Giovani dos Santos To Tottenham - Official

[Pat Murphy]

Giovani dos Santos Ramírez (born May 11, 1989 in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico) is a Mexican football striker who plays for FC Barcelona and was a member of the Mexican National U-17 Football team that won the FIFA U-17 World Championship 2005 held in Peru. Dos Santos, also known as "Gio" or "Giova", was a key piece in winning that title.

He is the son of the Brazilian retired football player Gerardo dos Santos, better known as "Zizinho", who played for the Mexican soccer clubs América and León in the late 1980s. Gio's mother is the Mexican Liliana Ramírez de dos Santos; he has two brothers and two half brothers, an older, Eder and a younger, Jonathan who also plays for FC Barcelona, but in the Juvenil B category.

Established in Barcelona with his parents and brothers Giovanni, quickly adapted to his new way of life, both of his brothers made trials to join FC Barcelona youth system, but only Jonathan was accepted. Giovanni was placed in a category a couple years above his, but he didn’t struggle, in the Cadete A category he was Pichichi of the league with 28 goals. He then moved on briefly to Juvenil B and then to Juvenil A, where he won the Milk Cup Premier Category with FC Barcelona in 2005.

Players like Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho, have expressed their respects and even admiration towards the young Dos Santos. Particular is the case of Ronaldinho, since the press has always compared Giovanni with him, both players have publicly recognized that each admires the other and expressed their wish to play together in the near future. Ronaldinho has said that he admires the young Dos Santos and expects great things of him, also that he found Dos Santos to have many of the same characteristics that he has himself, both physically and strategically. An example of this is the way he took a penalty in the U-20 World Cup against Portugal, where he imitated Ronaldinho's penalty taking strategy. Meanwhile Dos Santos is not shy to accept that his biggest idol in football, besides his own father, is Ronaldinho.

Wikipedia

During the FIFA U-17 World Championship 2005 wearing the number eight on his back he dazzled observers, experts or not. With his great performance during the tournament, Gio managed to assist on half of the goals of the Mexican team during the tournament, a fact that combined with his ability awarded him the Adidas Silver Ball as the second best player of the tournament, only behind the Brazilian Anderson, although many experts considered that the honor for the best player of the tournament should have been awarded to Dos Santos.

Hugo Sánchez, manager of the Mexican National Team, has made public that he maintains communication with the player, and intends to call on him in the near future. Meanwhile Dos Santos represents his country proudly in the Mexican U-20 National Team.

Wikipedia

Some extra information on his past in our La Masia thread:
La Masia

[Pat Murphy]

2 appetiser goals from dos Santos:

TalkSoccer Media Player

His explosive debut goal for Barcelona A.

TalkSoccer Media Player

His even more explosive goal for Mexico in the recent U-20 World Cup. This goal got voted as the 2nd best goal of the tournament.

[lionel]

what is his stronger foot? left or right?
in the first goal he dribbled with the right foot, and usually the foot with wich a player dribbles is his better, but the 2 goals were scored with the left foot and both of them were massive shots..

[Pat Murphy]

Left Foot is his stronger I think. Although I've seen him dribble a lot with both so maybe we'll get a magical double footed player.

El padre de Giovani también se hace español el día 28 - SPORT - Confidencial Sport

Good news as Giovanni dos Santos will recieve his dual nationality and his brother and fellow Barca player Jonathan dos Santos will get dual nationality as well in the next weeks.

Also to support his sons, Zizinho will go and get dual nationality as well.

[Pat Murphy]

dos Santos with a fantastic finish against Beijing today.....

dos Santos goal

TalkSoccer Media Player

The prospect of having this front trio in a few years time is mouth watering.....

-------- Leo Messi ------------------ Dos Santos
----------------------- Bojan Krkic

[Pat Murphy]

Rijkaard: Great Result And Brilliant Dos Santos

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard had two reasons to be cheerful after his side's comprehensive 3-0 win in Beijing. First, the result itself; second, the barnstorming performance of Giovani Dos Santos...

Frank Rijkaard described his side's 3-0 win over Beijins Gouan as "interesting and attractive" - and singled out one player for praise.

He said that "the result and Giovani [Dos Santos]" pleased him the most, referring to the youngster's brilliant showing, culminating in a goal.

