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Barring the country of origin and having 11 on-field players, there's barely any common ground between cricket and football.
However, both these sports enjoy a massive fan following with England being the most successful team in cricket as well as football.
Having won the football World Cup back in 1966 under the leadership of Bobby Moore, England also managed to break their deadlock in cricket by grabbing the 2019 Cricket World Cup under Eoin Morgan.
Coincidentally, both these events took place on England's home-soil. The same proves the unconditional love that both cricket and football enjoy in England.
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Even though there are other nations like Australia, Netherlands, South Africa among others who play both sports, they are nowhere near to what England has achieved.
Other than the aforementioned facts, the two worlds don't collide in any other aspect. However, in this article, we are about to discuss a handful of footballers who have plied their trade in cricket as well. Please read below;
Five footballers who were also good at cricket
#5 James Milner
Would you believe if you heard James Milner was a recognized talent in football, cricket and long-distance running at the same time?
Though we all know the sport he eventually chose, Milner was a promising cricket talent during his youth days. The Liverpool number seven played for the Yorkshire Schools cricket team and for the local team Horsforth. The England international has hinted at a return to cricket post-retirement from football.
A regular face in Cricket x Football amalgamations, James Milner has left us all in awe with his professional-style batting as well as bowling. He took part in the New Balance cricket event alongside Liverpool teammates Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Gomez.
#4 Gary Neville
We can certainly say that Gary Neville is no amateur in cricket.
From having experienced productive youth days in cricket to donning the role of a commentator on the fourth day of the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford last year, Neville has shown his prowess in a different ball game altogether.
Before embracing football on a full-time basis, the then 17-year-old Gary Neville shared the crease with — overseas star and future Australian Test batsman and veteran — Matthew Hayden for a local club called Greenmount CC in 1992.
Together they shared a partnership of 236 runs. Gary Neville once revealed, cricket toughened him up a lot more than football. The former Manchester United stalwart admires the Australian cricket team.
#3 Gareth Barry
One of the most sought-after Premier League players of his generation, Gareth Barry turned to cricket to enjoy his retirement days from football.
Rather than considering it just a pastime activity, the former Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton midfielder has aced his role as an allrounder for the Alcestertown-based Temple Grafton Cricket Club.
After announcing his retirement while at West Brom just last year, the then-39-year-old turned to cricket on a full-time basis and has cemented his spot as a middle-order batsman for Temple Grafton.
I loved playing at school. Twenty-odd years of not playing cricket and then I played a couple at the end of last season, but I’ve played 18 games in a row this summer in the local village, to keep that team sort of thing going — Gareth Barry about his life after football.
#2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's love for cricket is no secret. Other than football, the sport in which he excelled the most, Alex proved to be a naturally gifted sportsperson after having displayed brilliance in Cricket and Rugby union.
The former Arsenal forward played as a wicketkeeper, bowler and opening batsman with South East Hampshire. Due to his skill set, he was offered trials as a wicketkeeper-batsman with Hampshire, which had to be turned down as the same conflicted with his youth footballing duties.
In his final year at school, Chamberlain scored a half-century in every game he played, that too with an impressive batting average. Fans got a glimpse of Chamberlain's cricketing skills after seeing the star play cricket at Arsenal and Liverpool as part of a brand collaboration.
While at Arsenal, he showed-off his bowling skills alongside Ryan Ten Doeschate and Ravi Bopara from Essex County Cricket Club, with the latter being capped playing for England.
At Liverpool, he exhibited great batting alongside Jordan Henderson and England's pace powerhouse Jimmy Anderson versus teammates Joe Gomez, James Milner and England all-rounder Moeen Ali.
#1 Harry Kane
Harry Kane, the Premier League's most celebrated player at the moment, has shared his love for cricket on several occasions.
The England captain's interview with the Indian cricket team captain, and one of the best around — Virat Kohli, was circulated all over the internet. The legends of their respective sports exchanged mutual love for football and cricket and also the admiration for each other.
Harry Kane, alongside England's spin-maestro Mooen Ali and pacer Stuart Broad, displayed some fine batting skills in an ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) event.
Kane mostly enjoys playing indoor cricket.
