrid signed him up and loaned him out to Leganés.

At the age of 17 years and 3 months he became the youngest player at the 1998 World Cup in France and was the only player who had been born in the '80's.

After Leganés, he went on loan to RCD Espanyol (1998-1999) but played very little and subsequently retuned to Real Madrid (1999-2000).
In the 1999-00 season, he played a few times for RCD Mallorca, eventually spending four seasons there (2000-04), with the Balearic Island club sharing his rights with Real Madrid.

During his time with Mallorca, he became the highest ever league goal scorer in the history of the club, with 54 goals.
He signed for Barca in the summer of 2004 for a transfer fee of 24 million euros after a long series of three-way negotiations with RCD Mallorca and Real Madrid, thus becoming the first Cameroonian player to defend the Barca colours.
He made his debut for FC Barcelona in the first game of the season at Ràcing Santander, on August 29, 2004.

Since then, he has become a veritable goal machine, scoring 25 times in his first season and making a huge contribution to winning the championship.
His goal against Levante clinched the league title.
He has needed just 67 matches to reach the landmark figure of 50 goals, outstripping some of the great Barca legends of the past.

Since he joined the Club he has been chosen as African Player of the Year 2004, 2005 and 2006, and picked up third place in the FIFA World Player 2005.
He is a full international and one of the outstanding players in the Cameroon team and has a huge popular following in his country.

In the 2005-06 season, he was the top scorer in the Spanish League with 26 goals.
In the Champions League Final on May 17 in Paris, it was Eto'o who scored Barcelona's equaliser after the Blaugrana had gone a goal down to Arsenal.

CHARACTERISTICS

Fast, strong and direct, Samuel Eto'o, who is 1.80 tall and weighs 75 kilos, boasts considerable experience, despite still only being 23.
He's a committed player, whose hunger for goals never gets in the way of his desire to do the best for his team.

Eto'o is fast footed and capable of leaving his markers flailing behind him, with a strong shot and is also an experienced penalty taker.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

Real Madrid
1997-98 Intercontinental Cup
1999-00 Champions League

Real Mallorca
2002-03 Spanish Cup

Cameroon
2008 African Cup runners up
2003 Confederation Cup runners up
2002 African Cup
2000 African Cup
2000 Gold medal Sidney Olympics

Individual Awards
2005-06 Spanish League top goalscorer
2004-05 Third place FIFA WORLD PLAYER
2004-05 African Player of the Year
2003-04 African Player of the Year
2002-03 African Player of the Year

Thierry Henry
Place of birth: Les Ulis (Francia)
Date: 17-8-1977
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 83 kg

Thierry Henry is considered to be one of the best forwards in world football over the past decade.
Elegance, ability and effectiveness are his main assets.

Born in Les Ulis (France) on August 17, 1977, he made his debut in top flight football with Monaco during the 1994-95 campaign, aged just 17.
He began to show some of his ability on the right wing for the Principality-based outfit.
After a brief spell at Juventus in 1998-99, Henry joined Arsenal, where he went on to show his true colours and become one of the best players in the history of the north London club.

Having moved into the centre of attack, Henry proved how lethal he was in front of goal at Arsenal even though he became known for drifting out to both flanks to pull his markers across the field.
With him in the side, the label of 'Boring Arsenal' was forgotten as the Gunners became an attractive, attacking force in the Premiership and in Europe.

During his time in England he broke virtually every Arsenal club record.
He became the Gunners' top goalscorer of all time with 214 goals and became the record scorer in the Premiership (since it was formed in 1992) with 164 goals as well as finishing as the scorer in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006).

His immense trophy haul includes a World Cup winners' medal as he was a member of the successful French squad in 1998.
Two years after that he helped his country to win the European Championships in Belgium and Holland and then added the Confederations Cup to his collection in 2003.
In ten years as a full international, up until the summer of 2007, Henry has played 92 games for France and netted 39 goals, just two less than the legendary Michel Platini, the French all-time record goalscorer.

At club level, Henry helped Arsenal win the Premiership twice (2002 and 2004) and the FA Cup on three occasions (2002, 2003 and 2005).
On a personal note, he finished as Europe's top goalscorer and picked up the Golden Boot in 2004 and 2005.

