Nikica Jelavic

Zone Soccer Player | Nikica Jelavic | He started his career with Prva HNL side Hajduk Split in 2002, before moving to the Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem in 2007.  For the 2008-09 season played for the Austrian Jelavic champions Rapid Vienna. In the Austrian Bundesliga he played 24 games (as a first squad in 9 and as substitute in 15) and scored seven goals without any yellow or red cards. In the Europa League, he played six games and scored four goals with one assist. In the summer of 2010 Jelavic was linked with a transfer to Rangers. On 19 August, Rapid Announced That Jelavic would be signing for Rangers, after the player Announced he would not play in Rapid's Europa League qualifying match against Aston Villa.

On 20 August 2010 Jelavic completed a £ 4 million move to Rangers on a four-year-deal. Due to his former club Rapid Vienna eliminating Aston Villa from the Europa League, Jelavic was ineligible to Participate in the Rangers' Champions League campaign, after Becoming cup tied after Appearing for the Austrian side in the Earlier rounds . Johnstone on 27 February 2011, scored two goals Jelavic and assisted a third with a back heel pass. On 20 March 2011, scored the winning goal Jelavic in extra time in the Rangers' 2-1 win over Celtic in the 2011 Scottish League Cup Final. Jelavic received the SFA goal of the season award for his goal against Aberdeen.  Jelavic scored his first European goal for Rangers on 3 August 2011 in a 1-1 draw against Malmo in a UEFA Champions League qualifying game. On 5 November 2011 Jelavic scored his first brace of the season Helping Rangers a 3-1 victory to over Dundee United. Jelavic scored another two goals in a 2-0 win over Hibernian on 10 December 2011.

On 10 March 2012, scored his first goal Jelavic for Everton in his first start for the club, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park . Jelavic scored his first brace for Everton against Norwich City in a 2-2 draw at Carrow Road in the Premier League. On 14 April, Jelavic scored the opener in the FA Cup Semi-Final against local rivals Everton Liverpool at Wembley the which went on to lose 2-1. On 22 April, Jelavic scored his second brace for Everton, as he scored the opener and the third goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United, in a pulsating 4-4 draw.

Jelavic eventually made his full international debut in a friendly match against Oman on 8 October 2009 in Rijeka, coming on as a substitute for Ivan Klasnic in the 64th minute in the which he also netted his first international goal to secure his team a 3-2 win in the final moments of the match.

Personal information
Full name Nikica Jelavic
Date of birth 27 August 1985 (age 26)
Place of birth Capljina, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Striker

Club information
Current club Everton
Number 7

Youth career
1999-2001 GOŠK Gabela
2001-2002 Neretva
Hajduk Split 2002-2005

Senior career
years Team
Hajduk Split 2002-2007 35 (8)
2007-2008 Zulte Waregem 23 (3)
2008-2010 Rapid Vienna 71 (27)
2010-2012 Rangers 45 (30)
2012-Everton 9 (6)

National team
2002 Croatia U17 2 (0)
2003 Croatia U18 2 (0)
2009-Croatia 18 (7)

Honours

Club
     Rangers
         Scottish Premier League: 2010-11
         Scottish League Cup: 2011

     Everton
         FA Cup Player of the Round: Sixth Round 2011-12

Marouane Fellaini

Zone Soccer Player | Marouane Fellaini | At the age of 17, he signed his first contract with Standard Liege permanent. Born in Etterbeek, Brussels, Fellaini began playing football at the age of 8 for Anderlecht. In his first season at Anderlecht's Academy, he scored 26 goals in his second and he scored 37. Fellaini's first love was track, with the 10.000 meters being his preferred event. After rejected advances from Manchester United and Following reported interest from Aston Villa, Real Madrid, Tottenham and Bayern Munich, Fellaini signed for Everton in September 2008 on a five-year deal from Standard Liege for an initial transfer fee of £ 15 million (a record for a Belgian player and a club record for Everton). He made his Everton debut in a 3-2 away victory at Stoke City on 14 September 2008, and scored his first goal for the team against Newcastle United in a 2-2 home draw on 5 October 2008. Fellaini went on to score nine goals in his first season, the most he has scored in a single season at the club to date.

At the end of the 2008-09 season Everton's Fellaini was named Young Player of the Season. In his time in England he has Become well known for his large "afro" hair, Becoming a cult hero with the Everton fans sporting Afro wigs regularly as a homage to Fellaini. Later Fellaini Reverted to play in his favored defensive midfield area.  Fellaini suffered an ankle injury in an FA Cup replay victory against Chelsea in February 2011 and although he was Able to play in a 2-0 win against Sunderland a week later, the injury Caused him to miss the remainder of the 2010-11 season.

