Date of birth: 17.05.1981Height: 1,74
Nationality: England
Position: Midfield - Central Midfield
Foot: right
Nickname: Ossie
Chant: Leon, Leon, Leon...
Leon is a technically gifted player who plays for us mostly down the right hand side or central midfield.
Did You Know? Leon could play for Turkey or Cyprus!
Osman was born in Billinge Higher End, Wigan in Greater Manchester to a Turkish Cypriot father and an English mother. He grew up in Skelmersdale and Huyton, on Merseyside, attending Up Holland High School and Winstanley College.
He joined the Everton Academy and was part of the team that won the 1998 FA Youth Cup. Following the cup victory Osman sustained a knee injury which kept him from playing for a year.
Osman was loaned to Carlisle United in October 2002, where he scored once in the league against Macclesfield Town and a brace against Oldham Athletic in the LDV Vans Trophy and was awarded Player of the Year by the club.
He was granted a one year extension to his Everton contract in the summer of 2003, but failed to break into the first team until the end of the 2003–04 season. Instead, he was again loaned out, this time to Derby County. He had an integral role in Derby's successful bid to avoid relegation, and manager George Burley tried to buy him from Everton.
Instead, Osman returned to his parent club with three games remaining in Everton's season. Manager David Moyes gave Osman his first start, against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he scored within three minutes of his debut.
Osman became a first team regular in 2004–0 playing on the right wing of a 4–1–4–1 formation. He finished the season with seven goals including two in a game against Aston Villa.
In the 2005–06 season Moyes at first preferred his new signing Simon Davies to Osman but in time he re-established himself in the team and put Davies down the pecking order. He was an established first team regular by 2006–07, a season in which made 37 appearances and scored three goals.
His start to the 2007–08 season began with two goals in consecutive wins against Wigan Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur. His appearance in the starting 11 for Everton is threatened by the arrival of South African loan-signing Steven Pienaar.
Both players play diminutive roles but are considered to possess excellent close control and touch, with Pienaar already contributing a game-clinching goal at home to Middlesbrough.
Osman scored the second goal in Everton's 3–1 UEFA Cup Group Stage win over Larissa of Greece on 25 October 2007 at Goodison Park, striking Steven Pienaar's flick into the net from 22 yards and helping Everton to the top of the group.
He subsequently won the Everton Goal of the Season Award for this superb strike. Osman then followed this with a goal against Norwegian opposition SK Brann to set up a 2–0 1st leg lead on 13 February 2008. He then scored against Wigan in a 4–0 victory.
Leon Osman scored both goals in Everton's 2–0 win over Fulham on the final day of the season to secure Everton 5th place in the Premier League for 08/09.
The following season Osman captained Everton for the first time in the 4–0 Carling Cup victory away at Hull City. He marked the occasion by scoring a goal in the second half to take the score to 4–0 and cap off Everton's victory.
In the 2010-2011 season Everton started off badly which has been a trend in recent years. But towards the second half of the season Everton went on a good run and Osman began to show why he is so important for the team.
He scored the equaliser in 2-1 over Newcastle United in early March and then went on to score a goal against Aston Villa in 2-2 draw.
Osman was then named man of the match in two successive games in April. First he was instrumental in a 3-0 win at Wolves and then managed to get his name on the scoresheet in 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers. Osman continued to impress in the remaining games of the season and scored a brilliant headed winner in a 2-1 win at home to Manchester City. This form earned rave reviews off Everton manager David Moyes.
Osman was given his first England cap in November 2012 when he was called up to play an international friendly against Sweden.
Osman signed a new long term contract with Everton in the summer of 2013.
