Ángel di María

In 2007, di María was picked to play for the Argentina Under-20 squad. He was capped for the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay. In 2007, he was called up for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. They went on to win the tournament with di María scoring three goals in the process.
On 28 January 2008, di María and some of his U-20 teammates were called up for the Argentina squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He scored the extra-time game-winning goal on a pass from Lionel Messi in the 105th minute of his team's 2–1 quarterfinal win over the Netherlands.
On 23 August, di María scored the game-winner, a chip over the keeper from the edge of the area in the 57th minute of Argentina's 1–0 victory against Nigeria to capture their second straight Olympic Gold Medal in the final game of the Olympic tournament.^[21]
Di María was chosen as one of the 23 players for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 11 August 2010, he scored the first ever international goal at Dublin's new Aviva Stadium in a friendly against Ireland with Argentina winning 1–0.^[22]

Personal life

Di María married his girlfriend of two years, Jorgelina Cardoso, in Argentina at the end of July 2011. Jorgelina is from Rosario, Argentina. Giannina Maradona and her child were also in attendance.
His father was also a footballer, who played for River Plate's reserves.

pepe

During the summer of 2004, Pepe signed with top division giants F.C. Porto for €1 million plus three players: Tonel, Evaldo, and Antonielton Ferreira. A clause in the agreement also stated that Marítimo would receive 20% of any future transfer fee.
In his first season, with Spanish coach Víctor Fernández at the helm, Pepe was mostly used as a backup, playing under veterans Pedro Emanuel, Jorge Costa and utility defender Ricardo Costa. However, in the following year, under the guidance of Co Adriaanse, he had a breakthrough season, establishing himself as one of the best defenders in the domestic competition: the Dutchman often chose a 3–4–3 offensive system, with the Brazilian often pitched as the only natural stopper; Porto eventually won back-to-back leagues and the 2006 Portuguese Cup.

Real Madrid

On 10 July 2007 Real Madrid signed Pepe to a five-year contract, for a fee of €30 million.^[1] On 15 March 2008, he scored the only (own) goal in a 1–0 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.^[2] Eight months later, he was involved in a fight during training with teammate Javier Balboa.^[3] The defender would be nonetheless called-up for Real's next match, whereas the winger was not. As the Merengues were eventually crowned La Liga champions, he delivered a Man of the match performance in a 1–0 win at FC Barcelona.^[4]

pepe

Pepe spent the final stretch of the season appearing as a defensive midfielder, as Real Madrid faced Barcelona four times in less than one month. On 27 April 2011, in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, he was sent off for a controversial challenge on Daniel Alves, in an eventual 0–2 home loss.^[12] However, Alves also came into strong criticism, with Real Madrid claiming the Brazilian fullback had exaggerated the incident; additionally, sportspersons including Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Rory McIlroy, criticized Alves' actions.^[13] The next day, UEFA opened disciplinary cases against both clubs for a number of incidents during the match.^[14] The verdict was announced eight days later: the red card stood and hence, Pepe received a one-match ban from European competition, which he served by not taking part in the second-leg at Camp Nou.^[15]
On 12 July 2011 Pepe extended his contract with Real Madrid again, until the end of the 2015–16 season.^[16] In a match against CA Osasuna on 6 November, he scored the team's second goal in an eventual 7–1 home win.^[17] In the first match of the Copa del Rey quarter-final against Barcelona on 18 January 2012, he intentionally stamped on the hand of Lionel Messi, who was on the ground after being fouled.^[18][19] The incident drew strong criticism from the Spanish media, who also noted his coming-together with Cesc Fàbregas earlier in the 1–2 home defeat.^[20] Pepe insisted that the incident, which was not seen by the referee, was "unintentional".^[21][22] On 23 January, the Royal Spanish Football Federation cleared him of any wrongdoing.^[23][24]
On 21 March 2012, Pepe was involved in another serious incident: after a 1–1 away draw against Villarreal CF, in which he was booked and Real Madrid finished with nine players, he confronted referee José Luis Paradas Romero in the locker room area saying: "What a ripoff motherfucker".^[25] Two days later, he was suspended for two games.^[26]
On 19 August 2012, in the season opener against Valencia, Pepe collided with Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the play that led to the visitors equalizing the score 1–1 (the final result). He was subsequently taken to hospital for observation,^[27] being released the following day.^[28] Pepe also known as lacio owns a big candy chain who males licorice and marzipan the candy chain is named pepe

