Carlos Alberto Martínez Tevez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkarlos ˈteβes]; born 5 February 1984),[2][3] better known as Carlos Tevez is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus. His energy and goal scoring rate have made him an indispensable player for his club sides throughout his career, in the eyes of fellow players and media alike.[4][5]
He began his career with Boca Juniors, winning the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003 before moving toCorinthians in what was the biggest transfer by a South American club. Tevez then moved to West Ham United, helping the team remain in the Premier League in his only season, and then won two league titles and the UEFA Champions League withManchester United. In the 2009 summer transfer window he joined Manchester City, becoming the first player to move between the two rival clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999.[6] After a dispute with manager Roberto Mancini due to allegedly refusing to play, Tevez missed four months of the 2011–12 season, returning to help City win the league title. In 2013, he joined Juventus for an initial €10 million, finishing as the team's top goalscorer and winning the Scudetto in his first season.
His career has been dogged by a long-standing relationship with Media Sports Investment (along with Just Sport), the company which owned his rights.[7] This eventually resulted in West Ham United being fined over issues regarding third-party ownership.[8][9]
Tevez made his debut for the Argentina national team in 2005.[10] A gold medal winner at the 2004 Olympics, he also played at two World Cups, a Confederations Cup, and three Copa América tournaments.
Early lifeTevez was born Carlos Alberto Martínez in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires Province, and raised in the neighbourhood of Ejército de Los Andes, better known as "Fuerte Apache". It was from there that he got the nickname of "El Apache".[11] His parents changed his surname to his mother's during a conflict between his junior club All Boys and Boca Juniors.[12]
Tevez has a distinctive burn scar that runs down his neck from his right ear to his chest. He was accidentally scalded with boiling water as a child, which caused third-degree burns and kept him hospitalised in intensive care for nearly two months.[13] After joining Boca Juniors, Tevez refused an offer from the club to have them cosmetically improved, saying that the scars were a part of who he was in the past and who he is today.[14]
Club careerBoca Juniors
Tevez playing for Boca Juniors in 2004
Aged 16, Tevez made his debut for Boca Juniors against Talleres de Córdoba in the during the Torneo Apertura of the 2001–02 Argentine Primera División, on 21 October 2001. Boca Juniors were crowned champions of the 2001 Copa Libertadores and faced Bayern Munich at the 2001 Intercontinental Cup on 27 November, where they lost 1–0, however Tevez was not included in the squad. He went on to score 1 goal in 11 league appearances in the 2001–02 season. Boca had finished in 1st place of their 2002 Copa Libertadores group and had reached the quarter-final stage, where they faced Paraguay's Club Olimpia. Tevez scored after 18 minutes in the first-leg to give Boca Juniors a 1–0 lead, until Olimpia levelled the scores in the 67th minute when Boca defender Cristian Traverso scored an own goal, on 8 May. Boca lost the second-leg 1–0 in Asunción on 16 May.[15] Boca finished three points behind Independiente to finish in second position during the Torneo Apertura. Boca Juniors eventually finished four points behind River Plate to claim second position in the Torneo Clausura.
