Carlos Tevez

Carlos Alberto Tévez (born Carlos Alberto Martínez on 5 February 1984) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for English club Manchester City and is currently the team's captain. He has previously played for Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United and Manchester United. He transferred to Manchester City in the 2009–10 summer transfer window, becoming the first player to move between the two clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999. His energy and goal scoring rate has since made an indispensable player for the club in the eyes of fellow players and media alike, his importance was marked by promotion to captain at the beginning of the 2010–11 season by manager Roberto Mancini. His career has been dogged by a long-standing affair with Media Sports Investments, the company which owned the rights of Tévez, and several other players and coaches. This eventually resulted in West Ham United being fined over issues regarding third-party ownership. He has made over 50 appearances for the Argentina national team, scoring 12 goals. Tévez joined Boca Juniors at the age of sixteen, and made his senior debut on 21 October 2001 against Talleres de Córdoba. He opted not to take part in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship with Argentina, and committed to playing in the 2003 Intercontinental Cup instead. After winning the Copa Sudamericana, Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003, he departed the club after the 2005 season.In January 2005, Tévez transferred to Corinthians for £13.7 million (15 million euro), and signed a five-year, £6.85 million contract following the Brazilian club's deal with Media Sports Investments. The deal was the biggest transfer ever in South American football. Tévez captained the squad to the 2005 Campeonato Brasileiro, and he was named the league's best player by the Brazilian Football Confederation, becoming the first non-Brazilian player to win the award since 1976.

On 23 August 2006, Sky Sports reported that Tévez was refusing to play for Corinthians. Tévez confirmed on his website on 31 August that both he and Javier Mascherano were signing for West Ham United on permanent deals for £12 million each. Media reports speculated that other Premier League clubs turned down the opportunity of signing Tévez and Mascherano because of stipulations put in place by Media Sports Investments, who owned both players' rights.Tévez made his West Ham debut coming on as a second-half substitute in the 1–1 home draw with Aston Villa on 10 September 2006. After this game though, West Ham went on a nine-game winless streak (one draw and eight defeats), which included seven consecutive matches without scoring. This winless run also included going out of both the UEFA Cup and Carling Cup. In November of the same season, Tévez left the ground early after being substituted and throwing a mini tantrum during a league match against Sheffield United, and as punishment, his teammates decided that Tévez had to donate half of a week's wages to charity and train in a Brazil jersey. Tévez refused to wear the shirt, saying, "I played in Brazil and have a great respect for Brazil and Brazilians but I'm Argentine and won't wear that shirt." Manchester United put forward a proposed two-year loan deal for Tévez, which was approved on 10 August 2007. He made his debut on 15 August when he started in place of the injured Wayne Rooney in a 1–1 draw against Portsmouth. On 23 September, he scored his first goal in a 2–0 home victory against Chelsea. In November, United manager Alex Ferguson confirmed that the club wanted to sign Tévez permanently. "He'll get me fifteen goals this season, and what's more, they'll be important goals." Tévez was greeted with an ovation and singing of "There's Only One Carlos Tévez" from the West Ham supporters upon his return to Upton Park for an away match (lost by Manchester United) on 29 December. He returned the gesture by repeatedly crossing his arms in front of his chest, in reference to the hammers on the West Ham team crest. Tévez scored a total of five goals during Manchester United's successful 2007–08 Champions League campaign. He also scored the first penalty in the shootout against Chelsea in the final, which Manchester United won 6–5 after the match had ended 1–1 after extra time. After protracted negotiations, Tévez signed a five-year contract with Manchester United's cross-town rivals, Manchester City, after a medical on 14 July 2009. On 12 September, it was claimed that the transfer fee was £47 million, a British transfer record, but this was later denied by both Manchester City and Media Sports Investments. Tévez was given the number 32 shirt, just as he was at Manchester United and West Ham. In signing for Manchester City, Tévez became the first player to move between the two Manchester clubs since Terry Cooke moved from United to City in 1999.He made his City debut coming off the bench against Blackburn Rovers in a 2–0 away win. He scored his first goal for the club on 27 August 2009 against Crystal Palace in the 2nd round of the Carling Cup, heading in City's second goal in a 2–0 victory.

In December 2010, despite his agent recently asking the club to renegotiate and improve his contract, Tévez handed the club a written transfer request, citing family reasons and a breakdown in "relationship with certain executives and individuals at the club". The transfer request was rejected by the club with a senior club official describing Tévez's reasons for wanting to leave as "ludicrous and nonsensical", whilst the club also stated that the player would not be sold in the January transfer window and will seek compensation for breach of contract from the his agent if he retires or refuses to play. In the week following Tévez's transfer request, manager Roberto Mancini believed Tévez would stay at the club after some convincing, as did fellow compatriot at City and close friend Pablo Zabaleta, and club's Football Administration Officer, Brian Marwood. Tévez first came into prominence with Argentina while playing in the FIFA U-17 World Championship. At the 2004 Olympic Games, he won the gold medal and scored eight goals (including the winner in the final) in six matches to be the top scorer of the competition. He was the world's second-highest goalscorer of 2004 in overall international competition with sixteen goals, one fewer than Iran forward Ali Daei. Tévez was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, and scored his only goal of the tournament in Argentina's 6–0 group stage thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro on 16 June. However, he was sent off twice in a three-game stretch during 2010 World Cup qualifying, once against Colombia on 21 November 2007 after he kicked fullback Rubén Darío Bustos in the 24th minute, and then on 9 September 2008 after a late tackle on defender Darío Verón that earned him a red card in the 31st minute of a 1–1 draw with Paraguay after he had been booked earlier. Tévez later apologised for the incident. In the last 16 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa, Tevez scored a brace against Mexico. His first goal was a header and he scored in controversial style as the assisted pass by Lionel Messi was offside but the linesman didn't call it. Tevez scored his second goal of the game with a powerful shot from outside the box.