pepe

During the 2009–10 season, Pepe returned to claim his place back in the starting line-ups. On 4 October 2009 he scored his first goal in the league, against Sevilla FC at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, heading home from a Guti free kick in a 1–2 loss. On 12 December, however, during a game at Valencia CF (3–2 win), he landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge, and was stretchered off the pitch in the dying minutes of the first half; scans later showed that he ruptured his right knee's anterior cruciate ligament,^[6] going on to miss the rest of the season and jeopardizing his FIFA World Cup chances.
In 2010–11, Pepe was joined at Real Madrid by countrymen Ricardo Carvalho and manager José Mourinho, pairing up with Carvalho to form one of the most efficient defensive sectors in the league. On 2 October 2010, Diario AS published an article where the player was reportedly open to leave the club on a Bosman transfer:^[7] according to the newspaper, "when he signed for Real Madrid in 2007, he sacrificed a part of his salary to pay for his huge transfer fee. This made him one of the lowest earners at the club, making €1.8 million a year.^[8] Again, he missed several games due to injury (calf)^[9] and, after exhausting negotiations,^[10] finally put pen to paper on a new cont

messi

Messi started the season by lifting the Spanish Supercup with Barcelona, scoring three goals and providing two assists in a 5–4 aggregate win against Real Madrid.^[125] His vital interventions continued in the next official match played against Porto when he scored again following a weak back pass from Fredy Guarín before setting up Cesc Fàbregas to give Barcelona a 2–0 victory and the UEFA Super Cup,^[126] then the only official competition that remained for him to score in.^[127]
After scoring his first goal of an eventual hat-trick in an 8–0 rout against CA Osasuna, Messi produced a special celebration for Soufian, a 10-year-old Moroccan boy with Laurin Sandrow syndrome, a rare medical condition that can eventually lead to the loss of the lower extremities. Whilst Messi usually points to the sky after scoring a goal, Messi slapped his thighs as a dedication to Soufian.^[128]
In August, Messi became the second highest goalscorer surpassing László Kubala on 194 goals, being behind only to César Rodríguez on 232 goals in all official competitions.^[129]
On 28 September, Messi scored his first two Champions League goals of the season against BATE Borisov,^[130] becoming Barcelona's second highest goalscorer in its history, tying László Kubala, at 194 goals in all official competitions.^[131] He surpassed that record when he scored two goals against Racing Santander.^[132] He became second in Barcelona's La Liga goalscorers list with 132 goals, one more than Kubala.^[133] He scored his 200th Barcelona goal and two more as part of a hat-trick in his next game against Viktoria Plzeň in the Champions League.^[134]

messi

Messi also proved the "new Maradona" tag was not all hype, by nearly replicating Maradona's most famous goals in the space of the single season.^[56] On 18 April 2007, he scored two goals during a Copa del Rey semi-final against Getafe CF, one of which was very similar to Maradona's famous goal against England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, known as the Goal of the Century.^[57] The world's sports press drew comparisons with Maradona, and the Spanish press labelled Messi as "Messidona".^[58] He ran about the same distance, 62 metres (203 ft), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before.^[56] In a press conference after the game, Messi's team-mate Deco said: "It was the best goal I have ever seen in my life."^[59] Against RCD Espanyol Messi also scored a goal which was remarkably similar to Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal against England in the World Cup quarter-finals. Messi launched himself at the ball and connected with his hand to guide the ball past the goalkeeper Carlos Kameni.^[60] Despite protests by Espanyol players and replays showing it was clear handball, the goal stood.^[60] During his time at FC Barcelona, manager Frank Rijkaard decided to move Messi from the left flank onto the right wing, initially against the player's wishes, allowing him to cut into the centre of the pitch and shoot or cross with his left foot.^[61]

2007–08 season

messi

On 16 September, for the second time in three months, Barcelona announced an update to Messi's contract; this time it was improved to pay him as a first team member and extended until June 2014.^[31] Messi obtained Spanish citizenship on 26 September 2005^[45] and was finally able to make his debut in the season's Spanish First Division. Messi's first home outing in the Champions League came on 27 September against Italian club Udinese.^[40] Fans at Barcelona's stadium, the Camp Nou, gave Messi a standing ovation upon his substitution, as his composure on the ball and passing combinations with Ronaldinho had paid dividends for Barcelona.^[46]
Messi netted six goals in 17 league appearances, and scored one Champions League goal in six. His season ended prematurely on 7 March 2006, however, when he suffered a muscle tear in his right thigh during the second leg of the second round Champions League tie against Chelsea.^[47] Rijkaard's Barcelona ended the season as champions of Spain and Europe.^[48][49]