PROFILE

Speed and technique are two of Henry's main characteristics, which he allies with efficiency and elegance.
He is considered to be one of the most skilful players in the game with the ball at his feet as well as being an extremely intelligent footballer.

Despite having been moulded into a central striker under Arsène Wenger, Henry can play across the front line, which could well prove to be very useful as he vies for a place in the Barça team with Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi during the 2007-08 season.

HONOURS

Arsenal
2004-2005 FA Cup
2004-2005 Community Shield
2003-2004 League
2002-2003 FA Cup
2002-2003 Community Shield
2001-2002 FA Cup
2001-2002 League

Monaco
1996-1997 League

France
2006 World Cup runner-up
2003 Confederations Cup
2000 European Championship
1998 World Cup

Personal awards
2005-2006 Premiership top goalscorer
2004-2005 Premiership top goalscorer
2004-2005 Golden Boot
2003-2004 Premiership top goalscorer
2003-2004 Golden Boot
2001-2002 Premiership top goalscorer

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
Place of birth: Porto Alegre (Brasil)
Date: 21-03-1980
Height: 1'81
Weight: 80

Ronaldinho signed for Barca in the 2003-04 season following in the footsteps of a number of illustrious fellow countrymen who had enjoyed successful careers with the club: Evaristo, Ronaldo, Romario and Rivaldo.


Ronaldinho began his footballing career with Gremio de Porto Alegre, where his burgeoning talent soon brought him to the attention of the international football world.
During the four seasons he spent there, from 1997 to 2001, Ronaldinho also started to claim a place in the Brazilian international side.
He won the Copa America in 1999 scoring six goals, including a memorable effort against Venezuela.

In 2001, Ronaldinho decided to try his luck in European football and signed for French league outfit PSG though his debut was delayed due to a financial dispute between the two clubs.
Although his time with PSG was not as successful as he would have hoped, Ronaldinho continue to prosper with the international team, winning a World Cup winners' medal at the 2002 Japan-Korea championships.

Right from his very first match in a Barca shirt, the fans were seduced by Ronaldinho's spectacular brand of footballing magic.
His ability to change the course of a match with a brilliant solo effort made him the reference point of the Barca attack and one of the truly great footballing icons of the opening decade of the new millennium.

In his first season, the team strung together a sensation run of seventeen consecutive matches without defeat and finished in second place in La Liga, thereby achieving direct qualification for the Champions League.
This impetus carried on to the 2004-05 season and Ronaldinho and the rest of the Barca squad soon established a lead at the top of the table that would take them to the league title.
In addition, the Brazilian's tremendous talent has received public recognition with individual awards such as the FIFA World Player 2004 and 2005 and the Ballon d'Or 2005.

Since then, Ronaldinho has become the leader of the mighty Brazil side, with which he won a Confederations Cup winners' medal in Germany 2005.

However, the season of 2005/06 was dominated by Ronaldinho and Barça.
With the Brazilian at the helm, the blaugrana won La Liga and the Champions League; mesmerizing everyone in the world of football with his agile, rapid and above all, efficient displays.
To cap it all off, Ronaldinho was chosen Best player of the Champions League, by UEFA.

CHARACTERISTICS

Skilful, agile, extrovert, fast, inspired, magical.
That's Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, known by the nickname of 'Ronaldinho Gaucho'.
The Brazilian star grew up with a football glued to his feet in the heart of a family with strong footballing traditions, where both his father and his brother have been successful players.

Ronaldinho's greatest assets are speed and boundless technical skills.
His natural position is behind the striker though with the ball at his feet he moves well anywhere in the attack.
Although he is not principally a goal scorer, his outstanding ability enables him to score from the most unlikely situations.

Indeed, his reserves of tricks and dribbling skills seem to be inexhaustible and the fans are constantly surprised by his range of seemingly impossible moves.
His combinations with the rest of his team mates in attack increase the team's attacking potential enormously.

He is also an outstanding practitioner of the free kick, with the ability to curve the ball around the defensive wall and place the ball in any part of the goal beyond the keeper's reach.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

National Team of Brasil
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2002 World Cup
1999 America Cup
1997 World Cup Under 17

Individual Awards
2004-05 FIFA WORLD PLAYER
2004-05 Ballon d'Or
2003-04 FIFA WORLD PLAYER

Name: Eidur Gudjohnsen
Position: forward
Place of birth: Reykjavik (Island)
Date: 15-09-1978
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Eidur Smari Gudjohnsen is the first player to play for Barca from Iceland, a country perhaps better known in sporting circles for handball or cross country skiing than football.


