About Míchel Salgado
Miguel Ángel "Míchel" Salgado Fernández (born 22 October 1975) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Nicknamed Il Due ("two" in Italian), he was known for his combative tackling and attacking play. After excellent displays at Celta, he spent an entire decade at Real Madrid, where former teammate Steve McManaman attested to his aggressive style by describing him as "the hardest person in the world....a genuine psychopath, even in training." He also played three seasons in England with Blackburn Rovers. Salgado, who played 343 La Liga matches and scored seven goals, represented the Spain national team over eight years, collecting more than 50 caps and appearing in one World Cup and one European Championship. In 1999, Salgado was purchased by Real Madrid for €11,000,000, playing 29 league games in his first season while also helping the club win the UEFA Champions League. He was loaned for a season to UD Salamanca in the Segunda División, and after his return became the first-choice in his position.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.