He did not play a competitive match until August 2011, when he Appeared as a substitute in a 1-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers at Goodison Park and played the full match in the very next fixture, as Everton beat Sheffield United 3 -1 in the League Cup. Eligible to play for either Belgium or Morocco, Fellaini he chose to Represent the country of his birth from youth level upwards.

Personal information
Full name Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui
Date of birth 22 November 1987 (age 24)
Place of birth Etterbeek, Belgium
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 1/2 in)
Playing position Midfielder

Club information
Current club Everton
Number 25

Youth career
Anderlecht 1994-1997
Mons 1997-2000
2000-2002 R. Francs Borains
2002-2004 Sporting Charleroi
2004-2006 Standard Liege

Senior career
years Team
2006-2008 Standard Liege 64 (9)
2008-Everton 104 (14)

National team
2007-Belgium 33 (5)

Honours

Club
Standard Liège
     Belgian First Division winner: 2007-08
     Belgian Ebony Shoe winner: 2008

Everton
     FA Cup runner-up: 2009
     Young Player of the Season winner: 2008/09

Sergio Busquets

Zone Soccer Player | Sergio Busquets | Busquets was born in Badia del Valles, Barcelona, Catalonia. In 2005, he joined FC Barcelona's local youth ranks, scoring seven goals in 26 matches for the Juvenil A team in his second season. In That same season, Busquets would the make his first team debut, in a Catalonia Cup match, coming on as a substitute. On 13 September 2008, Busquets played his first La Liga match, 90 minutes in a 1-1 home draw against Racing de Santander. During Barcelona's UEFA Champions League match against FC Basel at St. Jakob-Park on 22 October 2008, he scored the second goal in the 15th minute in a 5-0 group stage win. On 22 December, Busquets signed a contract extension until 2013, with a buy-out clause of € 80 million.

Busquets' fine form continued in the 2009-10 season, with Guardiola preferring him to Barcelona's Yaya Toure as holding midfielder. Ironically, the incident involved Busquets and Thiago Motta, another graduate of Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. Motta had spent five years in Barcelona's first team Between 2002 and 2007 and, coincidentally, had been playing for the Catalans in the same role as holding midfielder Busquets. Busquets was again ever-diving for Barcelona in 2010-11, even playing as a central defender on occasion. On 8 March, playing at center back, he scored an own goal from a corner kick against Arsenal, in the season's Champions League round of 16, leveling the score at 1-1. Barcelona eventually won the game 3-1 (and 4-3 on aggregate).

On 11 October 2008, Busquets earned his first cap for Spain's under-21, in their 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification play-offs first leg match, against Switzerland. He scored in the 17th minute but Spain lost the match 2-1, eventually emerging victorious 4-3 on aggregate. Busquets finally made his debut for La Furia Roja on 1 April 2009, in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkey , playing 16 minutes in a 2-1 win in Istanbul, after Replacing David Silva.

Personal information
Full name Sergio Busquets Burgos
Date of birth 16 July 1988 (age 23)
Place of birth Badia del Valles, Spain
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder

Club information
Current club Barcelona
Number 16

Youth career
CD Badia
Barbera Andalucía
Lleida 1999-2003
2003-2005 Unio Jabac
Barcelona 2005-2007

Senior career
years Team
2006 Barcelona C 1 (0)
2007-2008 Barcelona B 32 (1)
2008-Barcelona 106 (2)

National team
2008-2009 Spain U21 3 (1)
2008-Spain 38 (0)
2008-Catalonia 4 (0)

Honours

Barcelona
     La Liga (3): 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
     Copa del Rey (1): 2008-09: Runner-up 2010-11
     Supercopa de España (3): 2009, 2010, 2011
     UEFA Champions League (2): 2008-09, 2010-11
     UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011
     FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011

Spain
     FIFA World Cup: 2010
     FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009

Individual
     La Liga's Breakthrough Player: 2009
     Bravo Award: 2009

Decorations
     Prince of Asturias Awards: 2010
     Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit: 2011

Didier Drogba

Zone Soccer Player | Didier Drogba | Drogba moved to Chelsea the Following season for a record breaking fee of £ 24 million, making him the most expensive player in history Ivoirian. In Addition, he scored decisive goals in the 2005 Football League Cup Final and in the 2005 FA Community Shield and helped the club win Their first ever Premier League title. The next season he finished as top scorer in the 2006-07 Premier League with 20 goals and also scored the winning goals in the 2007 Football League Cup Final and FA Cup Finals. He won the FA Cup for the second time in 2009, scoring the equalizer in the final. In the 2009-10 season proved instrumental in Chelsea's Drogba Their first winning double in the club's history. This goal makes him the only player to score in six English Cup finals.

The second half of the 2001-02 season saw Drogba the make eleven appearances and score three goals for Guingamp. Drogba retained his place in the team, scoring 19 goals and winning the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Player of the Year award. He also scored five goals in That season's UEFA Champions League and six in the UEFA Cup. Drogba Remains a club legend in Marseille, Despite playing only one season for the club.