The coach admitted that his side "needed match sharpness" - being only half way through pre season - but added that this Asian side had offered tough opposition due to its quick play, and that this would help.

The boss confirmed that Ronaldinho asked to play the tail end of this match despite picking up a minor injury earlier in the week.

Overall, the Dutchman is pleased with his side's progress, but has stresses the need for further "organisation."

Goal.com

Goal.com - Barcelona - Rijkaard: Great Result And Brilliant Dos Santos

[Pat Murphy]

Impressive Dos Santos Strikes Again In Barça Win

It was a match the Barcelona players will remember mainly for the heat and humidity that they struggled with, but also for Giovani Dos Santos' impressive second half display.

The Mexican scored a late winner to maintain FC Barcelona's 100 per cent start to pre-season as they overcame Yokohama Marinos in Japan.

Giovani Dos Santos beat the hosts' offside trap to steer in the only goal of an intense game on a humid evening in Yokohama, a game that saw Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o start up front together for the first time.

Heat and humidity played its part as the Blaugrana encountered their strongest opponents of the summer. They had to be alert as Yokohama created numerous chances to win the game themselves.

Frank Rijkaard opted to field the line-up that the media and fans have been calling for, but Henry, Ronaldinho and Eto'o drew a blank in the opening 45 minutes.

While Eto'o had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside soon after being denied by the keeper, Marques, Hideo Oshima and Takanobu Komiyama went close at the other end.

Daisuke Sakata gave Barça a scare at the start of the second half, before Sylvinho's long range drive forced the home team's custodian into making a fine stop.

Henry was replaced with Dos Santos at the break, but Rijkaard opted not to make the wholesale changes that have been a feature of the pre-season so far.

The 18-year-old forward looked sharp and his first involvement almost saw him open the scoring when he fired just wide after being picked out by Andrés Iniesta. Ronaldinho then fired straight at the keeper before Dos Santos edged even closer to a goal when his shot from inside the area cannoned back off the far post.

Albert Jorquera had to be watchful as Kento Kana and Takayuki Yoshida took aim from distance before Yusuke Tanaka drove the ball just wide.

Dos Santos continued to torment the Yokohama defence and, after being denied by the keeper in the 65th minute and having a shot blocked on the line in the 75th, he finally broke the deadlock 14 minutes from time following a great piece of build-up play.

Ronaldinho surged over the halfway line before leaving the ball for Eto'o and the Cameronian international fed Dos Santos who was able to beat the keeper with a first time shot. As if that were not enough, the starlet had two more chances in the closing moments, but was denied twice in quick succession.

Ronaldinho and Eto'o both did reasonably well in the heat and humidity, but Thierry Henry struggled again. Giovani Dos Santos, meanwhile, has clearly been the man of Barcelona's pre-season!

Goal.com

Goal.com - Barcelona - Impressive Dos Santos Strikes Again In Barça Win

Man of the match performance from Gio dos Santos. Who needs Ronaldinho when you've got dos Santos?

I'll try and upload the goal when I find it on Youtube.

[Pat Murphy]

Goal.com - Barcelona - Rijkaard: Dos Santos My Secret Weapon

Rijkaard says that Giovanni dos Santos will be his secret weapon next season.

Also here's his goal from yesterday....

TalkSoccer Media Player

Smart finish.

[BlackNess]

Giovanni Dos Santos Out Of Santander Opener

Bureaucracy strikes as Giovani dos Santos fails to receive his dual nationality documentation in time for Barca's Sunday clash at Racing Santander...


The Barcelona training pitches are quiet this week due to various players' international commitments, but Giovani dos Santos remains to offer some skill on the practice ground.

Sadly, though, the Sardinero won't see him play this weekend after it emerged that he's yet to obtain dual nationality.

Spanish teams are allowed only three non-EU players in their squad, and Barca's slots are currently occupied by Yaya Toure, Ronaldinho - himself close to obtaining dual nationality, perhaps within a year - and Samuel Eto'o.

However, Dos Santos is expected to a Spanish passport on August 28th, ensuring that he can join the pool of Barca players with no penalties.

Until then, though, Dos Santos will merely be used in training, as he was yesterday in a rather threadbare practice match, featuring the likes of Ezquerro and Motta.

