My OperaPlayer of the Day - Juan Sebastián Verón
Friday, July 28, 2006 2:49:33 AM
Juan Sebastián Verón is an Argentine professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Estudiantes de La Plata. He is the son of Argentina striker Juan Ramón Verón, who was known as La Bruja (The Witch) and who scored against Manchester United in the 1968 World Club Championship at Old Trafford for Estudiantes. In 1993 La Brujita (Little Witch) signed from school for Estudiantes de La Plata – his father's former side. In 1996 he joined Boca Juniors, playing 17 games and scoring three goals. He made his international debut for Argentina, against Poland, in the same year. Sven-Göran Eriksson signed him for Sampdoria shortly afterwards.
In 1998, after starring for Argentina in the World Cup, he signed for Parma in a £15m deal. The following year, Parma won the Coppa Italia. Eriksson then signed him again, this time for Lazio in an £18.1m deal, reportedly netting a weekly wage of £48,000. Coincidentally, he made his debut for Lazio in the Italian side's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the European Super Cup in Monaco.
In 2000, Verón was the driving force for Lazio as they captured the scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup. But in February the following year, the rumours about the validity of his passport caught up with him.
After the 2001 season he moved from Lazio to Manchester United on July 12 for £28.1 million in a five-year deal, the most expensive transfer in English football at that time. Upon signing for Manchester United, he said he had no fear of the Premiership. Unfortunately, after an impressive start, the pace of the English game started to get the better of him, as some games passed him by, and he was unable to settle into the United midfield. His future at United was constantly debated throughout the season and into the 2002 World Cup, where he again started well, but faded as Argentina fell at the first hurdle.
There was plenty of pressure on him at the start of his second season at Old Trafford, and his performances did seem to improve considerably, especially in the Champions League where he scored four goals and was at the heart of United's successes in the group stages. However, injury meant that he missed much of the end of the season, and that may have convinced Sir Alex Ferguson that he could do without the Argentinian.
When Chelsea came in for him following the arrival of billionaire Roman Abramovich, Verón claimed that he wanted to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, but Ferguson was willing to let Chelsea talk to him, and he was eventually convinced by then Chelsea manger Claudio Ranieri that his future lay at Stamford Bridge, where he had much to prove. His transfer fee to Chelsea was about half that of his record-breaking transfer of just two years before, signed 4-years-deal, showing both the fall in the transfer market and the decline of his reputation.
Verón made an excellent start to his Chelsea career by scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 victory away at Liverpool, but, as in his two seasons with United, he fell away as the 2003-04 season progressed and made only 14 appearances for Chelsea. He was bothered by a back injury for most of the season, and even if he was fit, most Chelsea fans would have preferred Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele operating in midfield. Those 14 appearances and that one goal at Anfield would be all that Veron achieved in a Chelsea shirt, leading to Veron being regarded one of the worst flops in the history of the club. Certainly, Veron's failure - after the costly outlay in signing him - was a factor in Chelsea's decision to part ways with manager Ranieri.
After José Mourinho took over as manager following the season, Verón became the first casualty of Mourinho's promised cleanout of the Chelsea roster. He was loaned out to Inter, where he found the slow tempo and thoughtful game to his liking much more than the physical, energetic, "attack at all costs" mentality of the English Premier League, for the 2004-05 season, and from 24 June 2005 he subsequently returned to Inter on loan for a further two seasons, which finished the contract with Chelsea F.C.. With Inter, he won the 2005 and 2006 Coppa Italia.
In mid 2006, when he expressed his desire of returning to his home country, he received offers from Boca Juniors and River Plate, but he preferred to return to his first team, announcing on June 5, that he would play for Estudiantes in the 2006-07 season.
In 2004, he was chosen for the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as part of FIFA's centenary observances.
Verón has Italian citizenship. He also has a tattoo of Che Guevara on his right arm.