Signing for Chelsea in July 2004 for £ 24 million, Drogba scored in his third game for the club with a header against Crystal Palace. After missing two games, Drogba made his return to the Chelsea squad on 24 September against Swansea City. Drogba went on scoring his first goal of the season in a 4-1 win.  Drogba received a red card on 23 October against Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea ended up losing 1-0. Drogba scored his 99th Premier League goal for Chelsea on 25 February 2012, in a 3-0 win over Bolton Wanderers. Drogba scored his 100th Premier League goal for Chelsea on 10 March 2012, in a 1-0 win over Stoke City.

On 20 June 2010, Drogba Became the first player from an African nation to score against Brazil in a World Cup match, scoring with a header in the 78th minute as the Côte d'Ivoire were Defeated 1-3. Drogba scored the first goal for his team in the tournament against Sudan and his only goal in the group stage. In the quarter finals, Drogba scored twice in the 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea.

Personal information
Didier Yves Drogba Full name Tébily
Date of birth 11 March 1978 (age 34)
Place of birth Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1/2 in)
Playing position Striker

Club information
Current club Chelsea
Number 11

Youth career
Levallois 1996-1997
1997-1998 Le Mans

Senior career
years Team
1998-2002 Le Mans 64 (12)
Guingamp 2002-2003 45 (20)
Marseille 2003-2004 35 (19)
2004-Chelsea 221 (100)

National team
2002-Côte d'Ivoire 84 (54)

Honours
Chelsea
     Premier League: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10
     Football League Cup: 2004-05, 2006-07
     FA Cup: 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10
     FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009

Individual
     Onze d'Or: 2004
     UEFA Cup top scorer: 2004
     Ligue 1 Goal of the Year: 2004
     Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2004
     Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2004
     Ivorian Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2007
     African Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2009
     Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2007
     Premier League Golden Boot: 2007, 2010
     PFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2010
     UEFA Team of the Year: 2007
     ESM Team of the Year: 2007
     FIFPro World XI: 2007
     BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2009
     West African Footballer of the Year: 2010
     Chelsea Player of the Year: 2010
     Time Top 100: 2010
     Côte d'Ivoire all-time top scorer
     World Goalgetter of the 21st Century

Thomas Müller

Zone Soccer Player | Thomas Müller | A product of Bayern's youth system, he made his first-team breakthrough in the 2009-10 season after Louis van Gaal was appointed as the main coach; he played almost every game as the club won the league and cup double and reached the Champions League final. This accomplishment earned him an international call-up, and at the end of the season he was named in Germany's squad for the 2010 World Cup, where he scored five goals in six appearances as the team finished in third place. He was named as the Best Young Player of the tournament and won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer, with five goals and three assists.

The Following season, Bayern's second string qualified for the newly formed 3rd League, and Müller established Himself as a key player - he played in 32 out of 38 matches and scored 15 times to the make him the league's fifth top scorer.

In February 2009, Mueller signed his first contract for the senior team, a two year deal effective from the 2009-10 season, along with team-mate reserve Holger Badstuber. In the first few matches Müller was a regular substitute, and on 12 September 2009, he was Brought on against Borussia Dortmund and scored two goals in a 5-1 victory. In February 2010, Müller signed a new contract with Bayern Munich through 2013. In April 2010, he scored the second goal in a 2-1 win against title rivals Schalke 04, and in the Penultimate league match of the season, he scored the first hat-trick of his career, in a 3-1 win over Bochum Effectively the which secured the German title for Bayern Munich. The title was confirmed a week later with a 3-1 win at Hertha BSC, Müller started the which a match.

Müller returned from his post-World Cup break to sign another contract extension, this time extending his stay at Bayern until 2015. Two weeks later he scored the opening goal of Bayern's league season in a 2-1 home win against VfL Wolfsburg. Müller played in every match of the first half of the season, usually as a starter, but as the team struggled for results, Müller was Unable to match the previous season's goalscoring exploits, being dropped to the bench, and even receiving a telling off from Louis van Gaal after missing an easy chance in a 2-0 defeat against 1. FC Kaiserslautern in August. Müller started all ten of Germany's qualifiers for Euro 2012, as the team qualified for the finals with a 100% record.

