After playing for various youth teams Mesut Özil joined Schalke 04 when he was 16-years-old. He spent a year and a half in their first team before falling out with club management and being sold to Werder Bremen for €4.3 million.
After two and a half seasons at Bremen, Özil became one of the most desirable signings in Europe after great performances for Germany in the World Cup. Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal were all keen to sign him but he opted for a move to Real Madrid.
After putting Portugal 1-0 up in their second Euro 2012 game, Pepe was seen celebrating grabbing and kissing the badge.
Pepe was born and grew up in Brazil though, starting his career with Corinthians-AL, before moving to Portugal when he was 18-years-old to play for Maritimo. He didn’t represent Brazil at youth level before moving to Portugal and when he was given Portuguese citizenship when he was 24-years-old he opted to play for them.
“I’ve already made it clear how much love I have for Portugal,” he said two years ago. “I feel more Portuguese than Brazilian. I feel this country and I still owe so much to the people.”
Portugal’s badge isn’t the only one Pepe’s lips are familiar with though, with the Real Madrid defender happy to kiss his club’s badge too.
During Real Madrid’s celebrations at Cibeles Square for their first league title since 2008, Iker Casillas kisses his team’s shield
Iker Casillas was just nine-years-old when he joined boyhood team Real Madrid and became their number one when he was eighteen. In 2008 he signed a nine-year contract extension which would keep him at the club for the rest of his career…
Cristiano Ronaldo spent six years at Manchester United but it was always clear his end goal was to move to Real Madrid. He was constantly linked with moves away from England, particularly in his last season, but he was always quick to deny it.
“I am happy at the club and I want to stay here,” he said in January 2009. “I feel at home here and I feel very happy here.”
Six months later he was kissing Real Madrid’s badge after being unveiled as their player at the Bernabeu…
Robinho left his boyhood club in Brazil, Santos, for Real Madrid and was soon captured kissing their badge. After three years there, he decided he’d had enough and wanted to move to Chelsea…
Karim Benzema was born in Lyon and joined the club when he was just 9-years-old and was a ballboy when he was a teenager.
In 2008, Benzema started looking for a move away from the club. “Milan makes me dream,” he said in January. “But I also love Juventus, Inter and Manchester United – the big clubs.”
