Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi started playing football at a very early age in his hometown's Newell's Old Boys. From the age of 11, he suffered from a hormone deficiency and as Lionel's parents were unable to pay for the treatment in Argentina, they decided to move to Barcelona, Spain.

Cesc Fabregas

Unlike the aforementioned Messi, Fabregas left hometown club Barcelona at the age of just 16 when joining Arsenal in 2003 and it was a gamble that quickly paid off. After the club had gone unbeaten in 2003-04, Wenger could ignore the talent of Fabregas no longer and his stunning emergence the following season even convinced his manager to sell captain Patrick Vieira, such was his faith in the Spaniard who took the famous number four shirt.

Fernando Torres

Appropriately for a player nicknamed El Nino ('The Kid'), Torres has set tongues wagging from a very early age. After coming through the ranks at Atletico Madrid he became the club's youngest ever player in May 2001 and was later installed as their youngest ever captain at the age of 19. However, despite his admirable loyalty over a period of six years, Torres was finally lured to Anfield in the summer of 2007 for a fee of around £21.5 million, just weeks after 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was seen inscribed on his captain's armband at Atleti.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The year 2006 to 2008 proved to be a rather controversial year for the star. In the 2006 World Cup, Cristiano faced accusations regarding his sportsmanship. In a quarter-final match against England, he was heavily criticized for sending of his club team mate, Wayne Rooney who was playing for the England team.

Carlos Vela

A succession of superb performances at the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2005 convinced Arsenal to pay £125,000 for the Mexican forward, and although he has shown flashes of genius, the onus is very much on Vela to demonstrate he is a valuable first-team member after inheriting Robin van Persie's No. 11 shirt at Emirates Stadium ahead of the 2010-11 season.

Didier Drogba

Undoubtedly one of the best centre forwards in the world, Drogba still manages to polarise opinion with his theatrical and temperamental style of play taking the shine off the powerful striker's incredible talent. Drogba moved from his native Ivory Coast to France in 1988, living with his uncle in order to pursue a career in football

Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez is a history maker in South America having been named that continent’s player of the season for three years in succession. He arrived garlanded with medals having won the Copa Scudamerocana, the Intercontinental Cup, the Primera Division and the Copa Libertadores with Boca Juniors and Serie A in Brazil with Corinthians before moving to England, where he won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Carling Cup.