Carlos Tevez

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Tevez

Carlos Alberto Martínez Tevez (born 5 February 1984)^[2][3] is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus. He has previously played for Manchester City, Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United and Manchester United. He transferred to Manchester City from United in the 2009 summer transfer window, becoming the first player to move between the two rival clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999.^[4] His energy and goal scoring rate made him an indispensable player for the club in the eyes of fellow players and media alike.^[5][6]

In 2011, Tevez sought a transfer away from Manchester, citing family reasons and Sergio Agüero was drafted in as a replacement. His career has been dogged by a long-standing relationship with Media Sports Investment (along with Just Sport), the company which owned the rights of Tevez,^[7] and several other players and coaches.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} This eventually resulted in West Ham United being fined over issues regarding third-party ownership.^[13][14] He has made 62 appearances for the Argentina national team, scoring 13 goals.^[15]

Juventus

On 26 June 2013, Tevez signed a three-year contract with Juventus in Italy. The transfer fee was £10 million with an additional £2 million in add-ons subject to performance. The fee combined with wages and bonuses due to Tevez in the final year of his contract was estimated to save Manchester City about £27 million.^[113]

On 18 August 2013, Tevez made his competitive debut for Juventus, scoring the fourth goal in a 4–0 rout of Lazio in the 2013 Supercoppa Italiana.^[114] On 24 August, he made his first appearance in Serie A, scoring the winning goal as Juventus beat Sampdoria 1–0 in their opening match of the 2013–14 season.^[115]

On 15 December 2013, Tevez scored his first hat-trick for Juve in a 4–0 Serie A win againstSassuolo at Juventus Stadium.^[116]

International career

Tevez at the 2010 World Cup

Tevez first came into prominence with Argentina while playing in the FIFA U-17 World Championship. At the 2004 Olympic Games, he won the gold medal and scored eight goals (including the winner in the final) in six matches to be the top scorer of the competition. He was the world's second-highest goalscorer of 2004 in overall international competition with sixteen goals, one fewer than Iran forward Ali Daei.^[117]

Tevez was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, and scored his only goal of the tournament in Argentina's 6–0 group stage thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro on 16 June. However, he was sent off twice in a three-game stretch during 2010 World Cup qualifying, once against Colombia on 21 November 2007 after he kicked fullback Rubén Darío Bustos in the 24th minute,^[118] and then on 9 September 2008 after a late tackle on defender Darío Verón that earned him a red card in the 31st minute of a 1–1 draw with Paraguay after he had been booked earlier. Tevez later apologised for the incident.^[119]

Tevez was again selected in the Argentina squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. He scored twice in the tournament, both goals coming in the last 16 match againstMexico. His first goal was a header scored in controversial style as he was in an offside position as Lionel Messi passed to him. However, the offside was missed by the referee's assistant and the goal was allowed to stand. Tevez scored his second goal of the game with a powerful shot from outside the box.^{[120][121][122]}

At the 2011 Copa América, Tevez was the only player from either side to miss in the quarter-final penalty shootout against Uruguay, resulting in Argentina's elimination.^[123]

Tevez last appeared for Argentina in 2011, and has not been called up since Alejandro Sabella's appointment as coach.^[124]

Fernando Llorente

For the Spanish footballer born in 1990, see Fernando Llorente Mañas.

Fernando Javier Llorente Torres (Spanish pronunciation: [ferˈnando ʎoˈɾente ˈtores]; born 26 February 1985), nicknamed El Rey León ("The Lion King" in Spanish),^[2] is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Juventus F.C. in Serie A, as a striker.This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name isLlorente and the second or maternal family name is Torres.

Llorente started his career with Athletic Bilbao, working his way through the various youth ranks, and becoming one of the most important offensive players for the club in the following decade, since making his first team debut in 2005. He scored 29 goals for the club in all competitions in the 2011–12 season, and was described as a "Bilbao legend".^[3]

A Spanish international since late 2008, Llorente was a member of the squads which won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

Early years[edit]

Though born in Pamplona, Llorente grew up in the municipality of Rincón de Soto inLa Rioja.^[4][5] He joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 1996 at the age of 11, being eligible through his Navarrese roots.

Club career[edit]

Athletic Bilbao[edit]

Llorente in action for Athletic Bilbao againstHércules, during which he scored the first goal of 2010–11.

Llorente spent several seasons in the various junior levels of the club, moving in 2003 to CD Baskonia ofTercera División,^[6] effectively an Athletic youth side and also a feeder club since 1997. He gradually paved his way for promotion to Bilbao Athletic – Athletic's reserve team – in Segunda División B.^[7]

After scoring four goals for the B's in the first half of the season, Llorente was awarded with a contract extension until June 2008.^[8] On 16 January 2005, he made his first-team – and La Liga – debut in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol.^[9] Three days later, in a Copa del Rey match with UD Lanzarote, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 victory,^[10] and would go on to feature in all but five of the 19 remaining league games while scoring three goals, and also featuring in four domestic cup matches and the UEFA Cupround-of-32 game against FK Austria Wien.