Tevez had scored 10 goals in 32 appearances for Boca during the 2002–03 season. During the 2002 Copa Sudamericana, Boca where eliminated 3–1 on aggregate by Gimnasia de La Plata in the first-round. Boca Juniors had participated at the 2003 Copa Libertadores and reached the final of the competition, where they faced Santos. Boca Juniors won 5–1 on aggregate, where Tevez had scored in Boca's 3–1 away win in the second-leg. Tevez was also voted as the tournament's best player. Tevez scored 12 goals in 23 appearances during the2003–04 season. Boca were crowned champions of the Torneo Apertura, where Tevez finished as the Apertura's seventh top goal-scorer with 8 goals. Boca then finished in second spot of the Torneo Clausura, four points behind River Plate. During the 2003 Copa Sudamericana, Boca Juniors reached the quarter-final stages where they were eliminated by Colombia's Atlético Nacional 5–1 on aggregate. During the 2003 Intercontinental Cup, Tevez, who had just returned to the side from injury, entered the field in the 73rd minute for Guillermo Barros Schelotto, as Boca Juniors beat Milan 3–1 on penalties to claim the Intercontinental Cup on 14 December.[16] Boca had reached the final of the2004 Copa Sudamericana, where they beat Bolivia's Bolívar 2–1 on aggregate. Tevez scored in Boca's 2–0 second-leg win. Boca Juniors finished as runners-up of the 2004 Copa Libertadores. Tevez had scored in both games of Boca's round of 16 wins against Peru's Club Sporting Cristal. Tevez also scored for Boca Juniors in their 2–1 second-leg loss to River Plate, having then drawn 2–2 on aggregate, which Boca Juniors went on to win 5–4 on penalties. Boca Juniors played against Colombia's Once Caldas in the final, where after drawing 1–1 on aggregate, Boca lost 2–0 on penalties. Tevez netted 2 goals in 9 league appreances in the Torneo Apertura of the 2004–05 season. Boca Juniors faced Peru's Cienciano in the 2004 Recopa Sudamericana on 7 September. Tevez scored after 33 minutes to give Boca Juniors a 1–0 lead, but Cienciano equalised and the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Boca lost 4–2 on penalties, where Tevez had failed to convert his side's second spot-kick.[17] During his time at Boca Juniors, Tevez was listed by the media as a potential heir to Diego Maradona.[18]
Corinthians
Tevez presenting a commemorative Corinthians jersey to Brazilian president Lula
In January 2005, Tevez was transferred to Brazilian Série A club Corinthians for a fee of US$16 million cash and youth players worth US$2 million. Joorabchian and Tevez also received an additional 15% and 10% transfer fee respectively.[19] The transfer fee has also been reported as US$22 million.[20] Tevez signed a five-year, £6.85 million contract[citation needed] following the Brazilian club's deal withMedia Sports Investment. The deal was the biggest transfer ever in South American football.[21] Investigation by Brazilian police later revealed that MSI owned 35% of the player rights (through BVI company MSI Group Limited) while another 65% owned by Just Sport Limited, another BVI company.[19] Tevez 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.[21]
He began his career with Boca Juniors, winning the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003 before moving toCorinthians in what was the biggest transfer by a South American club. Tevez then moved to West Ham United, helping the team remain in the Premier League in his only season, and then won two league titles and the UEFA Champions League withManchester United. In the 2009 summer transfer window he joined Manchester City, becoming the first player to move between the two rival clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999.[6] After a dispute with manager Roberto Mancini due to allegedly refusing to play, Tevez missed four months of the 2011–12 season, returning to help City win the league title. In 2013, he joined Juventus for an initial €10 million, finishing as the team's top goalscorer and winning the Scudetto in his first season.
His career has been dogged by a long-standing relationship with Media Sports Investment (along with Just Sport), the company which owned his rights.[7] This eventually resulted in West Ham United being fined over issues regarding third-party ownership.[8][9]
Tevez made his debut for the Argentina national team in 2005.[10] A gold medal winner at the 2004 Olympics, he also played at two World Cups, a Confederations Cup, and three Copa América tournaments.
