5 players who had a special bond with their club

Maldini has left an unparalleled legacy in Italy.
Maldini has left an unparalleled legacy in Italy

Football is witnessing a renaissance of its own presently. The game has become seamless and attracts interest from every corner of the world. The culture of the game has changed alarmingly.

The clubs are on a hunt of instant glory and dominance. There is absolutely zero scope for error in the modern cut-throat competition. Every season the clubs pour millions into signing new players in the transfer market.

However, when turning the back pages, there is always a sense of contentment among the football fans. The romance of the game, its loyal players, its passionate fans were something even the rivals couldn't fail to acknowledge.

Football was actually more than just a matter of life and death. The game has been privileged to witness some devoted players who shared a special bond with their clubs. A bond which was seraphic. A bond which was beguiling.

We take a look at the journeys of some players who went from being "a promising youngster" to "the club legend" in the same colours.


#5 Paolo Maldini - AC Milan

It is said that the difference between a good and a great defender is that the former isn't afraid of throwing himself at challenges while the latter avoids any such situation where he has to throw himself to challenges.

On that note, Maldini was the greatest defender football has ever seen. He had pace, versatility, strength, crossing and tackling abilities, game-reading skills; everything one wishes for in a defender.

Maldini made his first senior appearance for AC Milan at the age of 16. He played in over 1,000 professional matches during his 25 seasons at Milan and won everything at the club and national level. He was the first defender to have been nominated for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award.

He won seven Serie A titles and five European titles with Milan in the process. The Italian announced his retirement at the end of the 2008-09 season. His last appearance for Milan, and his last game as an active player, was a 2–0 win against Fiorentina on 31 May 2009.

At the age of 41, Maldini hung up his boots. Milan have retired the iconic number #3 jersey of the legend. The game would probably never see a player of Maldini's calibre again.

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#4 Xavi - FC Barcelona

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Xavi was a much loved name among the fans.

If playing in the midfield is an art then Xavi was the Picasso of it. Widely considered to be one of the greatest central midfielders of all time, Xavi is viewed as being the embodiment of the tiki-taka passing style of play.

Rising through the ranks in La Masia, Xavi made his first team debut for FC Bacrelona in 1998. The midfielder was an extraordinary reader of the game. His ability to control the tempo of the game earned him the sobriquet, "The Puppet Master".

Xavi's precision on the ball allowed him to dictate the flow of the game while barely relinquishing possession. He played an important role in Spain's World Cup triumph in South Africa.

On 25 April 2015, Xavi made his 500th La Liga appearance. The Spaniard had announced his departure from the club at the end of 2014-15 season. Xavi's final appearance for the club came in the final of UEFA Champions League against Juventus on 6th June, 2015.

In his 17 year spell at Barcelona, he won 31 trophies consisting of eight league titles and four Champions League titles. He was named as the La Liga midfielder of the year for three consecutive seasons (2009,10,11) and was a part of UEFA Team of the Year for five consecutive years (2008-12).

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#3 Paul Scholes - Manchester United

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Paul Scholes had a glowing career with Manchester United

Known for his fluent passing and tactical reading of the game, Scholes was in every sense a complete midfielder. His technical skills and long shooting range made him a constant threat on the ball even if he was 30 yards away from the goal.

In the words of Xavi himself, Scholes was his role model. Paul Scholes was the most iconic midfielder of his generation. Players like Zidane, Thierry Henry and Socrates have hailed the Englishman to be the best midfielder they had ever seen.

Scholes made his first-team debut in 1994 for Man United and was unstoppable from that moment. He made 719 appearances for the club and scored 155 goals in his club career.

In 2011, the midfielder had announced his retirement from club football. However, he reversed his decision in January, 2012 and came back to play for Man United. His contribution to Manchester United and football is immeasurable.

In his 21 year spell with the club, he went onto lift 25 trophies and left an unmatched legacy behind. His retirement came on the last day of the 2012-13 season where he lifted his 11th Premier League trophy.

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#2 Steven Gerrard - Liverpool

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Anfield bid an emotional farewell to their skipper

For everything Steven Gerrard has given to football and Liverpool FC, he deserves the second spot on the list. Unarguably the greatest midfielder and skipper of all time, Gerrard was a sensation.

The Liverpool legend was known for his leadership, his quality on the ball, his commitment, his reading of the game, his set-pieces, his 30-yard screamers and the list would go on and on. The Englishman made his debut for the club in 1998.

He made 710 appearances for the Reds and netted 186 goals. His precision on set pieces was sublime. Gerrard has some fabulous goals in his arsenal over his playing career. In the famous "Miracle of Istanbul", Steven Gerrard was named the Man of the Match.

Gerrard hadn't won a Premier League trophy all his career, until 2014 where Liverpool were just 3 points away from claiming the champions tag. But as it is said, not every story has a happy ending. Gerrard's mistake at Anfield against Chelsea led to a goal which Liverpool never managed to equalise.

Eventually, Liverpool failed to bid the perfect farewell to their legend. On 1 January 2015, Gerrard announced that he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season.

In his 18 year spell at the club, he had won nine major honours and was a part of PFA Team of the Year on eight separate occasions. Gerrard could easily have won an EPL title, given the interest from England's elites in the player, but the legend opted to stay and fight with his club.

The only feather missing from his glittering crown was the Premier League trophy.

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#1 Francesco Totti - AS Roma

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Totti was given a sensational farewell by the fans

Any list about loyalty would be void if it does not carry the name of legendary Francesco Totti on it. Totti, L'Ottavo Re di Roma (The Eighth King of Rome), Il Capitano (The Captain), and Il Gladiatore (The Gladiator).

Francesco Totti made his senior debut on 28 March 1993 for Roma at the age of 16. He was an elegant and technically gifted player with the versatility to play in any attacking role. Totti was often used as a winger, central midfielder, number 10 or a holdup striker.

He donned the number #10 jersey for Roma. Totti was renowned for his ball control, vision, creativity, and range of passing, as well as his ability to set the pace in midfield and provide through-balls for the forwards.

On 17 July 2017, Totti confirmed his retirement from professional football after serving 25 years in Italy. In his spell with the Italian side, he made 786 appearances and netted 307 times.

Totti's honours list is not as flashy as the rest but the player is known for his commitment to the club and the fans. He won five major titles with Roma including a glorious Serie A title in 2001. There could not be a love story better than this.

Totti's retirement was probably the last thing football fans had cried for.

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Honorable mentions to Frank Lampard, Ryan Giggs, Phillip Lahm or any other legends who should have featured on the list. Any list cannot determine the magnitude of loyalty a player has towards the club.

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Edited by Amit Mishra