Giovani dos Santos
Giovani in tracksuit FC Barcelona
Giovani dos Santos Ramírez ( born May 11, 1989 in Monterrey in the Mexican state of Nuevo León), known as Giovani, is a football player who is currently at Villarreal CF under contract. His father is Brazilian, his mother Mexican. Giovani dos Santos has the Mexican and since 29 August 2007, the Spanish citizenship.
Career
Association
Giovani dos Santos is one of three sons of former Brazilian striker Geraldo dos Santos, (born 1962, short name Zizinho ). His older brothers Eder dos Santos and Jonathan are or were also professional footballers. "Gio " played together with the two in the soccer school of his father in Monterrey and took twelve years already with his first " international " Title: He won the 2001 U -12 Junior tournament in Dallas. The father recognized the talent of his son early and let him shortly after the tournament, make a trial at CF Monterrey, a Mexican professional club. The club took him and dos Santos played there until a short time later he took part in a youth tournament in France.
Here was also the FC Barcelona, his future employer, present with a youth team. After dos Santos was brilliant in the game against the Catalans, contacted officials of the club Giovanis parents. This agreed with the change, and only a year after the tournament, he joined the youth academy of FC Barcelona. He took both brothers, so that they can make a trial, but only Jonathan was adopted. Together not went through Jonathan and Giovani youth teams of Spanish top clubs, but in a team, as Giovani always played a youth is higher than would normally do their peers.
In 2006 he came to the B- team of Barça, in five games for which he hit four times. During the pre-season he was also once play for the A team. In his first game he scored a goal against Danish club Aarhus GF. For the season 2007/ 08 he was promoted along with Bojan Krkic final in the senior team, for whom he made his debut on September 2, 2007 against Athletic Bilbao. At his first appearance in the European Cup came Giovani dos Santos on September 19, 2007, when he appeared as a substitute in the group stage match of the UEFA Champions League against Olympique Lyon in the 79th minute for Xavi. On 12 December 2007 he came to his first goal in European competition when he scored that 1-1 in their final group game of the UEFA Champions League against VfB Stuttgart in the 36th minute. The game ended with a 3-1 for FC Barcelona.
For the 2008/09 season dos Santos joined Tottenham Hotspur; his contract runs until 2013. In March 2009 he was until season's end to Ipswich Town, awarded during the winter break 2009/10 Galatasaray Istanbul and in winter 2010/ 11 to season end at Racing Santander.
On August 31, 2012 Dos Santos joined the Spanish side RCD Mallorca. Since Mallorca after the end of the season had 2012/13 take the course in the second division, Dos Santos, signed in July 2013 when just ascended Villarreal CF a three-year contract.
National
Dos Santos participated with the youth national teams of Mexico in various tournaments. With the U- 17, he was also elected in 2005 world champion and the second-best player of the tournament behind the Brazilian Anderson. With its templates, which ushered in the Mexican half of all matches in the tournament, he made a major contribution to the triumph. Two years later he took part in the U- 20 World Cup in Canada, where he reached the quarter-finals.
On September 9, 2007 Dos Santos made his debut against Panama for the Mexican national team. On 11 June 2010 he played his first World Cup finals game in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup against South Africa (1-1). In addition to Thomas Müller ( Germany ) and Andre Ayew ( Ghana), he was nominated for the election of the best young player of the tournament, which, however, Müller was able to decide for themselves.
In 2012 he took part with the Olympic Team at the Olympic Games in London, where Mexico won the gold medal for the first time. In the final, but he could not participate due to an injury suffered in the semifinals. In the five games before he scored three goals, including the match against Gabon as the first player two goals after Substitutes. His teammates dedicated to him the second goal in the final. For Mexico, this was the only gold medal in London.
Achievements and titles
As a national player
- U- 17 World Cup: 2005
- CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009
- CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011
- Gold medal at the Olympic Games in London 2012 ( without use in the final )
Personal Awards
- Silver Ball for the second- best player in the U- 17 World Cup: 2005
- Bronze Ball for the third- best player in the U- 20 World Cup: 2007
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Most Valuable Player: 2009