3) Juninho: Middlesbrough (1996/97)
In 1995, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder from Brazil who barely stood five-and-a-half feet tall shocked the world when he signed for Middlesbrough. Osvaldo Giroldo Junior (aka Juninho Paulista) had been a target for a number of clubs across Europe and it was the Teessiders who convinced him to sign the dotted line when they paid £4.75m for his services.
The fans loved him, the kids adored him and the pundits raved about him. Nicknamed The Little Fella, he did not let stardom get to his head and even played football with kids on the streets of the city when he had the chance.
In his first season, he managed to score twice. But it was his second season with the club that saw him develop into a major prospect for the Brazilian national team. In 36 league games, he scored 10 times – behind new signing Fabrizio Ravanelli’s 16 goals. Boro also reached the finals of the FA Cup and League Cup thanks to Juninho’s exploits, eventually losing both to Leicester City and Chelsea respectively.
However, a hastily postponed fixture without prior notice earlier in the season had seen Boro docked three points by the FA and it proved to be too costly as the club eventually finished 19th. If not for the punishment, Boro would have finished 16th.
A draw on the final day of the season confirmed their relegation and Juninho was inconsolable. He was a player who gave it his all for Boro and it endeared him to the fanbase who still consider him one of their greatest players as he returned for two more stints.