Personal information
Full name Thomas Müller
Date of birth 13 September 1989 (age 22)
Place of birth Weilheim, West Germany
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Midfielder / Forward

Club information
Current club Bayern Munich
Number 25

Youth career
TSV 1993-2000 Pahl
Bayern Munich 2000-2007

Senior career
years Team
2007-2009 Bayern Munich II 35 (16)
2008-Bayern Munich 98 (29)

National team
2004-2005 Germany U16 6 (4)
2007 Germany U19 1 (0)
2008 Germany U20 1 (1)
2009-2010 Germany U21 6 (1)
2010-Germany 26 (10)

Honours

Club
Bayern Munich
     Bundesliga (1): 2010
     DFB-Pokal (1): 2010
     DFL-Supercup (1): 2010
     UEFA Champions League Runner-up: 2010

International
     Third place FIFA World Cup: 2010

Individual
     FIFA World Cup Golden Boot (1): 2010
     FIFA World Cup Best Young Player (1): 2010
     Bayerischer Sportpreis (1): 2010
     Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (1): 2010
     VDV Newcomer of the Year (1): 2010
     World Soccer Young Player of the Year (1): 2010
     Bravo Award: 2010
     FIFA Ballon d'Or Shortlist nominee (2010 15th place, 2011 13th place)

Philipp Lahm

Zone Soccer Player | Philipp Lahm | Although Lahm is right-footed, he is Able to play on both sides of the pitch. Lahm developed into a professional football player within the Bayern Munich Junior Team. He joined the team at the age of 11 after a youth coach, Jan Pienta, had scouted him several times while he was playing for the local youth team in his Gern hometown, Munich. Up to this point Lahm played as a defensive midfielder, right midfielder or right full-back. Since Willy Sagnol was playing as right back, Bixente Lizarazu was the main left back for Bayern Munich, and Their midfield was also well-staffed , Lahm was loaned to VfB Stuttgart for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 Bundesliga seasons.

Lahm's first Champions League appearance in the previous season with Bayern Munich as a late substitute against RC Lens was now Followed by his first Champions League game in the starting line-up on the 29 September 2003, against Manchester United. During the 2003-04 season Lahm eventually Appeared for Stuttgart in 31 Bundesliga and seven Champions League matches and came  second in the election for the German footballer of the year. During the second season in Stuttgart (2004-2005) Lahm had substantially more difficult, time.

In July 2005, Lahm returned to Bayern Munich. During the season he Appeared 20 times for Bayern in the Bundesliga Thrice in the Champions League and, contending over field-time evenly with Bixente Lizarazu. During the season 2006-07 Lahm played in all of Bayern's 34 Bundesliga games and in nine of the ten Champions League games and was only substituted twice, Mainly Because he was the only left back in the team but also due to his sufficiently solid performances during That was a season of one of the worst for Bayern in many years. During the 2009-10 season under the new coach Louis van Gaal, Lahm was Able to play in his preferred position as a right-back. Lahm was also chosen as vice-captain by Van Gaal, and played full time in all of Bayern's competitive matches apart from the first round game in the German Cup. After the departure of captain Mark van Bommel in January 2011, Lahm was made the new captain for the remainder of the season.

Lahm started his international career in the U19 national team. He was part of the team won silver for That Germany in the 2002 U19 European championship playing in all games in the final tournament and scoring a crucial goal in the 90th minute (2-3) against England in a game That ended 3-3. Lahm was ever present during Germany's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign and was the only player to play every single minute. Following the withdrawal of regular captain Michael Ballack from the World Cup squad due to injury, Lahm was chosen to captain the team at the upcoming tournament. On 13 June 2010, he captained the German National Team in the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Australia, Becoming the youngest player to captain a German side in a World Cup tournament. Lahm's captaincy would Became permanent later, when coach Joachim Low Announced Ballack would not be Considered to play for Germany anymore.  Captain Lahm's solid defending helped Germany win all ten qualification matches for Euro 2012, and he also Provided one assist each for Mesut Özil and Mario Gomez.

Personal information
Full name Philipp Lahm
Date of birth 11 November 1983 (age 28)
Place of birth Munich, West Germany
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Full back

Club information
Current club Bayern Munich
Number 21

Youth career
FT Gern München 1989-1995
Bayern Munich 1995-2001

Senior career
years Team
Bayern Munich II 2001-2003 63 (3)
2003-Bayern Munich 202 (7)
VfB Stuttgart 2003-2005 (loan) 53 (3)

National team
2003 Germany U-21 3 (0)
2004-Germany 85 (4)

Honours

Club
Bayern Munich
     Bundesliga: 2002-03, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10
     DFB-Pokal: 2002-03, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10
     DFB-Ligapokal: 2007
     U-19 Bundesliga: 2001, 2002

National team
     UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship Runner-up: 2002
     FIFA World Cup Third Place: 2006, 2010
     UEFA European Football Championship Runner-up: 2008

Individual
     Man of the Match: for his performance in the game Germany versus Poland,
     FIFA World Cup 2006
     WC 2006 Mastercard All Star Team
     Man of the Match: for his performance in the Semi-final
     Game of Germany versus Turkey (25 June), UEFA Euro 2008
     Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament
     UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2008,
     FIFA Team of the Year: 2008
     FIFA World Cup All Star Team: 2006, 2010
     Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (2): 2006, 2010

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

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