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Being a modern day footballer comes with its own perks. Players at the highest level earn a fortune through wages and various other endorsement deals. They also receive recognition from all across the globe. But what happens when things don't go their way?
In today's world of social media trials and hate campaigns, it is not easy being a footballer. One mistake or a below-par performance and the world can make you feel like the rug has been swept from under your feet.
As the pressure mounts, it's always difficult for players to bring out their best form. But some players seem to feed off it. They tend to use criticism and hate as fuel to elevate their performances. There are few things that are more exciting to watch for football fans than their favorite player silencing his critics.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five footballers who love proving their critics wrong.
#5 Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
Jordan Henderson's profile was quite fitting for a bit-part player in a Premier League side. He does not do much of the flashy stuff that wins fans over easily and can be an easy target for when things go wrong.
Henderson has been written off so many times in his career that it's quite astounding that he is currently the captain of one of the best teams in Europe. He joined Liverpool in 2011 and questions were immediately asked about his £20 million price tag which was deemed too high at the time.
When Henderson was chosen as the captain following Steven Gerrard's exit, most fans were of the opinion that Henderson wasn't even fit to lace the former's boots.
Well, the Englishman has proved beyond any kind of doubt that he is an excellent leader. He has guided Liverpool to a Champions League title, a Premier League title and a Carabao Cup triumph over the past few seasons.
Henderson's career is full of instances where he has proved his doubters wrong. When Brendan Rodgers took charge of Liverpool, he did not rate Henderson. But the midfielder worked his way into the manager's good books and went on to play a crucial role in Liverpool's title challenge in the 2013-14 season.
Over the years, Henderson has also upgraded his skillset considerably and is no longer just a sideways passer or a decent recycler of possession. He plays some lovely defence splitting passes and also scores some great goals.
In 39 appearances across all competitions this term, Henderson has scored three goals and provided six assists.
#4 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
By now, we're well aware of the fact that if you back Raheem Sterling into a corner, he is going to come out swinging and most of his punches are going to land. Sterling has been subjected to harsh criticism and racist tirades in the papast,ut he's always managed to come out on top.
Even in the Manchester City setup, he has had to prove himself a number of times over the years. But Sterling has delivered time and again. There is a reluctance in England to accept the former Liverpool man as one of their most phenomenal attackers of all time.
There were calls for Sterling to be dropped from the squad for Euro 2020 after he suffered a dip in form at the business end of the 2020-21 season. However, Sterling ended up being one the Three Lions' best players in the continental competition.
He scored three goals and provided one assist in seven appearances as England made it to the final of Euro 2020. When Jack Grealish was roped in by Manchester City last summer, it looked like Sterling's spell at the Etihad was coming to an end. Sterling then took his limited opportunities with grit and grace and made himself important to the team again.
He has scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances across all competitions for City this season. Sterling continues to be one of the best attackers in the business.
#3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah is currently one of the best footballers on the planet. In fact, he is an early favorite to win the Ballon d'Or this year. But Salah's rise to the top was not something that anybody saw coming six years ago. When he was sold by Chelsea to Roma in 2016, it looked like he would become another player who failed to maximize his potential.
Salah was written off but he resurrected his career at Roma over the course of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. He scored 34 goals and provided 22 assists in 83 appearances for the Giallorossi before returning to the Premier League with Liverpool.
When the Merseysiders decided to spend £35 million on the winger who had already failed to impress in the Premier League, critics scoffed at the club. Nobody foresaw the sheer impact Salah would go onto have in his second stint in the English top-flight.
In his debut season for Liverpool, Salah broke the record for most goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season by netting 32. Detractors were still prepared to write him off as a one-season wonder. But Salah kept at it and has established himself as one of the most effective and consistent forwards in the game.
He guided Liverpool to the 2017-18 Champions League final before helping them win it the following season. Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice and is on course to win it for a third time this term. He was also instrumental in Egypt's run to the final of AFCON 2021.
He has scored a whopping 28 goals and provided 10 assists in 35 Premier League appearances and has been in sublime form in the ongoing campaign.
#2 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has been an elite footballer for almost a decade and a half now. The Frenchman has received plenty of undeserving criticism during his spell at Real Madrid but has now truly become a huge fan favorite.
Benzema has been forced to play out of position plenty of times in his career to accommodate Real Madrid's superstar attackers. The Frenchman has always kept his head down and worked hard for his side.
He has had phases where he lacked sharpness in front of goal but you can't blame a striker for not being clinical when he is only occasionally used as a number nine. Now that Real Madrid have let go of their superstar baggage, the Frenchman has shown why he is one of the greatest strikers of his generation.
Benzema has also done a spectacular job for France since returning to the national setup in 2021 after a six-year absence. The 34-year-old has been one of the most in-form players this term. He most recently scored a 17 minute hat-trick to help Real Madrid overcome the odds and beat PSG to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
In 33 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid this season, Benzema has scored 30 goals and provided three assists.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
The greatest players of all time have all shown incredible character in the face of adversity. There is no greater example of a player who thrives on silencing his critics than Cristiano Ronaldo. The man has been repeatedly criticized and written off multiple times in his career.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008. His eternal rival Lionel Messi went on to win it four times in a row after which fans and critics were of the opinion that the Argentine was miles ahead of Ronaldo. But Ronaldo responded by winning the Ballon d'Or four times in the next five years.
His incredible performances helped Real Madrid win the Champions League four times in the last decade. Ronaldo has come up clutch for both club and country so many times that it'll take an entire day to list all the times he has silenced his critics.
Ronaldo turned 37 in February and his form since the turn of the year had been abysmal up until the last weekend. The Portuguese international had scored just one goal in his last 10 games for Manchester United heading into last Saturday's game against Tottenham Hotspur.
He responded by producing one of his sharpest performances in recent times, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to help United win the game 3-2. There has always been an air of inevitability about Ronaldo's greatness and he continues to keep it up despite being in his late 30s.
