In our regular Sunday feature, FIFA.com presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birthdays over the coming week.
13. Jo Potter(32) was part of the England squad that secured a best-ever third-place finish at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, where she starred in two matches, including a memorable 1-0 win over Germany in the match for third place. The left-footed midfielder has pulled on the jerseys of several English outfits during her career, such as Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal, Birmingham City, Everton, Leicester City and current club Notts County.
14. Samuel Umtiti(23)demonstrated his impressive potential at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013, where he helped propel France to victory, having previously competed at the UEFA European U-17 and U-19 Championships (in 2010 and 2012). At club level, the imposing defender started out at Lyon, where his strong form led to him being selected for the senior French squad at UEFA EURO 2016. He played in three of Les Bleus’ matches at the continental tournament, culminating in an appearance in the final, which he and his team-mates lost to Portugal. At the start of this season, Umtiti put pen to paper with Barcelona.
15. Uli Stielike(62) represented West Germany at the 1982 FIFA World Cup™, where he made seven appearances, including the loss to Italy in the Final. In addition, the combative midfielder played in three European Championships, reaching the final in 1976 and lifting the trophy in 1980. After racking up three Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a UEFA Cup with Borussia Monchengladbach, he added three Liga crowns, two Spanish Cups and a second UEFA Cup to his CV while playing for Real Madrid. The tireless German then saw out the remainder of his career at Neuchatel Xamax, where he earned two Swiss League winners’ medals. He subsequently coached Switzerland and some of Germany’s youth teams, which enabled him to take part in the 2001 and 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cups. After a spell at the helm of Côte d’Ivoire, Stielike took the reins of a handful of clubs in Europe and Asia. In 2014, he was appointed coach of Korea Republic, whom he steered to the final of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. He and his charges are currently involved in the Asian qualifying campaign for Russia 2018.
16. Josip Weber(52) defended the colours of Belgium at the 1994 World Cup in the USA, playing in four matches, including Les Diables Rouges’ Round-of-16 reverse at the hands of Germany. Born in Croatia, he turned professional at Borac Podvinje, prior to turning out for BSK Slavonski Brod, Hajduk Split, Dinamo Vinkovci (now HNK Cibalia), Cercle Brugge and Anderlecht, with whom he hoisted a number of national trophies.
17. Nani(30) was part of the Portugal XI that recently triumphed at EURO 2016, where he played in all of his team’s games and scored three goals. The tricky winger had previously participated in the 2008 and 2012 editions of the continental tournament, as well as in Brazil 2014, where he succeeded in hitting the net once. Four years earlier, an injury had deprived him of the opportunity to appear on the World Cup stage at South Africa 2010. The skilful wide man began his career at Sporting CP, where he held aloft the Portuguese Cup, before signing for Manchester United, where he amassed three English Premier League titles, an English League Cup, four FA Community Shields, a UEFA Champions League crown and a FIFA Club World Cup. A return to Sporting on loan followed, as did a move to Fenerbahce. Earlier this year, he joined Liga heavyweights Valencia.
18. Maribel Dominguez(38) helped Mexico reach the 1999 and 2011 Women’s World Cups, and notched her country’s first goal of the competition on both occasions. The prolific striker also showcased her prowess in the box at the 2004 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Athens, where she scored once as the Mexicans reached the quarter-finals, and at three CONCACAF Gold Cups, where Mexico twice finished third. Dominguez started off at Kansas City Mystics and Atlanta Beat, but subsequently packed her bags for Europe, first starring for Barcelona and then for L’Estartit. Upon returning to the USA, the instinctive goalscorer appeared for San Diego Sunwaves and Chicago Red Stars.
19. Klaus Fichtel(72) made five appearances for the West Germany team that finished third at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. The Castrop-Rauxel native, a talented defender, plied his trade for just two clubs during his career: Schalke, with whom he brandished the German Cup, and Werder Bremen, where he spent four seasons.