Gudjohnsen began to make his mark as a footballer from a young age, perhaps inspired by his father, who was also an Icelandic full international.
When he was just 16, Eidur made his debut in the Icelandic league and ended up with 7 goals in 17 games - a return that caught the eye of PSV Eindhoven for whom he played for the following two seasons.

Gudjohnsen returned to his native Iceland to play for KR Reykjavik in the 97-98 season before signing for the Premier League club Bolton Wanderers, where he played for two seasons before joining Chelsea.
He left the London club to replace Larson at Barca with a record of 62 goals in 219 games in his 6 years at Stamford Bridge, am experienced player with an impressive cv at the highest level.

CHARACTERISTICS

Gudjohnsen has developed his style in the English game and a a Northern European he not surprisingly is a bustling centre forward particularly strong in the air and with both feet.
But Gudjohnson also brings an excellent technique and clever ball skills and a versatility which allowed him to show his abilities both up front and in midfield for Chelsea.
His skills in midfield helped to convert him into one of the leading assist providers in the English game.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup

Chelsea FC
2005-06 League
2004-05 League
2004-05 Carling Cup
2000-01 Charity Shield

PSV Eindhoven
1996-97 League
1996-97 Supercup
1995-96 Cup

Gianluca Zambrotta
Place of birth: Como (Italy)
Date: 19-02-1977
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Gianluca Zambrotta was born on 19th February 1977 in Como (Italy). And it was in Como where he started his sporting career in 1994.
With his home town team he competed in Serie B, putting in 48 performances and scoring 6 goals.


His opportunity to compete in Serie A came in 1997 with l?AS Bari.
His debut coming on the 31st August 1997 at home against Parma.
His performances over the course of 2 years were noticed by Juventus, who secured his services in 1999 in a deal worth 15.85 million Euros.

Having lost the Scudetto on the final day of his first season with Juventus, Zambrotta eventually won his first league title in 2002.
It was with the then current coach, Marcello Lippi, who opted that Zambrotta changed to the position of full back.

Things didn´t change for Zambrotta with the arrival of Fabio Capello in 2004.
With Juventus he played a total of 217 games, won the Scudetto twice and the Italian Supercup.

With the Italian national team, Zambrotta made his debut in 1999 which saw a 0-0 draw against Norway.
Since then he has firmly established himself as first choice and has managed to take part in 2 European cups and 2 world cups.
His greatest moment coming in Germany when they beat France on penalties to lift the World Cup.

Zambrotta arrived at Barça in the season of 2006-07 with his team mate Lilian Thuram with whom he had spent 5 seasons.

CHARACTERISTICS

Many adjectives can be used to describe the qualities possessed by Zambrotta; dynamic, creative, talented, eficient, etc.
He can play on both sides at an equally high level and can also adapt to fill a midfield role if needed.
By doing so, this has given him the ability to increase the options available when the team is on the attack.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup

Juventus
2002-03 League
2002-03 Italian Supercup
2001-02 League

Italian national Team
2005-06 World Cup

Carles Puyol Saforcada
Place of birth: La Pobla de Segur (Lleida)
Date: 13-04-1978
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Carles Puyol began his footballing career in the local team of the small town where he was born, La Pobla de Segur.
His talent soon attracted wider attention and, at the age of 17, he was signed up for the Barca academy at La Masía.


He rapidly became a fixture in Barca B and then progressed to make his debut with the first team on 2nd October 1999 against Valladolid at the orders of Louis Van Gaal.
His appearances became more and more frequent until he made the right back position his own.
Thanks to his determination to improve and a tremendous work rate, Carles Puyol adapted to the position of central defender.

In the 2003-2004 season, having been chosen as third captain, he played a vital role in the team's sensational run of form that led to the runners-up place in the league.
Puyol made 27 appearances in the league and seven in the UEFA Cup.

However, Carles Puyol had to wait until the 2004-05 season to win his first medal with Barca.
He was, by then, captain of the first team and an essential part of Frank Rijkaard's league championship winning side.
At the end of the season, he finally saw his dream come true of lifting the league trophy in the Nou Camp.

