Javier Mascherano

After failing to declare his earnings during the 2011-2012 period, Mascherano pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud in October 2016. Although initially he was sentenced to one year in prison for his offenses, Mascherano managed to avoid any time in jail after successfully appealing against his sentence.

Javier Alejandro Mascherano was born on 8th June 1984 in San Lorenzo, Sante Fe, Argentina to Oscar Mascherano and Teodolinda Chiche Tagliaro.

As a youngster, he was said to be a hyperactive kid who enjoyed nothing more than playing football. He eventually earned himself a place at the prestigious River Plate sports club.

Javier Mascherano made his international debut before making his club debut. He played his first international game in 2001. Later, that year he was part of the Argentinian team that finished fourth at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Mascherano played a key role in the Argentinian under-23 team’s success at the South American Pre-Olímpico tournament in January 2004. This led them to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, where they eventually went on to win the gold medal.

He was selected to be a part of the Argentina’s senior squad for the 2004 Copa América which eventually lost to Brazil in the final.

Mascherano played every single minute of Argentina’s matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His team was eventually eliminated by hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

Mascherano’s first International goal came in July 2007 during the Copa America competition. He scored two goals and in the tournament and played so magnificently during the whole tournament that he was adjudged as the best Argentine player in the tournament.

Mascherano had made his full international debut before he had even played a game for River Plate. After his stellar performances in the U-20 World Cup, River Plate Coach, Basile, decided to promote Mascherano to the first team. This decision paid off as he was instrumental in River Plate’s 2003–04 Clausura championship victory.

After having a successful start to his club career at River Plate, Mascherano becamethe interest of several top clubs in the world. These transfers, however, did not come to fruition as River Plate wasn’t satisfied with any of the offers that these clubs made.

The 2004–05 season wasn’t a successful one for River. At the end of this miserable season, Mascherano was acquired by Brazilian club Corinthians for $15 million.

Despite being vied for many of Europe’s top clubs, Mascherano joined English club West Ham United just hours before the close of the 2006 transfer window, for an undisclosed amount. His stay there, however, was shortened due to complications in transfer procedures.

On 20 February 2007, Liverpool had officially added Mascherano to its roster of players. He played a key role in taking them to the Champions League Final that season, where they eventually lost 2-1 to AC Milan. Mascherano was also quite the fans’ favorite at Liverpool, having his own song.