Number 3 Countdown!

Top 10 Footballers Countdown !!

Number 3...

Zlatan Ibrahimović!!

• Profile
• Zlatan Ibrahimović
• Born: 3rd October 1981 (age 34) in Malmo, Sweden 
• Height: 6ft 5 inches
• Position: Forward
• Current Team: Paris Saint - Germain
• Number: 10

Zlatan Ibrahimović is a professional Swedish striker who currently plays for French club, Paris Saint Germain and the Sweden National Team which he is captain for. 

In his early career he started off playing for Malmo FF in the 1990's, after which he signed for Ajax, where he gained his reputation for being a remarkable player. 

Ibrahimović moved from Ajax to Juventus for €16 million. He was quickly inserted in to the first team and scored sixteen goals. On 14 November 2005, he was awarded the Guldbollen, a prize awarded to the best Swedish footballer of the year. 

On 10th of August 2006, Ibrahimović signed a 4 year contract with Internazionale (Inter Milan). Ibrahimović scored his Serie A debut on September 9th 2006 against Fiorentina. In his first season at the club, Ibrahimović top scored for Inter in Serie A with 15 goals, as the team won the Scudettowith a record 97 points.

He ended the 2008 - 2009 season as top goal scorer with 25 goals, helping Inter to another league title. He was also named both "Footballer of the Year" and "Foreign Footballer of the Year" for the second consecutive season. His goal against Bologna was voted "Goal of the Year". He scored it with his heel without moving and accurately into the net from a cross by Adriano.

In July 2009 Ibrahimović signed a five year contract with Spanish club, Barcalona. He started the 2009–10 season with his competitive debut for Barcelona on 23 August 2009 by assisting on a goal by Lionel Messi, leading them to the Spanish Super Cup. In his third performance for the club he scored his first goal, he then went on to score in his next four games becoming the only player to have scored in his first five league matches.

In 2010 - 2011 Ibrahimović  was loaned out to AC Milan, he scored his first goal for the club in their first Champions League match of the season on September 15 2010 -2011. 

In 2011-2012 he finished the seasons as Serie A top scorer with 28 goals in 32 matches. 

On the 18th of July 2012 he Ibrahimović signed a three year contract with Paris Saint - Germain, In the opening 2012–13 UEFA Champions’ League Group A match against Dynamo Kyiv on 18 September 2012, Ibrahimović scored his sixth goal in only his fifth appearance for Paris Saint – Germain through a penalty kick. He then became the first player to have scored for 6 teams in the Champions League. 

With strengths that include, power, strength, skill, control and agility it is no question as to why Ibrahimović is classed as one of the worlds top strikers. He has won many personal awards and achievements that prove how valuable a player he is and why he deserves a place in the top ten footballers. 

Number 4 Countdown!

Top 10 Footballers Countdown !!

Number 4...

Gareth Bale !

• Profile
• Gareth Frank Bale
• 16th of July 1989 (age 26) in Cardiff, Wales
• 6ft
• Position: Winger
• Current Team: Real Madrid
• National Team: Wales
• Number: 11

Gareth Bale is a Welsh professional football player who currently plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and his national team, Wales. Bale is described as a player with great pace, great crossing skills, his tremendous striking from a distance and his on point free kicks. 

Bale's football career started playing for English club, South Hampton where he played left - back. He was then signed by another English club, Tottenham Hotspur were he adopted  more of an offensive position. during his time at Tottenham, Bale became and important part of the team rising to international attention during the 2010 - 2011 UEFA Champions League. In 2011 he was named PFA's Player's Player of the Year and in the UEFA Team of the Year. In 2013 he was named PFA's Player's Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.

On September 1st 2013 Bale transferred to Real Madrid signing a 6 year contract for a fee of £86million which was a record breaking price, topping the original highest Christiano Ronaldo which was £80million in 2009. During his first season at Real Madrid he played an intergral role helping the club to win  the Copa Del Rey and the Champions League, where he scored in both finals.

In May 2006, Bale made his first debut for his National Team, Wales where he was the youngest player at the time to represent the nation. He was the teams top goal scorer, with 7 goals in the qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro Cup 2016. 

Since starting his international career he has earned over 50 caps and scored 19 international goals.

During Bale's football career he has shown that he is an asset to whatever team he is playing for. There is a reason Real Madrid signed such a player for a tremendous amount of money, with his pace and dribbling ability that terrifies other defenders and the potential to become as good a player as Ronaldo or Messi, Gareth Bale deserves his place as one of the best football players.

Number 5 Countdown!

Top 10 Footballers Countdown !!

Number 5...

Andrés Iniesta !

• Profile
• Andrés Iniesta Luján
• Born: May 11th 1984 (age 31) in Fuentealbilla, Spain
• Height: 5 ft 7.5 Inches
• Position: Midfielder
• Current Team: Barcelona
• National Team: Spain
• Number 8

Iniesta is a Spanish professional football player who plays for Spanish football club Barcelona and National team Spain. He serves as the captain for Barcelona, he is a midfielder switching between left mid to a strong center midfielder. He started off progressing through Barcelona youth academy and impressed scouts and managers from a young age, in 2002 he made his first team debut for Barcelona at the age of 18. He began playing more regularly in the first team in 2004 - 2005 and has remained there ever since. He was an integral part of the Barcelona team that won a historic six trophies in 2009, and his 29 trophies make him the most successful Spanish footballer of all time. Iniesta is considered to be one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Iniesta played for Spain under 16's, 19's and 21's before making his international debut in 2006, in this year he was selected to play first team in the 2006 World Cup.

He then went on to play in every game of the UEFA Euro Cup 2008 which they went on to win.

Iniesta was also chosen for the 2010 World Cup and was a key member of the Spanish team he scored the winning goal in the final against the Netherlands and was named the Man of the Match, and was also selected in the tournament's All-Star Team.

At Euro 2012, Iniesta steered Spain to their second consecutive continental crown, being chosen as the Best Player of the Tournament and winning three Man of the Match awards.

Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award in 2012, and was also chosen as the Best Player of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League. He was runner-up to Lionel Messi for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or and achieved third place in 2012.

In recognition of his outstanding performances with club and country, as well as his individual and team achievements, Iniesta received the Marca Legend Award in 2011. In 2014, he received the Golden Foot Award.

From playing for Barcelona since the age of 18 and staying with the team through out his full career, and still playing for the club to this day is an achievement in itself as Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Andreas Iniesta has also won tremendous amounts of awards and medals through out his footballing career and competed in the biggest Cups in football, he is one of the best midfielders in the world and deserves this reputation.