Clubs: CA Independiente, CA River Plate, Real Madrid CF, FC Internazionale Milano

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 2010
UEFA Super Cup: winner 2002
European/South American Cup: winner 2002

• Born in Buenos Aires to a family with Italian roots, Cambiasso left his homeland to join Madrid's youth academy aged 15 and helped Argentina win the 1997 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Malaysia.

• Spent three years back in his home city with Independiente and one with River Plate, which he concluded with a Clausura championship triumph; returned to Madrid in 2002 and won the UEFA Super Cup, European/South American Cup and the Spanish Liga in his first season.

• Joined Inter in 2004 and settled quickly into life in Serie A, winning the Coppa Italia in each of his first two campaigns then four successive Serie A titles.

• Represented Argentina at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, scoring a memorable goal in the group stage against Serbia & Montenegro; also competed at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2007 Copa América but omitted from the 2010 World Cup squad by Diego Maradona despite an impressive season.

• Won his fifth Scudetto and another Coppa Italia during a 2009/10 campaign which concluded with a UEFA Champions League final victory against FC Bayern München at his former home, the Santiago Bernabéu.

• Returned to the international fray under new coach Sergio Batista in August 2010 and helped Argentina overwhelm newly-crowned world champions Spain 4-1 in Buenos Aires.