Argentina
Carlos Tevez
Premier Cup: Boca Juniors 1999, MVP & Top Scorer
Born 1984 in Buenos Aires, Carlos Tevez developed his characteristic style of play on the mean streets of Fuerta Apache. He progressed through the youth programmes at All Boys and Boca Juniors to make his professional debut at just 17 years-of-age.
South American Footballer of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and gold medallist at the Olympics, Tevez' record-breaking move to Brazilian club Corinthians presented new challenges and, despite a dubious initial reception from fans, he became the first non-Brazilian to win Footballer of the Year.
Deciding his future lay in Europe, he spent a season at West Ham before switching to Manchester United in a blaze of publicity during the summer of 2007, rapidly becoming an Old Trafford favourite.
Lionel Messi - Premier Cup: FC Barcelona 2002
Messi made his first team debut for Barcelona when he was still only 16-years-old. Player of the Competition at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in the Netherlands, he is a regular for Spain's national team.
Javier Mascherano - Premier Cup: Renato Cesarini 1999
Mascherano moved from River Plate to Brazilian club Corinthians where he played alongside Carlos Tevez. Together they moved to West Ham United and Mascherano went on to sign for Liverpool. He plays regularly for the Argentina national team and captained his country at U-20.
Other Premier Cup Graduates to have represented Argentina at U-20 include:
Joel Enrique Barbosa - Premier Cup: Boca Juniors, now with Almagro
Gonzalo Rodriguez - Premier Cup: San Lorenzo now with Villarreal
Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod - Premier Cup: San Lorenzo now with Espanyol
Jonathan Botinelli Premier Cup: San Lorenzo now with San Lorenzo
Walter Damian Montillo - Premier Cup: San Lorenzo now with San Lorenzo
German Herrera - Premier Cup: Rosario Central now with San Lorenzo
Walter Garcia – Premier Cup: Argentinos Juniors, now with San Lorenzo
