Owen Hargreaves profile

Owen Hargreaves continues to star for Bayern Munich and his versatility has again seen him included in a major tournament for England.

Always a willing runner and capable of operating in numerous different positions, Hargreaves is a favourite of Sven Goran Eriksson, although he is mainly deployed as a substitute.

"Owen Hargreaves has changed a lot in a very positive direction. His game is much more effective now and he has become a vital member of the team."
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Germany will then be his third major tournament as he continues to accrue a wealth of experience at both club and international level.

The Canadian-born Hargreaves opted to represent England and quickly made the progression from Under-21 to senior level - making his debut against Holland in 2001.

Hargreaves joined Bayern Munich in 1997 and is a big favourite with the Bavarians after starring in their 2000 UEFA Champions League victory, while he also has a number of German title and cup winners' medals.

Blessed with a great engine and handy at set-play delivery, Hargreaves will play anywhere he is asked and always gives 100 percent in any role.

Hargreaves seems to be on the verge of moving to England every summer, but he has continually opted to shun the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool to remain with the German giants.

The 25-year-old penned a four-year contract extension in October 2005 as he settled on life in Germany, and another league and cup double followed as his Bayern success story continues.

Destined to start on the bench, Hargreaves is assured of being one of the first players Eriksson looks to when making a change, and he has already showed he can handle the biggest stage.