SPECIAL MENTIONS: HODDLE, EL SHAARAWY AND ZOUMA

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Happy Birthday to former Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Swindon Town and Chelsea Midfielder Glenn Hoddle who turns 62 today. He scored 110 goals in 490 games for Spurs between 1975 to 1987, winning four trophies, including the 1983/1984 UEFA Cup. At international level, he scored 8 goals in 53 caps for England and also represented the Three Lions at four different tournaments(1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cup, 1980 and 1988 European Championship). In June 1993, Hoddle became player-manager of Chelsea (he retired from the playing side in 1995), going on to finished as runners-up at 1993/1994 FA Cup final where Chelsea lost 0-4 to eventual winners Manchester United. As England manager, Hoddle reached the 1998 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 where the Three Lions lost 4-3 on penalties to Argentina(regulation time ended 2-2). He has also managed the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Swindon Town(player/manager). He now works as a television pundit and commentator for ITV Sports and BT Sports.


Happy Birthday to former Genoa, AC Milan and AS Roma winger Stephan Kareem El Shaarawy who turns 27 today. Despite injury worries and fitness concerns, El Shaarawy scored 27 goals in 110 games for AC Milan between 2011 to 2016. At Roma, he scored 40 goals in 139 games. Born to an Egyptian father and Italian mother, El Shaarawy was eligible to represent Egypt at international level but was denied by coach Hassan Shehata stating that "not every Egyptian playing for a foreign league qualifies to play for the national side". He also eligible to represent Venezuela. El Shaarawy represented Italy at all youth levels and was a member of the Italian squad who lost 2-1 to eventual winners Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. At the senior level, he has scored 4 goals in 24 caps for Italy and was a member of La Nazionale squad who finished third at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. El Shaarawy currently plays for Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.



He began his career at Saint-Étienne, going on to make his professional debut for the club on 31 August 2011(aged 16) in a Coupe de la Ligue match against Bordeaux , playing the entire match in a 3–1 win. He initially played without a name on his shirt in order to protect him from media attention.

Since joining Chelsea in January 2014, the Defender has scored 5 goals in 85 games, also winning three trophies. On 7 February 2016, he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after landing awkwardly from a jump in a match against Manchester United. He required surgery and was ruled out for six months.

He represented France at all youth levels and was a member of the Les Bleuets squad who won the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At the senior level, he has scored once in 5 caps for France.

He is named after "Kurt Sloane", Jean-Claude Van Damme 's character in the 1989 film "Kickboxer", while his middle name "Happy" reflects an African tradition of using positive words as middle names.

Kurt Happy Zouma is 25 today.


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