PROFILE:
Full name: Juan Sebastián Verón
DOB: March 9, 1975
Birthplace: La Plata, Argentina
Nationality: Argentinian
EU passport: No
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Club: CA Estudiantes La Plata
Position: Midfielder [R, L, C]
Number:
Contract Expires:
Previous Clubs: Estudiantes de La Plata > Boca Juniors > Sampdoria > Parma > Lazio > Manchester Utd > (£15m) Chelsea > Internazionale > Estudiantes La Plata
International debut: June 1996, v Poland
Caps: 55
Goals: 9
World Cups: France 1998, Japan-Korea 2002
Palmares:
In 1998, after starring for Argentina in the World Cup, he signed for Parma in a £15m deal. The following year, Parma won the Coppa Italia. Eriksson then signed him again, this time for Lazio in an £18.1m deal, reportedly netting a weekly wage of £48,000. Coincidentally, he made his debut for Lazio in the Italian side's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the European Super Cup in Monaco.
In 2000, Verón was the driving force for Lazio as they captured the scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup. But in February the following year, the rumours about the validity of his passport caught up with him.
After the 2001 season he moved from Lazio to Manchester United on July 12 for £28.1 million in a five-year deal, the most expensive transfer in English football at that time. Upon signing for Manchester United, he said he had no fear of the Premiership. Unfortunately, after an impressive start, the pace of the English game started to get the better of him, as some games passed him by, and he was unable to settle into the United midfield. His future at United was constantly debated throughout the season and into the 2002 World Cup, where he again started well, but faded as Argentina fell at the first hurdle.
There was plenty of pressure on him at the start of his second season at Old Trafford, and his performances did seem to improve considerably, especially in the Champions League where he scored four goals and was at the heart of United's successes in the group stages. However, injury meant that he missed much of the end of the season, and that may have convinced Sir Alex Ferguson that he could do without the Argentinian.
When Chelsea came in for him following the arrival of billionaire Roman Abramovich, Verón claimed that he wanted to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, but Ferguson was willing to let Chelsea talk to him, and he was eventually convinced by then Chelsea manger Claudio Ranieri that his future lay at Stamford Bridge, where he had much to prove. His transfer fee to Chelsea was about half that of his record-breaking transfer of just two years before, signed 4-years-deal, showing both the fall in the transfer market and the decline of his reputation.
Verón made an excellent start to his Chelsea career by scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 victory away at Liverpool, but, as in his two seasons with United, he fell away as the 2003-04 season progressed and made only 14 appearances for Chelsea. He was bothered by a back injury for most of the season, and even if he was fit, most Chelsea fans would have preferred Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele operating in midfield. Those 14 appearances and that one goal at Anfield would be all that Veron achieved in a Chelsea shirt, leading to Veron being regarded one of the worst flops in the history of the club. Certainly, Veron's failure - after the costly outlay in signing him - was a factor in Chelsea's decision to part ways with manager Ranieri.
After José Mourinho took over as manager following the season, Verón became the first casualty of Mourinho's promised cleanout of the Chelsea roster. He was loaned out to Inter, where he found the slow tempo and thoughtful game to his liking much more than the physical, energetic, "attack at all costs" mentality of the English Premier League, for the 2004-05 season, and from 24 June 2005 he subsequently returned to Inter on loan for a further two seasons, which finished the contract with Chelsea F.C.. With Inter, he won the 2005 and 2006 Coppa Italia.
In mid 2006, when he expressed his desire of returning to his home country, he received offers from Boca Juniors and River Plate, but he preferred to return to his first team, announcing on June 5, that he would play for Estudiantes in the 2006-07 season.
In 2004, he was chosen for the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as part of FIFA's centenary observances.
Verón has Italian citizenship. He also has a tattoo of Che Guevara on his right arm.
PROFILE:Full name: Juan Sebastián Verón
DOB: March 9, 1975
Birthplace: La Plata, Argentina
Nationality: Argentinian
EU passport: No
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Club: CA Estudiantes La Plata
Position: Midfielder [R, L, C]
Number:
Contract Expires:
Previous Clubs: Estudiantes de La Plata > Boca Juniors > Sampdoria > Parma > Lazio > Manchester Utd > (£15m) Chelsea > Internazionale > Estudiantes La Plata
International debut: June 1996, v Poland
Caps: 55
Goals: 9
World Cups: France 1998, Japan-Korea 2002
Palmares:
- Argentinian Second Level League (95)
- Italian Cup (99, 00, 06)
- UEFA Cup (99)
- European Supercup (99)
- Italian Serie A (00)
- Italian Supercup (00, 05)
- English League (03)
- Italian Cup (05)
You must be 
Ashwinashwin_89 # Monday, August 14, 2006 2:20:07 PM