Yoann Gourcuff is an attacking midfielder who plays for Olympique Lyonnais and the French national team.
After having started his senior career with Rennes he moved to Italy ahead of the 2006/07 season to play for AC Milan. Gourcuff had two frustrating seasons with the club, due to injuries and not getting along with manager Carlo Ancelotti. He also had to compete with Brazilian star Kaka for a starting place in the team. Eventually Gourcuff went on loan to Bordeaux for the entire 2008/09 season and then being sold to the club the following season. Gourcuff even started the 2010/11 season as a Bordeaux player but in August 2010 signed a five year deal with Lyon for a fee of €22 million.
Gourcuff has often been compared as the new Zinedine Zidane and he is a player the French national team are counting on. His first goal for France was a spectacular strike against Romania in October 2008. His second goal for Les Bleus came in a 2-0 win, also against Romania, on 9 October 2010.

Nasri fast developed into one of Arsenal’s most important midfielders. He came through at Olympique de Marseille and was Ligue 1′s Young Player of the Year in the 2006-07 season. He was already at this stage compared to the great Zinedine Zidane. Ahead of the 2008-09 season Arsene Wenger signed him for Arsenal. He had a great come back since he suffered a broken leg in 2009 and being dropped from the French national team for the 2010 World Cup. He was recalled into the French squad for their Euro 2012 campaign and was prolific for Arsenal. However in August 2011 Nasri signed a four year contract with Manchester City for a fee of £25 million. He made his debut in a 5-1 win against Tottenham, assisting in three of the goals.

Mathieu Flamini is a defensive midfielder who plays for Italian side AC Milan. He has also represented the French national team. Flamini came up through the youth ranks of Olympique de Marseille. He played four seasons for English side Arsenal before joining AC Milan in May 2008.

UPDATE: 18 June 2011
CHELSEA HAVE UPPED THEIR BID FOR THE CROATIAN PLAYMAKER TO £25 MILLION. IN AN INTERVIEW YESTERDAY MODRIC HAS ALSO STATED HE WANTS TO MAKE A MOVE TO CHELSEA.. THIS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY A STATEMENT FROM TOTTENHAM CHAIRMAN DANIEL LEVY, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THEY WILL NOT SELL MODRIC OR ANY OTHER KEY PLAYER.

Luka Modrić is a central midfielder who plays for English side Tottenham and Croatia. Modrić signed with Dinamo Zagreb as a seventeen year old in 2002. He signed for Tottenham ahead of the 2008-09 season.
Modrić’s was absolutely brilliant as playmaker in his last two seasons at Dinamo Zagreb. He was Croatian Player of the Year after the 2006-07 season, and instrumental in winning the 2007-08 double in superior style. Fans liked to call him “the Croatian Cruyff” because of a resemblance in both looks and playing style with the legendary Johan Cruyff.
Tottenham signed Modrić ahead of the 2008-09 season for £16.5 million. After a few good matches in his playmaker role, manager Juande Ramos pulled him further back in a more holding midfielder kind of role which didn’t suit Modrić. He didn’t play to his capability and he was knocked about and picked up injuries. Tottenham had a disastrous start to the season and Ramos was eventually sacked. In came Harry Redknapp who immediately initiated Modrić into a more attacking influence. Tottenham’s improved results mirrored Modrić’s returned creativity in their attacking midfield. Modrić missed the first half of the 2009-10 season due to a broken leg. He returned to action in December and went on to be one of the key players for Tottenham finishing the season qualified for the Champions League. Several clubs were interested in getting Modrić’s signature, Manchester United in particular, but in May 2010 he signed a new six year contract with Spurs.
Internationally Modrić went up through Croatia’s youth ranks as a teenager. He made his senior debut at age 19 in March 2006. Modrić played in the 2006 FIFA World Championship and he was outstanding in Croatia’s qualifying campaign for Euro 2008. At the Euro 2008 he continued with some exceptional performances but ended disappointed when they lost their quarterfinal to Turkey on penalties. Croatia didn’t qualify for the 2010 World Cup but are currently second in their Euro 2012 qualifying group.

The Spanish national team’s kit has been manufactured by Adidas since 1992. Adidas were also the manufacturers between 1982 and 1984. (The period in between was contracted to Le Coq Sportif.)
Xavier Hernández is a central midfielder who plays for Barcelona and Spain.