#2 Jean-Marc Bosman
If controversially throwing a spanner into the works is part of the criteria to make this list, then Jean-Marc Bosman is an essential inclusion. While the aforementioned Pelé revolutionised the game on the pitch, Belgian Bosman did his best to do the same off of it.
On 15th December 1995, the European High Court of Justice passed what would be known as the ‘Bosman Ruling’ - football and player power really hasn’t been the same since.
Five years prior to this, Jean-Marc Bosman had been left angered and despondent after his desire to move from FC Liege to Dunkirk was dealt a massive blow. Liege wanted to keep Bosman and so slapped on an almighty asking price which ultimately caused Dunkirk to pull out of any deal. Bosman took Liege to court and quickly crafted the ‘Bosman Ruling’ which entailed the free movement of players between clubs and EU countries. From this point onwards, players could run down their contract at one club and then move freely to another.
As with any gigantic shift from the status-quo, the Bosman Ruling was met with a sense of hostility from some but nonetheless it remains an iconic legal alteration in the game’s history. Jean-Marc himself has had a difficult twenty-or-so years since, spiralling into depression and alcholism, but his legacy lives on and Sportskeeda is pleased to have heard recently that the 52-year-old is on the up.
