European Footballers #2 Quiz | Soccer

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This Argentinian born defender played for River Plate before moving to Spain, where he spent the vast majority of his career. He made his international debut in 1992 and was a member of the 1992 Argentinian Copa America winning side. He played in the 1994 World Cup before ending his International career to concentrate on his club football. His clubs included Real Zaragoza, Valencia, and Celta Vigo. He also spent six months in his homeland in 1996 with Boca Juniors. Who was he?

Answer: Fernando Caceres

Caceres made his international debut against Uruguay in 1992. He was an ever present for the Argentine National side throughout the 1994 World Cup Finals in USA. Caceres' club career saw him play for Argentinos Juniors in the Argentine national league, but after five seasons he moved to rivals River Plate.

Although a defender, Fernando was a goalscorer of high scoring and attracted the best teams in Europe, but like so many Argentinians he found his way to the Spanish mainland and signed for Real Zaragoza.

His finest moment was in 1995, when he helped his club win the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup against English side Arsenal. However, he moved back to Argentina a few weeks later and signed for Boca Juniors. His former club River Plate were furious and it was apparent his time in Argentina would need to be cut short. So Valencia signed Caceres where he enjoyed limited success.

In 1998, he moved to Galicia and signed for Celta Vigo, where in 2003-04 he saw his side take part in its first Champions League campaign. Strangely his finest moment in European football was against the side he found his lowest point against, Arsenal, for who knocked Vigo out of the competition.

2. A Portuguese born international who started his career at Gil Vicente before playing for Sporting Club de Portugal, Vitoria Guimaraes, FC Porto and Glasgow Rangers, but who was he?

Answer: Capucho

Capucho's real name, Nuno Fernando Gon�alves da Rocha, first came to prominence in 1991 when he was an integral part of the Portuguese World Youth Championship winning side. However, it was not until 1996 that he made his full debut vs Germany. He went on to represent his country at both Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002.
Capucho's career began with Gil Vicente FC in 1990-91, where he spent two seasons before he joined Sporting Club de Portugal. After three good seasons he moved on again to his boyhood hero's Vitoria Guimaraes, but only the call of Portugal's top club FC Porto could prise him away and in 1997 he joined the best Portugal could offer.
He had great success with FC Porto culminating in the UEFA Cup win of 2003 over Glasgow Celtic. In August 2003 he was to sign for Glasgow Rangers where he suffered for lack of form and lack of matches.

3. This keeper was regarded by many to be the best of his generation. Born in 1981, he came to prominence when he replaced the great German keeper Bodo Illgner and played in the all Spanish Champions League final between Real Madrid and Valencia. Who was he?

Answer: Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas had a great reputation built on excellent shot stopping skills and a commanding presence in the Real Madrid goal. He made his internatiomal debut for Spain against Sweden, and sat on the bench for the entire duration of Euro 2000. However, he made his name and his place cemented in the 2002 World Cup squad.

He was prominent in the progression of Spain with important saves in a penalty shoot out against Ireland. Iker had been at Real Madrid since the age of eight and grew up in the surroundings that would become his home.

He won a number of Junior titles with Spain and experienced the chance to follow the injured Illgner for the first time when called up to play in the 2000 Champions League final win over Valencia (3-0). However, his form suffered and Cesar Sanchez became first choice the following season, only to be injured and allow Casillas the chance to redeem himself.

He played a massive part in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen making a string of fine saves.

He was ever present during 2003 and looked to a great future.

4. This player could play on both flanks and represented his home nation Belgium on many occasions. He made his name in Belgian football playing for Anderlecht, but had previously played for Lommelse and Genk. He married the daughter of Genk's president and was not on speaking terms when he decided to join Anderlecht. Who was he?

Answer: Marc Hendrikx

Marc Hendrikx was a strong and versatile player who could play on either wing. He was however, often used on the left side of midfield. Hendrikx made his international debut for Belgium in May 1999 in a friendly against Peru. From there on became a regular in the squad, appearing in the 2000 Euro Championships, before missing the World Cup of 2002 through injury. Marc started his career in 1992 with the small Belgian side Lommelse, and made over 100 appearances before signing for Genk in 1997. This is where he met his wife the daughter of the club president.

A huge row developed when Anderlecht put a bid in for Marc, only for Genk to turn down the offer without consulting the player. His wife however, a famous TV personality in Belgium, got wind and told her husband of the offer.

He immediately confronted his father in law and excepted the offer from Anderlecht. His playing career saw him win three Belgian Chamionships by 2004. However, injury prevented him from taking part in his clubs Champions League ventures.

5. Which 2003 Chelsea player was born in Ghana?

Answer: Marcel Desailly

One of Europe's most successful players, he was born in Ghana, but at a young age became a French citizen. He represented France in the 1998 World Cup and was sent off in the final against Brazil (France won 3-0). He also appeared in Euro 96 and the French winning Euro 2000.

