Superstars of Soccer
3 total works
Ivan Ramiro Cordoba rose from humble beginnings. Born into a poor family, he grew up playing soccer in the streets of Rionegro, Colombia. After a couple years with the local Rionegro team, he moved to the first-level Atletico Nacional club of Medellin, then to the Buenos Aires--based San Lorenzo de Almagro club. Cordoba's skill at disarming opponents' attacks soon caught the attention of European clubs, and in 1999 he landed with Inter Milan. In a dozen seasons with Inter Milan, Cordoba earned a reputation as one of the world's best defenders. Along the way, he helped the club to a pair of league championships. For Colombians, however, Cordoba will always be remembered for a goal he scored on July 29, 2001. That tally gave Colombia a 1--0 victory over Mexico--and the Copa America title.
Called by destiny, with soccer as his heritage, Javier Hernandez Balcazar was born to shine on the pitch. The grandson and son of players selected for their country's national team in the World Cup, el Chicharito represents a new generation of Mexican soccer stars whose field of play is the globe. This book follows the fortunes of Hernandez on his road to the top, from his modest origins with the youth section of the Chivas of Guadalajara to his rousing successes with Manchester United. El Chicharito has scored triumphs that all of Mexico celebrates.
The young and talented Uruguayan soccer star Luis Suarez has been a perennial focus of the international press. It's not hard to understand why. Suarez has something to offer just about anyone who follows the game: controversy, brash talk, inspired play, and, above all, goals. This indomitable forward, who was born in the city of Salto and later moved to Montevideo, is the protagonist of one of the most compelling stories in the annals of Uruguayan soccer. Raised along with six siblings by a single mother, Suarez rose through the ranks of Uruguay's Club Nacional before vaulting to international fame during the 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa. Now recognized as a star in the elite leagues of Europe, the man whose shooting skills earned him the nickname "El Pistolero" seems certain to accomplish much more before his career is done.