Tireless

At Real Madrid in recent years the fact veteran Fernando Hierro was less nimble on his feet than previously was overcome by some tireless running by right wing-back and Spainsh international Michel Salgado.

Real Madrid's Michel Salgado (L) fights for the ball with Deportivo de la Coruna's Joan Capdevila (R) during their Spanish League match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid 14 December, 2003. AFP PHOTO/ Javier SORIANO.

With Brazil's Roberto Carlos performing a similar task on the left the Madrid defenders make up a virtual second line of attack, and along with David Beckham they are the motors of the team.

Now Hierro has retired Michel Salgado Fernandez is also highly valued for his vocal contribution to onfield affairs. His fitness too is impecable as he has made an average of 35 league matches a seon since 2001.

He was born in Las Nieves and began his career at 17 with Celta Vigo. At the Atlantic coast club he came through the ranks, was loaned out for a season to Salamanca, returned and took up a place in the first team between 1997 and 1999 when Madrid paid some 12 million euros for his services.

He has mined a rich vein of silverware at Madrid, winning two Champions League trophies, but has had less luck with the national outfit.

Fearsome

Spanish Michel Salgado (L) fights for the ball with Armenian Karen Dokhoyan (R), during a Euro 2004 qualifying match at the Vazgen Sargsyan stadium in Yerevan 11 October 2003. AFP PHOTO/ Javier SORIANO

He joined the Spain side after the 1998 World Cup, playing in most of the qualifiers and finals matches for Euro 2000 when the Iberians made it to the quarter-finals. But Jose Antonio Camacho, who took Spain to the Asian World Cup in 2002, left him out of the 23 man squad.

Spanish defender Michel Salgado (R) controls the ball in front of French midfielder Patrick Vieira during the Euro 2000 quarter final match between Spain and France in Bruges 25 June 2000.

To add to his woes Real Madrid were also close to letting him go before signing an extention to his contract in 2003. He now says he will retire at the club. A further boon to his career has come with the appointment of Inaki Saez as Spain coach, Salgado featuring in 13 of the first 15 of Spain matches under Saez.

The gritty Galician, who is married to a former Real president's daughter, was set to be a fearsome feature down Spain's right flank at Euro 2004 but saw his dreams shattered when he picked up a thigh injury on the eve of the tournament.