He later became the captain of France. His playing career started at Nantes where he spent six seasons before moving to Marseille. In 1993, he was part of the famous Marseille side that defeated AC Milan 1-0 in the Champions League Final before he moved to Milan the following season.

In 1994, he won the Champions League again scoring in a 4-0 hammering of Barcelona. This feat saw Desailly become the first player ever to win with two seperate clubs in successive seasons.

In 1997, he moved to Chelsea where honours came thick and fast. The FA Cup was won in 1997 and 2000, and European honours in the form of the now Cup Winners Cup in 1998.

6. He made his International debut against Sweden for Greece in February 2002. He was a product of the Panathiniakos youth academy and was loaned out to OFI Crete and Agios Nikolaos to get first team experience. He was instrumental in the strong defence that saw Pana reach the last eight of the 2001-02 Champions League. Who was he?

Answer: Sotirios Kyrgiakos

Sotirios Kyrgiakos was a very good man marker used for his immense strength and speed. He made his international bow against Sweden in 2002, but was in the squad that faced England at Old Trafford in October 2001. He had played all his career at Panathiniakos and became a club legend for his hard hitting but fair comments off the field. Always one to congratulate the victor he was first to speak his mind.

7. This gifted defender was touted across Europe for the best part of 2002 and 2003. He named his son Kevin Keegan after the Liverpool and England legend, and was regarded by many to be slightly mad. He made his Dutch international debut in 2000, but injury plighted him for many years to follow. Who was he?

Answer: Kevin Hofland

Kevin Hofland made his international debut in November 2000, in a 2-1 win in Spain. Had injury not cruelly robbed him of playing during 2001 and 2002, he may well of played many more times. Hofland came through the youth ranks at Fortuna Sittard, in which he played three seasons in the first team.

However, PSV Eindhoven captured his signature in 2000 when the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal, were also interested in him. Hofland's injuries tended to cause concern and it seemed like he would never have a full season under his belt.

However, a Dutch title in 2002 helped nurse his wounds.

8. Many said this player was one of the finest defenders in world football. His speed and anticipation mixed with excellent ball skill, had every Italian in love with defensive football as his number one fan. He made his Italian debut in 1997, played for Napoli, Parma, and Internazionale. Who was he?

Answer: Fabio Cannavaro

Cannavaro made his Italian debut in a 2-0 win against Northern Ireland in 1997, where he struck up a great partnership with Italy's other great centre Alessandro Nesta. He played a starring role in the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals and Euro 2000. He was voted the Italy's best performer at the World Cup by the prestigious paper Gazzetta dello Sport. Napoli was his first club and made his debut at 20 against Juventus.

However, in 1994, he moved to Parma where he was to gain great success. He was part of the UEFA Cup and Italian Cup wins in 1998-99, an Italian Super Cup the following season, and the Italian Cup again in 2002.

9. He made his England debut in 1997 and was a regular in the line up from then on. He played in the World Cups of 1998 and 2002, plus Euro 2000. He made his league debut in 1994, and again became a fixture at Old Trafford for Manchester United. His unwanted claim to fame was that he became the first England international to be sent off at Wembley. Who was he?

Answer: Paul Scholes

The 'Ginger one' had played over 40 times for England and scored over a dozen goals before he went on a lean spell. The lean spell was signaled when he failed to score a single goal for his country during the 2004 Euro qualifiers. However, Scholes grew up a Manchester United player and made his debut in 1994 vs Ipswich Town.

He played a huge part in the United treble season of 1999 winning the Premiership, FA Cup, and Champions League, although he missed the final of the latter through suspension. Goals are what sums Scholes up and he remained a big player for both club and country in the seasons that followed.

10. "One man, one club, one star, one genius, one goal in life. To score goals for Real Madrid". This was said by a Real Madrid fan on a phone in I once heard. But which player was this caller talking about? A clue would be that every time he scores a goal he kisses the right ring finger and points to the sky. Who was he?

Answer: Raul Gonzalez

He was the golden boy of Spanish football for many years around the end and start of the 20th and 21st centuries. Raul Gonzalez made his international debut in 1996 at the age of 19 against the Czech Republic. His career for Spain however, was much like the way the country performed in major finals. Always excellent in qualifying but choking when it mattered. Raul in fact started his career with Athletico Madrid, Real's big city rivals, but Real brought him in at 17 to replace the great Emilio. Raul was the Spanish goal king from 1997-2004, scoring more goals than any other and winning European Champions league medals n 2000 and 2002.

In the 2002-03 Champions League he scored a then record 12 goals only to lose out in the knockout stages. Raul's importance to Real was such that his contract that ran to 2005, had a buy out clause.

His talent, his skill and his brillance a set of features that made him quite rightly one of Europe's finest.

Source: Author doomed

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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European Footballers #2 Trivia Quiz

An insight to ten of Europe's many Soccer players, but who are they?

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