PABLO BARRERA
Born: 21 June 1987, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
Former clubs: Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas de la UNAM)
Mexico winger Pablo Barrera is widely considered to be one of the most exciting prospects in Mexican football.
Two-footed, quick as lightning and blessed with the ability to go past his opponent with ease, Barrera made his name playing for Mexican side UNAM Pumas, where he won the league title in 2009.
Already capped more than 30 times at senior international level, Barrera helped his nation to lift the CONCACAF Gold Cup in summer 2011 before being loaned to Spanish side Real Zaragoza in August of the same year.
2011/12
Appeared in pre-season matches against Wycombe Wanderers and Real Zaragoza...Appeared as a second-half substitute in the 1-0 home npower Championship defeat by Cardiff City on 7 August 2011...Loaned to Real Zaragoza for the 2011/12 season on 26 August 2011...Made his Real Zaragoza debut in a 6-0 home Primera Division defeat by Real Madrid CF on 28 August 2011.
2010/11
Signed for West Ham United from Mexican Premier Division side Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas de la UNAM) on a four-year contract with a one-year option for £4m on Friday 16 July 2010...Made his first appearance in the pre-season friendly away to Ipswich Town on 31 July and his competitive debut off the bench in the 3-0 Barclays Premier League defeat by Aston Villa on 14 August...Made his full West Ham United debut in the 3-1 home Barclays Premier League defeat by Bolton Wanderers on 21 August 2010…Made 14 Barclays Premier League appearances, six of them starts…Started four of West Ham United's Carling Cup ties, including the 4-0 fifth-round win over Manchester United on 30 November 2010…Started twice and appeared three times in total in the FA Cup…Totalled 21 appearances in all competitions…Made three Barclays Premier Reserve League appearances, all of them starts.
International career
Capped by Mexico at Under-20 and senior level…Played five times and scored twice as Mexico reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada in 2007…Made his senior Mexico debut in a 3-2 friendly defeat by Guatemala in Los Angeles on 17 October 2007…Helped Mexico to lift the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States…Appeared three times as Mexico qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup…Scored in the 5-0 friendly win over Bolivia in February 2010…Appeared as a substitute as Mexico lost 3-1 to England in a friendly at Wembley in May 2010…Appeared as a substitute in the Group A meetings with France and Uruguay and second round defeat by Argentina at the 2010 FIFA World Cup...Made seven friendly appearances for Mexico during the 2010/11 season, starting against Ecuador, Colombia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Venezuela (twice) and Paraguay and appearing as a substitute against Spain...Started Mexico's 5-0 Group A victory over El Salvador at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup...Scored Mexico's final goal in a 4-1 Group A victory over Costa Rica at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup...Scored twice in Mexico's 4-2 victory over United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final in Pasadena, California on 25 June 2011.
Before West Ham United
Joined Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas de la UNAM) at the age of eleven…Made his first-team debut for Pumas in a 3-1 defeat by Tigres on 19 November 2005…Scored his first senior goal for Pumas in the 2007 Apertura (Opening) championship against Monarcas Morelia…Suffered a knee ligament injury during a pre-season fixture with Atlante in the summer of 2008… Made 20 Clausura (Closing) championship appearances in the first half of 2009, scoring the extra-time goal that secured the title for Pumas with a 3-2 aggregate win over Pachuca…Netted eleven goals and tallying five assists in 28 appearances during the 2009 Apertura and 2010 Bicentenario championships…Totalled 90 appearances and 21 goals for Pumas.
Any other business
Nicknamed 'Dynamite' in his homeland…His full name is Pablo Edson Barrera Acosta.