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Cristiano Ronaldo

PORTUGAL REAL MADRID CF

Cristiano Ronaldo may be the world’s most expensive footballer but his debut for Sporting Clube de Portugal in the UEFA Champions League in September 2002 passed by almost unnoticed. Born in Madeira, Ronaldo – named after Ronald Reagan, his father’s favourite actor – started at CD Nacional, joining Sporting in 1997 and Manchester United FC in 2003. In 2008 he scored for the Red Devils as they won the UEFA Champions League in the shootout and picked up the Ballon d’Or. Last summer, Real Madrid CF bought him for €94 million.

Wesley Sneijder

NETHERLANDS FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO

Sharing his birthplace, Utrecht, with Dutch footballing legends such as Marco van Basten and Jan Wouters, the creative Sneijder joined AFC Ajax in 1991 as a seven-year-old. His ability to use either foot with equal precision impressed the then coach Danny Blind. After a league debut in December 2002, his first UEFA Champions League game followed two months later. Sneijder spent two seasons at Real Madrid CF from 2007, before moving to FC Internazionale Milano where he has blossomed under José Mourinho.

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Thomas Müller

GERMANY FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN

With a name like Müller, this forward from the historic town of Weilheim in southern Bavaria was destined to play for FC Bayern München. He started out as a centre- forward with local youth team TSV Pähl, scoring 120 of the team’s 165 goals in 1997/98. He was ten when he signed for Bayern in 2000, rising through the youth and reserve teams and making the first team in August 2008. Now playing regularly as a second striker, the rangy Müller scored on his debut in the UEFA Champions League in March 2009 as Bayern beat Sporting Clube de Portugal 7-1.

JAPAN PFC CSKA MOSKVA

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Born and brought up in Settsu city, Osaka province, the free-kick specialist has a sporting heritage: his uncle was a canoeist in the 1964 Olympic Games for Japan, while his cousin is a professional wrestler. After leaving high school, Honda spent three seasons with Nagoya Grampus Eight before joining VVV Venlo in the Netherlands. Signed by

PFC CSKA Moskva for €6million this January, he enjoyed a memorable UEFA Champions League debut against Sevilla FC, scoring the winner in the second leg of their last 16 tie.

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