Kevin Kurányi (born March 2, 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is
a German-Panamanian (German-Brazilian) football (soccer) player,
who currently plays for the Bundesliga team Schalke 04.
He started his career in 1988 at the Portuguese club Serrano FC
Petropolis. In 1993 he transferred to Las Promesas Panama where
he had played for only one year before he went back to Serrano
FC Petropolis. But after two years (1996) Kevin changed again to
Las Promesas Panama where he played until 1997. Then he signed a
contract at the German football team VfB Stuttgart where he
spent a very successful time: After he had played 33 games (10
goals) for the amateur team he played 99 matches for the
professional team where he scored 40 goals. He also took part in
22 European team championship games and scored 10 goals. He left
his former club VfB Stuttgart during the transfer window in
summer 2005.
For the German national football team Kevin has played 35 times,
scoring 14 goals as of January 2006. He played for his adopted
country at Euro 2004, at the Confederations Cup 2005 and he will
attend at the world championship in Germany (2006).
Although born in the South American country of Brazil to a
Panamanian mother, he qualifies for Germany through his father,
a German of Hungarian extraction. His grandfather was born in
Budapest. His birthplace and ancestry would also have enabled
him to play for Brazil, Panama, or Hungary.