Early lifeTevez was born Carlos Alberto Martínez in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires Province, and raised in the neighbourhood of Ejército de Los Andes, better known as "Fuerte Apache". It was from there that he got the nickname of "El Apache".[11] His parents changed his surname to his mother's during a conflict between his junior club All Boys and Boca Juniors.[12]
Tevez has a distinctive burn scar that runs down his neck from his right ear to his chest. He was accidentally scalded with boiling water as a child, which caused third-degree burns and kept him hospitalised in intensive care for nearly two months.[13] After joining Boca Juniors, Tevez refused an offer from the club to have them cosmetically improved, saying that the scars were a part of who he was in the past and who he is today.[14]
Club careerBoca Juniors
Tevez playing for Boca Juniors in 2004
Aged 16, Tevez made his debut for Boca Juniors against Talleres de Córdoba in the during the Torneo Apertura of the 2001–02 Argentine Primera División, on 21 October 2001. Boca Juniors were crowned champions of the 2001 Copa Libertadores and faced Bayern Munich at the 2001 Intercontinental Cup on 27 November, where they lost 1–0, however Tevez was not included in the squad. He went on to score 1 goal in 11 league appearances in the 2001–02 season. Boca had finished in 1st place of their 2002 Copa Libertadores group and had reached the quarter-final stage, where they faced Paraguay's Club Olimpia. Tevez scored after 18 minutes in the first-leg to give Boca Juniors a 1–0 lead, until Olimpia levelled the scores in the 67th minute when Boca defender Cristian Traverso scored an own goal, on 8 May. Boca lost the second-leg 1–0 in Asunción on 16 May.[15] Boca finished three points behind Independiente to finish in second position during the Torneo Apertura. Boca Juniors eventually finished four points behind River Plate to claim second position in the Torneo Clausura.
Tevez had scored 10 goals in 32 appearances for Boca during the 2002–03 season. During the 2002 Copa Sudamericana, Boca where eliminated 3–1 on aggregate by Gimnasia de La Plata in the first-round. Boca Juniors had participated at the 2003 Copa Libertadores and reached the final of the competition, where they faced Santos. Boca Juniors won 5–1 on aggregate, where Tevez had scored in Boca's 3–1 away win in the second-leg. Tevez was also voted as the tournament's best player. Tevez scored 12 goals in 23 appearances during the2003–04 season. Boca were crowned champions of the Torneo Apertura, where Tevez finished as the Apertura's seventh top goal-scorer with 8 goals. Boca then finished in second spot of the Torneo Clausura, four points behind River Plate. During the 2003 Copa Sudamericana, Boca Juniors reached the quarter-final stages where they were eliminated by Colombia's Atlético Nacional 5–1 on aggregate. During the 2003 Intercontinental Cup, Tevez, who had just returned to the side from injury, entered the field in the 73rd minute for Guillermo Barros Schelotto, as Boca Juniors beat Milan 3–1 on penalties to claim the Intercontinental Cup on 14 December.[16] Boca had reached the final of the2004 Copa Sudamericana, where they beat Bolivia's Bolívar 2–1 on aggregate. Tevez scored in Boca's 2–0 second-leg win. Boca Juniors finished as runners-up of the 2004 Copa Libertadores. Tevez had scored in both games of Boca's round of 16 wins against Peru's Club Sporting Cristal. Tevez also scored for Boca Juniors in their 2–1 second-leg loss to River Plate, having then drawn 2–2 on aggregate, which Boca Juniors went on to win 5–4 on penalties. Boca Juniors played against Colombia's Once Caldas in the final, where after drawing 1–1 on aggregate, Boca lost 2–0 on penalties. Tevez netted 2 goals in 9 league appreances in the Torneo Apertura of the 2004–05 season. Boca Juniors faced Peru's Cienciano in the 2004 Recopa Sudamericana on 7 September. Tevez scored after 33 minutes to give Boca Juniors a 1–0 lead, but Cienciano equalised and the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Boca lost 4–2 on penalties, where Tevez had failed to convert his side's second spot-kick.[17] During his time at Boca Juniors, Tevez was listed by the media as a potential heir to Diego Maradona.[18]
Corinthians
Tevez presenting a commemorative Corinthians jersey to Brazilian president Lula
In January 2005, Tevez was transferred to Brazilian Série A club Corinthians for a fee of US$16 million cash and youth players worth US$2 million. Joorabchian and Tevez also received an additional 15% and 10% transfer fee respectively.[19] The transfer fee has also been reported as US$22 million.[20] Tevez signed a five-year, £6.85 million contract[citation needed] following the Brazilian club's deal withMedia Sports Investment. The deal was the biggest transfer ever in South American football.[21] Investigation by Brazilian police later revealed that MSI owned 35% of the player rights (through BVI company MSI Group Limited) while another 65% owned by Just Sport Limited, another BVI company.[19] Tevez 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.[21]