Dos Santos, 18, shot to prominence after signing for Barcelona from Monterey and immediately embarked on a pre-season scoring spree in 2006. What's more, he's experienced at international level, having stood out at U-17 and, most recently, U-20 levels.

[Pat Murphy]

That won't matter too much as we already knew that his date to swear in is 2 days after the Santander game. As long as he gets his dual nationality before August 31st then we'll be fine.

[BlackNess]

Ronaldinho And Dos Santos To Receive EU Passports

Ronaldinho and Giovani Dos Santos are set to receive European passports next week leaving FC Barcelona with only two non-EU players in their ranks.

The duo will swear on the Spanish constitution to complete a long journey towards being given citizenship and will now carry dual nationality.

On Monday, Ronaldinho will appear at the court Gavá, just outside Barcelona, to go through the ceremony and Dos Santos is expected to follow the day after.

"It has been in the pipeline for sometime now," Ronaldinho told Ona FM after appearing in Brazil's win over Algeria in Paris in midweek.

"Next week, when I am told, I will go to the court and obtain double nationality."

The move means that Barça will have only two non-Eu players as Samuel Eto'o and Touré Yaya have yet to be awarded European passports.

Barça were hoping to have Dos Santos' application pushed through this week in order for him to be available for the opening game of the season.

With Eto'o, Touré and Ronaldinho occupying the three non-EU places for the game on Sunday, the Mexican starlet will miss out.

*****

[Trim]

Giovani Dos Santos was delighted to have made a winning start to his official Barcelona career after coming on in the victory over Athletic at the weekend.

The Mexican wonderkid has gained first team experience in pre-season this year and last, but had yet to experience a league for the Blaugrana.

When Dos Santos was told that he was going on in the 64th minute he admits to being stunned at replacing Thierry Henry.

“I couldn’t have hoped for more on my debut," he explained. "I imagined a debut like that.I

"It was strange be come on as substitute for Henry, who has always been one of my heroes."

Barça are expecting great things from Dos Santos, who many see as the long-term successor to Ronaldinho at Camp Nou.

“I am very happy;" the 18-year-old continued. "I couldn’t ask for more. It was my dream come true. I hope to stay here for many more years."

Goal.com - Barcelona - Dos Santos Stunned By Barça Debut

[Pat Murphy]

Giovani: I Don't Want To Leave Barcelona

Giovani Dos Santos told Sport.es that he is not interested in leaving Barcelona, despite not yet being able to agree on a new contract. Giovani dos Santos has announced that he's happy to remain at Barcelona despite his recent contractual woes.

"I want to continue here for many years and there's still plenty of time to reach an agreement," he told Sport.es.

"I'm confident that everything will be fine and that the matter will be settled.

"Barcelona is a great club with fans that follow them everywhere, and a great stadium.

"But whether you want it or not, to be here is life-changing. People recognise you. It's part of football. But in truth I've always wanted to be at a huge club that needs to win each week, so it's great."

As one of ten former youth players to be involved in first team affairs at Camp Nou, Giovani is progressing quickly, but he knows that he's not yet the finished article.

"Yes, I'm in the first team, but for me this is just one step," he warned.

"Obviously I wanted to get here, but I'm just starting out and I need to move slowly as I still want to be among the elite."

On fellow youth Bojan, he added, "We have a very good relationship, which helps.

"There's a little bit of a sporting rivalry, but not what we'd call competition. We're different players and [coach Frank] Rijkaard will pick who he needs depending on the moment, or even both of us at once."

Giovani has recently enjoyed almost as much play as Ronaldinho, but the youngster still holds nothing but respect for the Brazilian.

"Ronnie is a great player who has given a lot to this club," he stated.

"I have nothing to say about the rumours that people throw around, but I believe in him and, for me, he remains the best player in the world.

"When he arrived he changed the club. He was a breath of fresh air. Now, people have forgotten that, but for me he remains the same."

Giovani has started two Liga games this season, making a further nine appearances as a substitute.

Goal.com

Goal.com - Barcelona - Giovani: I Don't Want To Leave Barcelona


Hopefully we can sort him out a new contract which is said to run out in 2009

1 goal and 1 assist in his last 2 games shows some nice steady progress.