Carlos Tevez's story is very similar to that of many other kids in Argentina. Born into poverty in a working-class neighborhood in the province of Buenos Aires known as Fort Apache (thus his peculiar moniker, the "Apache"), he was able to escape thanks to soccer.
Even in those early street games he displayed the fierceness, the courage and the poise that he would later exhibit in the soccer fields of Argentina and the rest of the world. He started his road to stardom in the lower ranks of the local All Boys soccer club, and was acquired by Boca Juniors, the club that gave him a debut in the Argentine top division.
Coached by Carlos Bianchi, he became an idol and participated in one of the club's most successful championship runs, winning the domestic league, the Copa Libertadores and an Intercontinental Cup in 2003. Without Bianchi no longer at the helm of the team, towards the end of 2004 he left the club after another title: the Copa Sudamericana.
He arrived at Brazil's Corinthians, where he earned the love of the fans and won a league title. Bu a bad run of form and a decline in Tevez's performances ended up putting him in the auction block. West Ham, a modest English team, picked him up and he paid them back by helping them stay in the top division.
The big clubs finally took notice, and Manchester United added him to their star-studded squad, though he struggled to find his place. He participated in several of the club's successes, including a league title, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008. In 2009, his differences with Sir Alex Ferguson reached their pinnacle, and Tevez accepted an offer to play for neighbours and rivals Manchester City.
Strengths: A very courageous player, Tevez makes full use of his body. He adds a great ability to protect the ball to his great ball skills, and he can be a traditional centre-forward in the box or play deeper.
Weaknesses: With the exception of his long tenure at Boca, he has been unable to stay in one club for more than two years in a row.
Career high: He was the top scorer for the Argentine team that grabbed an Olympic gold medal in Athens 2004.
Career low: His second season at Corinthians included fights with his team-mates and with the fans.
Style: Strength and courage are the trademarks of Carlos Tevez's style.
Quotes: After receiving criticism for a series of low-key performance with his national team, he declared: "Sometimes I don't even want to play for Argentina."
Trivia: He has a large scar on his neck, a consequence of a bad burn suffered as a child. He has been offered a chance to have the scar tissue surgically removed, but has always refused.
Soccernet says: Carlos Tevez has been playing with the national team since his youth, but never exploded as he has with several of his clubs. He will have to play with greater consistency if he is to earn a permanent spot as a starter with the national team.
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