Javier Zanetti is a defensive midfielder who plays for Italian side Internazionale Milano and the Argentinian national team. Zanetti was Massimo Moratti’s first signing after he became the owner of Inter Milan. They signed him from Argentinian Club Atlético Banfield in 1995 when Zanetti was 22 years old. Since then Zanetti has been one of Inter’s key players in their way back to the top team they were known as in the 1960′s (when Massimo Moratti’s father Angelo Moratti was the owner/president of the club). Zanetti has been the captain since 1999 and he played his 700th match for the club in their victorious 2010 UEFA Champions League final. In Zanetti’s time at Inter Milan they have also won the UEFA Cup, 5 Serie A titles and 3 Italian Cups.
Zanetti made his debut for Argentina in 1994. He played for his country at the 1996 Olympics and both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. However he was left out of the Argentinian squad for both the 2006 and the 2010 World Cups, decisions which were heavily criticized by football fans the world over. Zanetti is by a long way the player who has played most matches for Argentina: 137 and still counting.

Iván Córdoba is a central defender who plays for Internazionale Milano and the Columbian national team. Córdoba started his career in Colombia, then played one season in Argentina before being signed by Inter Milan in January 2000. He has been instrumental for Inter Milan since then, also being their vice-captain. With Córdoba in the team Inter Milan have won 5 Serie A titles, 3 Italian cups and the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League.

Júlio César is Brazilian goalkeeper who plays for Italian side Internazionale Milano. He started his senior career with Flamengo before making the move to Milan in 2005. At Internazionale he was initially 2nd choice behind Francesco Toldo but soon was chosen ahead of him. He has since developed into one of the finest goalkeepers in the world rankings. Júlio César is also the first choice goalkeeper for the Brazilian national team.

Robin van Persie is a striker who plays for English side Arsenal and the Dutch national team. Van Persie joined Feyenoord of Rotterdam as a sixteen year old and made his debut at seventeen. There was never any doubt about the talents he possessed but a very strained relationship with manager Bert van Marwijck ruined his time at Feyenoord. In May 2004 Van Persie signed for Arsenal, where he quickly became a favourite amongst fans. Despite struggling with several injuries he has scored plenty of goals for the club, many of them in spectacular fashion. At the start of the 2010/11 season Van Persie has 51 appearences for Netherlands. He has scored 19 goals for his national side, the latest in the 2010 FIFA World Cup where Netherlands were runners-up.

Francesc Fàbregas is a central midfielder who plays for Barcelona and Spain. Fàbregas was born and bred in Barcelona and was coming up through their youth system when Arsenal signed him in 2003. Due to injuries to some of Arsenal’s key players his debut came sooner than expected. He gradually established himself in the starting XI when Patrick Vieira was injured and when Vieira eventually left for Juventus in summer 2005. Despite injuries Fàbregas was given the Arsenal captaincy during the 2008/09 season.
The young spaniard developed into one of the greatest playmakers in English football. He also made considerable impact in the Spanish national team, the current European Champions and World Champions. The Spanish fans wanted to see him play in the Spanish La Liga and Barcelona wanted their prodigy back. After the 2010 FIFA World Cup Arsenal rejected a €35M bid from Barcelona. It was however highly anticipated to be a matter of when, not if, Fàbregas would make his return to the Catalonian super club.

On August 15th 2011 Fàbregas returned to Barcelona, for a fee of €34 million with a further €5 million in variables. He made his debut in the second leg of the Spanish Supercopa against Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute in the 3-2 win. Fàbregas, who turned 24 in May, has signed a five year contract with Barcelona.