VALON BEHRAMI
Born: 19 April 1985, Titova Mitrovica, Kosovo
Former clubs: FC Stabio, Chiasso, FC Lugano, Genoa, Hellas Verona, SS Lazio
An energetic, all-action midfield player with amazing levels of endurance, Valon Behrami quickly established himself as a fans' favourite following his arrival at West Ham United in July 2008.
A full Switzerland international who has appeared at two FIFA World Cups and one UEFA European Championship, Behrami's versatility and all-round game have made him indispensible at both club and international level.
A popular member of the dressing room, Behrami is fluent in Italian, English and Albanian, having been born in Kosovo before emigrating to Switzerland as a child.
2009/10
Returned to competitive action in 6-0 home Barclays Premier Reserve League South win over Birmingham City on 8 September 2009…Returned to Premier League action as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic on 12 September 2009…Totalled 27 Premier League appearances, 24 of them starts…Scored one Premier League goal in 3-0 home win over Hull City on 20 February 2010…Reached 50 appearances in a West Ham United shirt in the 3-1 home Premier League defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers on 23 March 2010…Made one FA Cup appearance…Made one Barclays Premier Reserve League South appearance…Did not receive a single yellow card.
2008/09
Signed for West Ham United from SS Lazio on a five-year contract on 23 July 2008…Made his debut in the pre-season friendly victory at Peterborough United on 29 July 2008…Made his Premier League debut at right-back in the 2-1 home win over Wigan on 16 August 2008…Scored his first Premier League goal in the 1-0 win at Sunderland on 23 November 2008…Netted his first FA Cup goal in the 2-0 fourth-round win at Hartlepool United on 24 January 2009…Totalled 24 Premier League starts and one goal…Made one League Cup and two FA Cup starts, scoring once…Suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 1-0 home win over Manchester City on 1 March 2009…Booked five times.
International career
Made his senior Switzerland debut in the 1-1 2006 FIFA World Cup draw with France on 8 October 2005…Scored in Switzerland's 2006 FIFA World Cup play-off victory over Turkey in November 2005…Appeared for Switzerland in the 2-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Group G victory over Korea Republic in Hanover…Appeared in all three group-stage matches against Czech Republic, Turkey and Portugal at the 2008 UEFA European Championship in Switzerland…Started three 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers…Sent off in Switzerland's FIFA World Cup Group H defeat by Chile in Port Elizabeth on 21 July 2010.
Before West Ham United
Born in Mitrovica in Kosovo...Moved to the village of Stabio in Italian-speaking Switzerland at the age of four…Played for local sides FC Stabio and Chiasso before joining FC Lugano…Made his first-team debut for FC Lugano in 2002…Joined Italian club Genoa in July 2003…Joined Hellas Verona on loan for the 2004/05 season, making 32 Serie B appearances and scoring three goals…Moved to SS Lazio on a permanent basis in July 2005…Made 64 Serie A appearances over three seasons with SS Lazio…Scored a last-minute winner against AS Roma in March 2008…Made four UEFA Champions League appearances for SS Lazio during the 2007/08 season.
Any other business
Named Lee Cattermole as his hardest Premier League opponent.