JOHANN VOGEL - SWITZERLAND

Date of birth: March 8, 1977
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Position: Midfielder
International debut: March 1995 vs. Greece

Johann Vogel is the type of player you don't notice at first but whose influence on the game is unmistakable.

The mercurial midfielder is a player of unquestionable class, combining sound defensive prowess and superb distribution skills. The 29-year-old Swiss national team captain also effectively retains possession of the ball in crowded areas and has a knack for releasing a teammate on a goal-scoring run with a timely and insightful pass.

As a youngster, Vogel joined amateur club FC Meyrin before quickly making the jump to the pros after signing with Grasshopper, one of the top teams in Switzerland's domestic league. It was at the Zurich-based club that Vogel first shined, debuting as a 16-year-old in 1992-93.

By his third season with Grasshopper, in 1994-95, he was a starter and won praise for his versatility — although he played primarily as a central defender, he was also used to great effect as a right fullback and central defensive midfielder.

In 1995, he led Grasshopper to its first of three Swiss league titles in four years and as an 18-year-old, he earned his first appearance for Switzerland's national team when he debuted against Greece.

1999 proved to be another watershed year in his career — he helped Grasshopper win another league title, was named captain of Switzerland and the 22-year-old made the move to one of Europe's top leagues when Dutch side PSV Eindhoven bought out his contract.

Vogel thrived in his new surroundings, winning a pair of Dutch league titles in his second and third season and helping the club reach the quarter-finals of the 2002 UEFA Cup.

Underlining his growing importance to the national team was the fact he played every minute in the qualifying round for Euro 2004. He was expelled in the opening game of the tournament, but managed to rebound two years later when he guided Switzerland through a successful qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup.

Another Dutch league title followed in 2003 and Vogel became one of three key players — Dutchmen Mark van Bommel and Phillip Cocu were the others — that were the backbone of a dangerous Eindhoven team that reached the semifinals of the 2005 Champions League and came within a hair's breath of upsetting AC Milan.

That same year Vogel helped PSV win the Dutch league and the Dutch Cup. Impressed with his play in the Champions League semifinals, AC Milan signed him at the start of the 2005-06 season on a free transfer.

Vogel didn't see much action in Italy this past year — not surprising for a team loaded with world-class midfielders — but when he did make an appearance, he impressed with his consistent play and solid, but often overlooked, defensive skills.

Unlike AC Milan, Switzerland will make full use of his unique skill set in Germany, as he tries to lead the Swiss beyond the opening round at the World Cup for the first time since 1954.