During the 2005-06 season, he played as well as he had the previous year.
The Barça captain had the honour of being presented with the league title trophy before the game against Espanyol, before lifting the UEFA Champions League in Paris after the monumental victory against Arsenal in the Saint-Denis Stadium.
Puyol only missed five matches all season and none through injury. On three occasions he was rested by coach Frank Rijkaard and was then suspended for the other two games which he did not play in.
He also scored one goal as he headed home during the 5-0 victory against Real Sociedad on October 30, 2005.

Carles Puyol is a regular in the Spanish national team and took part in the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 European Nations Cup and in the World Cup Finals in 2006.

CHARACTERISTICS

Carles Puyol started off in the first team at right back but has since developed into a great central defender.
He stands out for his tremendous fitness levels and his discipline on the pitch.
He's a perfect example of a team player and he never over-complicates the job when he has to cut off an opposing attacking move.

He can also adapt to the left back position when circumstances dictate.
Although he is not particularly tall (178 cm), his physical strength makes him very strong in the air and he is capable of man-marking opposing forwards who are taller than him.
He also likes to get up in attack, especially for corners and free kicks.

More than anything else, Carles Puyol is a reference point for the rest of the squad due to his character and qualities of leadership and because of his pride in the Barca colours and his total identification with the Club.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

Spanish national team
2000 - Silver medal. Sidney Olympic Games

Gabriel Alejandro Milito
Place of birth: Bernal (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Date: 7-9-1980
Height: 179 cm
Weight: 78 kg

Gabriel Milito is the twentieth Argentinian to wear the Barça shirt.
He is a central defender who started out at Independiente in Avellaneda, and then spent four years at Zaragoza before coming to the Camp Nou.


Gabriel Milito was born in Bernal (Buenos Aires), on September 7, 1980.
He came up through the youth ranks at Independiente, making his top flight debut aged 17 with the Avellaneda based club.
'El Mariscal', as he is known, led the side’s defence despite his young age, but his promising future was almost cut short by a serious injury.
He tore cruciate ligaments in his right knee in 2001 and was out for nine months.
And shortly after his return, he was injured for another four months, this time with a broken meniscus in his right foot.

Once he was back to full fitness, Gaby Milito was one of the main reasons for Independiente’s Opening Championship victory in 2002.
He was named Argentinian Player of the Year and in the summer of 2004 made his move to Spain.

Milito was originally headed for Real Madrid. However, before signing his contract the club’s doctors concluded that he was not fully recovered from his knee injury and warned against signing the player.
Milito went instead to Zaragoza, and that season won the Copa del Rey at Montjuïc, ironically beating Real Madrid.
Later that year, Zaragoza also won the Spanish Super Cup and Milito was heralded as one of the finest defenders in the league.
In four years at Zaragoza, he never failed to please.

In the 2005/06 and 2006/07 season, Gaby was joined by his older brother, Diego, at La Romareda.
The Milito brothers were the stars of a side that won back to back UEFA Cups.

Gaby Milito has also found his way into the Argentina national team.
He made his international debut in 2000 and played at the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and in the 2007 Copa America, where he was a regular feature in Alfio Basile’s side, which reached the final.

PROFILE

The Argentinian international, known as 'el Mariscal', is a respected, authoritarian, imposing and well-positioned centre back.
He also a skilful playmaker and can help in attack.
Although he is not particularly tall (1.79 m.), Milito is good in the air and can be dangerous from dead ball situations.
He also has a very strong personality, and is a natural leader.

HONOURS

Zaragoza
2004-2005 Spanish Super Cup
2003-2004 Spanish Cup
Independiente Avellaneda
2002-2003 Trofeo Apertura

Argentinian national team
1999 South American Under-20 championship

Éric Abidal
Place of birth: Lyon (France)
Date: 11-9-1979
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 75 kg

Éric Abidal’s arrival in France will be the first experience of professional football outside of France for this player born in Lyon.
He was signed as a replacement for Gio.

Before coming to Barça, Éric Abidal (Lyon, 11-7-1979) played for four French sides.
His first professional club was Lyon-la-Duchère, in the French CFA2 division in the 1999-00 season.
A year later he moved on to Monaco in the French Ligue 1, making his debut on September 16, 2000 against Toulouse.
He stayed in the principality for two years, consolidating his role as an important member of the team, and playing alongside future Barça team-mate Rafa Márquez.

