5 football transfers that shocked the world

The transfer market is where teams go to fill in their weaknesses or to further strengthen a side which might be one piece away from a championship. Since the dawn of professional football, the transfer window has delivered to our fans some of the most exciting stories and moves across countries which are forever etched in history.

Over the past few years, the amount of money being spent on player transfers has reached an all-time high. This, in turn, has led to some big-money moves across major teams which no one saw coming.

In this list, we take a look at five of the most shocking transfers to ever take place. These transfers are famous (or infamous) due to the nature of the move, or the money involved, and a few of them changed the face of football as we know it today.

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5. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid to Juventus, 2018 (€100 million)

SS Lazio v Juventus - Serie A

No one ever really thought of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid - surely him and Lionel Messi would stay in the world's two biggest clubs in the same country and fight it out forever, right? Well, the script was not the same.

After winning his 4th Champions League with Real Madrid in five years, the Portuguese superstar decided to call it a day with the Los Blancos. His move to Serie A champions Juventus shook the entire footballing world, as one of the greatest players ever had left the greatest club at his peak.

Ronaldo was Real Madrid's best, and most adored player at the time of his departure, and the club has not been the same since he moved. Not only is this move significantly due to the star power involved, but also because it changed football - the Real Madrid dominance was effectively ended, whereas Juventus came one step closer to the Champions League, a trophy they have always coveted.

Moreover, it was effectively the end of football's greatest rivalry, as no longer would we be seeing Messi vs Ronaldo at least twice a year (if ever again).

Also check out: Premier League Table Champions League table La liga table 2019-20

4. Sol Campbell - Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal, 2001 (free transfer)

Sol Campbell made a move from Spurs to Arsenal, which sent shockwaves through England

2001 was not a good time for Tottenham Hotspur fans - then club captain Sol Campbell declined to renew his contract with the club, and chose instead to move away. His departure was not the topic of discussion, however, but rather the team he chose to go for. Campbell made the move from Spurs to their biggest rivals as he travelled across North London to join Arsenal Football Club, who were starting to achieve great things under Arsene Wenger.

The defender's reasoning was simple - he wanted to win trophies, and he did not think that Spurs were in a position to do that. As such, a move to Arsenal made the most sense. However, football is not as black and white to fans as it is to a few players. The former Spurs' captain move was met with horror from the Spurs faithful, and he was at the end of some homophobic and racial chants which are never warranted.

Campbell was part of the famous Arsenal Invincibles' squad, so his ambition was ultimately met. However, that does not change the fact that his decision is one of the most treacherous acts we have seen this century.

3. Neymar - Barcelona to PSG, 2017 (€222 million)

Neymar's departure from Barcelona changed the transfer market

If Paul Pogba's move from Juventus to Manchester United inflated the transfer market, Neymar's move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain blew it wide open. This move away from one of the biggest clubs in the world to the Ligue 1 champions is historic and shocking for several reasons.

Firstly, Barcelona was one of Neymar's dream clubs growing up in Brazil. The forward won the treble with the Catalan club and formed a deadly partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. No one expected the Brazilian to leave, but apparently, he wanted to move away from the massive shadow that Messi cast. At the time of his departure, Neymar was the third-best player in the world, and his move changed Barcelona and PSG.

The former has not won the Champions League since Neymar left, whereas the latter might go all the way soon if the Brazilian can find his old form again. Secondly (and more importantly), the massive amount of €222 million which PSG paid for Neymar's services broke the transfer market.

The Paris based club set a precedent that unnatural amounts of cash have to be thrown around to buy the best of the best, and that trend has continued. Since Neymar's move, the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Joao Felix (who were teenagers at the time of their transfer) have been sold for over €150 million.

Goalkeeper such as Alisson Becker and defenders such as Harry Maguire have also been sold for amounts which would have been as ridiculous not five years ago. Due to these reasons, Neymar's inclusion here is warranted.

2. Mo Johnston - Nantes to Rangers, 1989 (£1.9 million)

Mo Johnston's move to Ranger is as historic as it was shocking at the time

This transfer is not shocking due to the transfer fees or the star power involved, but rather the cultural significance. A former Celtic player, Mo Johnston made over 100 appearances for the club before moving to Nantes in 1987. Two years later, he declined a move back to his old club and opted to join their biggest rivals Rangers instead.

Celtic vs Rangers (the Old Firm Derby) is one of the biggest rivalries in the world. The Celtic support largely comprises of Catholics, whereas the Rangers fans are primarily Protestant Christians. Johnston was an openly Catholic man who chose to join the Rangers - this decision made him the first-ever high-profile Catholic signing to play for the club since World War 1, as well as only the second player to cross the Old Firm Divide.

From the early 20th century onwards, Catholics had not been knowingly signed by Rangers, nor employed in other prominent roles as an 'unwritten rule' which the club followed. After Johnstone's signing, loyal Protestants vowed never to return to Ibrox, and staunch Catholics burnt effigies of Mo for promising to re-sign for them (from Nantes) before spurning his old club at the 11th hour for their deadly rivals.

The Scottish international would score a late winner for Rangers in the Old Firm Derby, which softened the Protestants' attitude towards their star striker. Since Johnston's signing, an influx of overseas footballers have contributed to Catholic players becoming commonplace at Rangers. In hindsight, what the striker did was not only brave, but it set a precedent going forward and has changed the rivalry.

1. Luis Figo - Barcelona to Real Madrid, 2000 (€62 million)

Luis Figo's move to Real Madrid is easily the most shocking transfer ever

A case can be made for El Clasico being the greatest club rivalry to exist in any sport. Not only is it the Catalans vs the Spaniards, but it is also two of the best clubs of all times going against each other for domestic, and European dominance. The match has always been heated and has featured some of the game's greatest names ever.

Due to all these reasons, a move from either team to the other is considered as a taboo, and anyone who dares to do it faces the brunt of millions. As such, when world-class forward Luis Figo moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid, the footballing world was left in a state of shock for years and years.

The move was not only very expensive (it set a world record at the time), it was also extremely controversial. Everyone knew Barcelona fans would be livid at Figo's decision, but no one quite anticipated the level of that anger. Figo became the new focus of the Barcelona–Real Madrid rivalry, with Barcelona fans feeling betrayed by his transfer and turned against him.

He won the Ballon d'Or that year as Madrid player, but the performances which led to him winning the award came mostly in a Barcelona shirt. The Portuguese's arrival also ushered in the "Galacticos" Era, with the best players in the world arriving in Madrid year after year for the next few seasons.

Whenever Figo returned to Camp Nou, the response he got was something no one had ever witnessed before. He was kept away from the corner flag due to the fans behind him, and whenever he got the ball, over 80,000 people booed their lungs out. Whenever he touched the ball, a hail of oranges, cigarette lighters and bottles (the infamous pig’s head was thrown a year later) rained onto the pitch.

"Judas" and "scum" posters were spread across the stadium and barely has one player received this much heat from his former fans in the history of the game.