Before the 2005–06 campaign, Llorente's squad number was promoted from number 32 to 9.^[11] He scored in the opening day, a Basque derby 3–0 win against Real Sociedad^[12] but, throughout the season, found goals hard to come by, which could be partly attributed to a series of injuries including aknee strain,^[13] gastroenteritis^[14] and a muscle injury.^[15] He ended the season with just four goals, two in the league and as much in the Cup, against CE L'Hospitalet.^[16]

On 13 July 2006 Llorente signed a new contract with Athletic until June 2011, which included a buy-out clause of between €30 and 50 million.^[17] He started the season as arguably the club's fourth-choice striker, behind Aritz Aduriz, Joseba Etxeberria and veteran Ismael Urzaiz. Athletic's poor form and lack of goals led to coach Félix Sarriugarte rotating the players, allowing Llorente to force his way back into the side; he ended the campaign with only two goals in 23 matches, although he did score an important one in the closing minutes of a 1–1 draw at Valencia CF.^[18]

In preparation for the 2007–08 season, Llorente scored six goals in as many pre-season games, and another against CD Numancia in the Caja Duero Trophy. His form led to him becoming Athletic's first-choice forward, and although he started the season poorly, he ended it with a total of 11 league goals for a side that finished in mid-table. His tally included four goals in two games against Valencia, both impressive wins,^[19][20] and further strikes against FC Barcelona,^[21] Villarreal CF^[22] and Atlético de Madrid.^[23]

Prior to 2008–09, Llorente was confident of a successful season. "I know that I am capable of scoring goals and having a good year and I want to start this term in the same form that I ended the last one in" he said.^[24] Despite the team'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 again reached double figures. He led all scorers in the Europa League for a lengthy period, with eight goals and added 14 in the league as Athletic finished in eighth position.

On 28 August 2010 Llorente scored the first goal of the 2010–11 campaign, in a 1–0 win at Hércules CF.^[25] 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,^[26] adding two in Athletic's 2-1 win overCD Mirandés in the Spanish Cup semifinals.^[27] In the next two matches, both at home, he netted three more, one against Espanyol in the league^[28] and two against Mirandés.^[29]

Llorente scored in 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.^[30][31] In the next round he netted twice atFC Schalke 04 in a 4–2 win,^[32] helping the team eventually reach the final.

In August 2012 Llorente refused to sign a new deal with Athletic Bilbao, fuelling speculation that he might be leaving the club.^[3]Following a 0–2 derby loss at Real Sociedad on 29 September, in which he was a late substitute, he got into an argument with manager Marcelo Bielsa; two days later he walked out of training early and was sent to practice with the youth squad^[33] and, as a result, his relationship with the club's supporters and president Josu Urrutia further deteriorated.^[34]

On 3 January 2013, Athletic confirmed that Llorente would be holding contract talks with Juventus.^[35] On the 21st the Italians' sporting director, Giuseppe Marotta, revealed that he was "very optimistic" that the player would join on 1 July, with Bilbao president Josu Urrutia believed to be unwilling to allow him to leave in the January transfer window.^[36] Three days later the club formalized the signing, and announced he would sign a four-year contract on 1 July when his contract with Bilbao expired.^[37] Juventus also paid Llorente's agent €3.038 million.^[38]

Llorente scored just five goals in 36 official matches in his final year with Athletic, playing mainly as a back-up for Aduriz.^[39][40]

Juventus

Llorente officially became a Juventus player on 1 July 2013 after passing a medical at the club.^[41][42] He was given the number 14 jersey,^[40][43] and netted his first goal in Serie A on 22 September, starting in a 2–1 home win against Hellas Verona FC.

In his second and third ever appearances in the UEFA Champions League Llorente managed to find the net, on both occasions againstReal Madrid for the 2013–14 group stage (1–2 away loss, 2–2 home draw).^[44][45] On 1 December he scored in injury time for the game's only goal at home against Udinese Calcio,^[46] a few weeks after speaking in an exclusive interview with La Gazzetta dello Sportabout his relationship with former manager Bielsa.^[47]

International career[edit]

Llorente (right, with number 16, marked by Peter Crouch) moments before his first goal for the Spanish national team.

Llorente represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, his five goals winning him the silver boot as the competition's second highest scorer.^[48] He was also capped at under-18 and under-19 levels.

On 14 November 2008, senior national team manager Vicente del Bosquecalled Llorente up for a friendly against Chile.^[49] He was brought on as asubstitute in the 72nd minute of the 3–0 win.^[50] He scored his first goal in a 2–0 friendly win over England on 11 February 2009, coming off the bench to score in the 64th minute.^[51] After netting 14 goals for Athletic in 2008–09, del Bosque named Llorente in his 23-man squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup: he was used as a substitute against hosts South Africa, and scored in a 2–0 victory.^[52]

During the 2009–10 season, Llorente was not called-up once, as del Bosque favoured Álvaro Negredo. He would, however, be selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, also in South Africa, as third-choice striker, where he played in one match for the eventual champions, the last 30 minutes of the 1–0 round-of-16 win against Portugal.

On 8 October 2010, benefiting from an injury to Fernando Torres, Llorente started in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Lithuania, inSalamanca. With two headers – his strongest asset – he contributed prominently in a 3–1 win. Four days later, as a substitute, he scored the winner against Scotland in a 3–2 success at Hampden Park. He was selected for the final stages in Poland and Ukraine, being an unused squad member as Spain won another tournament.

Llorente represented the Basque Country national football team five times, making his debut against Cameroon in 2005. He scored one goal for the Euskadi in a match against Catalonia at the Camp Nou, played the following year, and made his last appearance in December 2007.^[53