In summer 2002 Éric Abidal was transferred to Lille, where he played for two seasons and almost doubled his number of league appearances, playing in 35 of Lille’s 38 league games in the 2003-04 season.

At the end of that season, the full back returned to his hometown to play for Olympique Lyon, where he would stay until signing for Barcelona.
In 2004 Abidal also made his international debut for ‘Les Bleus’ on August 18 against Bosnia.

He played at the World Cup in 2006, playing 90 minutes of six of his country’s seven game, in which France finished runners-up.
Abidal played for three very successful seasons in Lyon, last season competing in 31 games in yet another title-winning season for his club, while also playing in seven Champions league matches and 10 internationals during his final season in France, 2006-07.

PROFILE

Éric Abidal is a natural left back, although given his size (186 cm, 75 kg) he can easily slot in at centre back too.
He likes to make runs up the wing as far as the opposition’s area, supplying crosses to the forwards.
He is a very skilful and tactically aware player, and is noted for his ability to position himself well on the pitch.

HONOURS

Olympique Lyon
2006-2007 League
2005-2006 French cup of champions
2005-2006 League
2004-2005 French cup of champions
2004-2005 League

French national team
2006 World Cup Runners Up

Xavier Hernandez Creus
Place of birth: Terrassa (Barcelona)
Date: 25-01-1980
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 68 kg

Xavi has spent all his footballing life at the Nou Camp, having joined Barcelona when he was only 11 years old.
The progress he made was always very quick and in season 97-98 he moved up from youth team to Barca B.


In Barça B, he became the brains of Jordi Gonzalvo's team which won promotion to the second division.

Xavi's dream of making his official debut with the first team squad became true when he played in the Spanish Super Cup against Majorca in the summer of 1998.
He was in the starting line up and scored: a better debut he could not have asked for.
Xavi also played an important role in the league-winning season of 1998-99 with Van Gaal as manager, most notably with an important goal in the Nuevo Zorrilla, which turned round the team's fortunes.

Season 1999-2000 was a good one for Xavi as due to the injury to Guardiola he was the first choice number 4 for a large part of the season.
After the legendry captain left for Italian football he became the playmaker of the team and has continued to demonstrate the full range of his talents in this position.

With Van Gaal, Reixach, Antic and Rijkaard in charge of the team, Xavi has always been a key member of the team - a fact made clear by the 300 official games he completed whilst still only 25 years old.

With Rijkaard, Xavi has shown that he can not only play at the heart of midfield, but is also more than able to cover any position in the center of the team, an ability reflected in the fact that he was the most used player in the League winning 2004-05 season, playing 36 games in all.

Xavi was at the 2002 World Cup and the Euro 2004 championships and is a regular member of the Spanish national team.

CHARACTERISTICS

Xavi is the playmaker of the team in every game and shows no nerves whatsoever as he guides the team with an extraordinarily cool head.
Since taking on the mantle of playmaker at Barca he has shown incredible vision on the pitch.
He is another example of the good work being carried out in the youth teams of Barcelona, especially in the position referred to as number 4 and as he has matured he has shown an increasing ability to adapt himself to different positions in the midfield when his manager has called on him.

His passing to the forwards and his ability to take the pressure off and protect the ball better than almost any other player around, have turned him into one of the focal points on the pitch.
He also stands out for his defensive capabilities and his capacity as a ball winner.

In addition he has shown himself more than able at dead ball situations, where his potent shot has brought a number of important goals.

Xavi will always remember December 2, 2005.
During training in front of La Masia,the Terrassa-born midfielder suffered a bad injury to his left knee as he ruptured his ligaments.
Within five months he was back in action.
On April 29, 2006 returned to play against Cádiz and stated "I feel like a football player again".
He was able to celebrate winning the title and the Champions League with the rest of the squad.

The Barça playmaker was a regular in Luis Aragonés' Spain team during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where the team progressed to the second round before being beaten by France.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League
1998-99 League

Spanish National Team
2000-00 Silver medal. Sidney Olympic Games
1999-99 Under 20 World Champion

Name: Anderson Luis de Souza, Deco
Position: midfielder
Place of birth: Sao Bernardo (Brasil)
Date: 27-08-1977
Height: 1'74
Weight: 73

Anderson Luis de Souza, known in the world of football as 'Deco', began his professional career in Brazil with Nacional Sao Paulo (1995-96 and 1996-97).
He spent a brief time with Corinthians (1997) before making the leap to European football.


