Clubs: Everton FC, Manchester United FC

UEFA honours
UEFA EURO 2004: All-Star Squad
UEFA Champions League: winner 2008, runner-up 2009, 2011

• Born in Liverpool, he joined Everton as a ten-year-old and made his first-team debut at 16; became the Premier League's youngest marksman when he scored a sensational debut goal in the last minute against Arsenal FC in October 2002, five days before his 17th birthday.

• Became the youngest player ever capped by England when he made his debut on 12 February 2003 against Australia; went on to score four goals at UEFA EURO 2004 before leaving the field with a toe injury in the quarter-final against Portugal.

• Became the world's most expensive teenager when he left Everton for United in August 2004 and scored a sensational hat-trick on debut in a UEFA Champions League group game at home to Fenerbahçe SK (6-2).

• Won his first trophy with United in the 2006 League Cup − when he struck twice in the final versus Wigan Athletic FC (4-0) − before helping them to a hat-trick of Premier League titles and victory in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea FC.

• Scored the winning goal in the final of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup but was unable to cap an outstanding 2008/09 season with a repeat European success as United lost in Rome to FC Barcelona.

• Injured and sent off at the 2006 FIFA World Cup but top-scored with nine goals for Fabio Capello's team in a successful qualification campaign for the 2010 edition in South Africa; failed to score in a frustrating final tournament, though, as England bowed out in the last 16.

• Struck a career-best 25 league goals during the 2009/10 season − his 100th top-flight effort came in a 3-1 win versus Arsenal FC on 31 January − as United finished runners-up in the Premier League behind Chelsea FC.

• Agreed a new five-year deal with United in October 2010, a matter of days after he submitted a transfer request − scored the goal in the penultimate league game of the season at Blackburn Rovers FC (1-1) which secured United a historic 19th league title.

• Finished sixth in a summer 2011 poll, conducted among a jury of 53 sports journalists, to determine the winner of the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.