Position: Forward
Born: 01.07.76
Club: Manchester United

Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is now firmly established as one of the world's top frontmen.

Strong and determined, his main asset remains his ability to put the ball in the net - although he is yet to score for his club from outside the 18-yard box!

For Holland van Nistelrooy averages a goal every other game while for United his stats are even better, including a phenomenal Champions League record.

Van Nistelrooy's consistent goalscoring performances have drawn envious glances from several of Europe's top clubs, with Real Madrid often rumoured to be keen on prising him away from Old Trafford.

Equally adept with the ball on the floor or in the air, van Nistelrooy set a Premiership record when he became the first player to score in eight consecutive matches in 2002/03.

Before then he had made a brave comeback from a serious knee injury that had delayed his £19million move to Manchester United by a year, returning better than ever to become a hero with the Red Devils fans.

He has struggled with injuries in the past couple of seasons since helping United to the Premiership title in May 2003 but looked back to his best at the start of this term before fading badly towards the end of the season.

Van Nistelrooy's predatory instincts have seen him compared to current national coach Marco van Basten, and both will hope he can fire Holland to glory this summer.