He signed for Benfica for the 1997-98 season but was sent to their reserve team, Alverca, in the second division.
He had a good first season and came to the attention of Porto.
He spent the 1998-99 season playing for another small club, SC Salgueiros but then moved definitively to Porto on the recommendation of coach Fernando Castro.
He had five successful seasons with Porto from 1999 to 2004.

He attracted the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs and with José Mourinho at the helm won a Champions League medal in May 2004.
In addition he was chosen as best player in the final against Monaco.
He arrived in the summer of 2004 and made his debut for FC Barcelona in the first game of the 2004-05 season, away to Ràcing Santander on August 29.
Soon won the fans over with his skilful and intelligent football.
Rijkaard early on made him one of the pillars of the new Barca he was building and he figured in 35 of the league winning season's 38 games, contributing goals, determination and a winning mentality.

He took Portuguese nationality and made his international debut with his adopted country on 29th March 2003, curiously enough against his country of birth, Brazil.
He scored the only goal of the match and gave Portugal their first win over Brazil for 37 years.
In the summer of 2004, he took part in the European Championship with Portugal, losing in the final to Greece (1-0).

In the 2005-06 season, Deco was one of the stars of the double winning squad.
The Portuguese midfielder played 29 league games and 11 in the Champions League, scoring 5 goals.

CHARACTERISTICS

Deco is a versatile midfielder who gives his teams a variety of tactical options.
He possesses good individual skills and is an excellent passer of the ball.
He excels in creative duties and can play behind the striker or on the right or in the centre of midfield.

In addition to his skills as a playmaker, he is a tireless destroyer of the opposition's attacking moves.
As such he combines perfectly with teammates who have a holding role in midfield.

Deco loves to run at opposing defenders and constantly looks for opportunities to shoot.
He is an expert at free kicks near the box.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

FC Porto
2003-04 Champions League
2003-04 League
2002-03 UEFA Cup
2002-03 League
2002-03 Portuguese Cup
2002-03 Portuguese Supercup
1999-00 Portuguese Cup
1998-99 League
1998-99 Portuguese Supercup

Portugal National Team
2004 European runner-up

Individual Awards
2003-04 Silver Ball

Name: José Gomes Edmílson Moraes
Position: midfielder
Place of birth: Taguaratinga (Brasil)
Date: 10-07-1976
Height: 1'86
Weight: 75

José Gomes Edmílson Moraes, known in the world of football as Edmílson, started his footballing career with Sao Paulo, making his debut in 1994.
His performances grew in stature until he became a fixture in the centre of the Sao Paolo defence.


In the summer of 2000, Edmílson signed for French club Olympique Lyon where he was an undisputed first choice during four seasons and won three league championship medals.
In July 2004 he signed for FC Barcelona.

Luiz Felipe Scolari handed him his international debut with Brazil on 18th July 2000 against Paraguay.
Together with Ronaldinho and Belletti he won a World Cup winner's medal in 2002.

Edmílson signed for FC Barcelona in the summer of 2004 and made his league debut in the third game of the season at the Vicente Calderón (Atlético Madrid 1-Barça 1).
He was Frank Rijkaard,s first choice defensive midfielder, but was seriously injured on October 3 in a game between Barça and Numancia.
The Brazilian tore cruciate ligaments in his right knee and was sidelined for six months.
He did not return until the second to last game of the season against Vila-real.

In the 2005-06 season, Edmílson was one of the stars of the Barça side that conquered both the League and Champions League.
He played 28 league games and 9 in the Champions League.

CHARACTERISTICS

Edmílson is an extremely skilful central defender who enjoys playing the ball out from defence.
He reads the game superbly and uses this ability to make long passes from deep positions.
Although he has usually played in defence, he can also play in the defensive midfield holding role.

He is very effective in the air.
Thanks to his height (186 centimetres) he is dangerous at dead ball situations in attack and a dominating presence in defence.
Although he doesn't score many goals, football fans everywhere remember the fantastic goal he scored against Costa Rica in the 2002 World Cup.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

Olympique Lyonnais
2003-04 French League
2002-03 French League
2002-03 Champions Trophy
2001-02 French League
2001-02 Champions Trophy

Sao Paulo
1999-00 Paulista Championship
1997-98 Paulista Championship
1993-94 Conmebol Cup

Brazilian National Team
2002 World Cup

Name: José Manuel Pinto Colorado
Position: Goalkeeper
Place of Birth: Puerto de Santa Maria (Cádiz)
Date of Birth: 15-11-1975
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 82 kg

José Manuel Pinto Colorado
José Manuel Pinto signed for FC Barcelona on January 18, 2008 after moving from Celta Vigo, where he spent the last ten seasons.

He arrived as cover for the injured Albert Jorquera after the Catalan keeper damaged knee ligaments during the festive break.

Born in Puerto de Santa Maria (Cádiz) on November 15, 1975, Pinto start his professional career in Andalucia.
After spending three seasons with Real Betis's B side, he moved up to the first team and made his debut for the club during the 1997/98 campaign.
A year later he agreed to move to Celta Vigo, where would spend the next decade before leaving to go to Camp Nou.

After being replaced by Toni Prats at Betis, Pinto opted to join Celta and it was there that he found stability and was awarded the captain's armband.
He went on to play 126 games in la Primera, 56 matches in la Segunda A as well as appearing in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup regularly with the club.
As well as helping the side to qualify for the Champions League in 2003/04, Pinto won the Zamora Trophy as the best keeper in the league in 2005/06.

That year, Pinto conceded just 28 goals in 37 league matches (an average of 0.75 per game) and helped guide the team to sixth place in the top flight and into the UEFA Cup.
The season before had seen Víctor Valdés win the Zamora.

PROFILE

Pinto is a strong goalkeeper, standing at 1.85m tall and weighing 82kg.
His height and agility make him powerful in the air and he also has very quick reflexes to help him make a quick-reaction save when required.
It is those reflexes that also make him a superb shot-stopper from close range, but he is not easy to beat from distance either.

HONOURS

Celta de Vigo
2001-02 Copa del Rey Runner-Up

Individual Awards
2005-06 Spanish League Zamora

Rafael Márquez Álvarez
Place of birth: Zamora (Mexico)
Date: 13-02-1979
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 74 kg

Rafael Márquez is the first Mexican ever to play for Barça, having arrived in the 2003-2004 close season as one of the principal reinforcements in defence.

His youth and the progress he's enjoyed in the last few years have combined to make him one of the most promising defenders in Europe.

Beginning his career at Atlas Guadalajara (1996-99) he made his debut in the Mexican first division when he was just 17 years old.
Three years later he signed for AS Monaco where he soon fit into the demands of the European game.
In 2000 he won the French League title and was named as the league's top defender.

In 2003 his team won the French League Cup.
Captain of the Mexican national team he played in the 1999 and 2001 Copas de America and the 2002 World Cup.

Márquez has gained the complete respect and trust of Frank Rijkaard and has become a regular in the Barcelona team.
In his first season at the club he was one of the key figures as the side earned direct qualification for the Champions League.

In 2004-05, he demonstrated his versatility.
The knee ligament injuries to Edmilson and Thiago Motta meant that Márquez was asked to step away from his usual role in the centre of the defence and play as a defensive midfielder, as he had done for both Monaco and Mexico in the past.
He proved to be outstanding in front of the defence as he helped the side win the league title.

As well as winning the Confederations Cup in 1999 and the Gold Cup in 2003, the captain of Mexico has been a regular for his national side under various coaches over the past few years.
Márquez has played in the Copa America in 1999, 2001 and 2004 and the World Cup in 2002.

CHARACTERISTICS

Right footed and very skilful, he reads the game well and has a great ability to launch his team in counter attacks.
In addition he's a great free kick taker and strong in the air.

Known as the "Kàiser of Michoacán" for his elegance on the ball, dependability and skill coming out of defence, Marquez can also do the business as a central midfielder and has been compared to Franz Beckenbauer.

In the defensive midfield role, Márquez can impose his strength in the air as well as helping to build the play from the back as well as breaking up opposition attacks with his tackling.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2006-07 Spanish Supercup
2005-06 Champions League
2005-06 League
2005-06 Spanish Supercup
2004-05 League

Monaco
2002-03 French League's Cup
1999-00 League

Mexican National Team
2003 Golden Cup
1999 Confederation Cup