Childhood is perhaps the most special time in a person’s life. No matter the amount of atrocity one has to face during their early years, childhood is the only period in one’s life where the innocence of a person seeps out endlessly.
After that, we grow up and life seems to turn complicated. It is almost as if you were drawing a straight line, but by the time you grow up and look back, you have actually created a complex maze that you can’t seem to find your way out of.
For some adults, football is one of the mediums that flashes out the rawest of emotions in a person. Despite the intricacy of growing up, football allows us to escape the maze temporarily and become naïve like children once again.
So what do we get when we mash up football and childhood? Adorable pictures of our favourite footballers, of course! Since there are so many footballers, there will be a series of articles on revealing the unlimited cuteness of footballers when they were kids.
And here are 10 footballers for part one of footballers and their childhood pictures.
Note: All the pictures were taken from the blogspot site footballplayerschildhoodpics.
Alessandro Del Piero
Perhaps the greatest playmaker-forward in Juventus’ modern era, Alessandro Del Piero was not only a great player, but also a Juventus loyalist. Not many top players would choose to play in the second division after their team gets relegated as a punishment for being found guilty in match-fixing scandals.
However, Del Piero stayed on and helped his love get back to the first division. You could see the devotion in his eyes in this baby picture of him. These are the eyes of a romantic that would do anything for the love of his life. Fortunately for Juve, ‘Ale’ fell in love with the Old Lady.
Pepe
There is a general consensus among fans that the Portuguese defender is a monster without a soul. After his brutal assault of then Getafe player, Javi Casquero, he became somewhat of an outcast in the football fraternity—a status which was further amplified after the Portuguese consciously stamped on the hand of Lionel Messi.
But guess what? Pepe may have a vile part in him, but he was just as innocent as any other child during his early years. This picture perfectly resembles that and is a farcry from the Pepe that most think they know.
It’s alright, you can put jaw back in its place now.
Theo Walcott
The Englishman was once dubbed as the next best thing in English football after impressing in the youth ranks of Southampton. Arsene Wenger saw that the kid had potential and signed without hesitation and immediately haded him the iconic number 14 shirt. Years later, Walcott may not have lived up to his potential, but he is one of the key players in Arsenal’s squad.
And look at him in this picture! He looks so innocent and happy! One could totally imagine him being among the ‘soft’ ones who would rarely ever retaliate. Now, however, try to get into his face during a game and it won’t end all that well.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
If one has the faintest of ideas about the type of person the Swede legend, she/he will have an amazing time looking at this picture. ‘What?! Is this really him?! Haha! Wow!’ is the type of reaction that is certain to pop up in the mind.
The Manchester United striker is one of football’s greatest maverick who is known for his unapologetic and outspoken personality. Hence, witnessing him as a child of nothing but seeping innocence is something that is sure to put a smile on your face.
Fernando Torres
As a fully grown man, Fernando Torres is someone for whom the ladies swoon over thanks to his handsome face and fit physical structure. The former Liverpool forward was once—and perhaps still is—the heartthrob of many female fans due to his looks.
Hence, it is of little wonder that the Rojiblanco striker looked so cute as a child. It won’t be surprising if the former Chelsea striker suffered from a lot of cheek pain growing up due to the insane amount of pinches it had to face.
Gerard Pique
What do you envisage when you hear the name of Gerard Pique? A Madrid-hating Catalan defender who has Barca running through his blood? Yes, you are definitely right if this what comes to your head. Even as a child, you could see his love for the Camp Nou outfit—and it is only natural for that to happen.
Despite the fact that his mother shares her surname with the great Santiago Bernabeu, His entire family are Barcelona fans and it is of no wonder that he loves to mock Real Madrid in the name of banter—something he may have done even as an innocent and adorable kid.
Mario Gotze
Who would have thought that this kid would go on to become the man whose goal in the final of the 2014 World Cup would help Germany win its fourth title? Destiny is supreme and it was perhaps because of this that the Dortmund star had his name etched in eternity.
With overloaded cuteness and beauty in those eyes, what could have been predicted with the utmost ease was Mario Gotze’s lady-killing ability as a grown man. Also, is that a Barca kit that he is wearing in the second picture?! Barcelona, make your move!
Didier Drogba
One of the first words to spring in the mind after hearing the name of the legendary Ivory Coast striker is: Beast. The former Chelsea man was a menace for many defenses during his time in the Premier League as he consistently haunted them with his unparalleled physical abilities.
However, the Beast was also a child once! In fact, he is not even close to a beast here: he looks like an angel sent by God to lift the name of Chelsea in the football fraternity. And he did precisely what he was sent for.
Kaka
At his prime, he was the best footballer on the face of the planet and the last player to win the Ballon d’Or before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi took over the reins for what seems like forever. The Brazilian star has a face that could be labeled as the art of God, so it is only natural for him to be one of the cutest footballers ever as a child.
I mean, just look at him—don’t you want to just pinch his cheeks? In fact, aren’t you already trying to do that from your screen? I know I did and I won’t believe you if you told me that you didn’t.
Lionel Messi
When you look at his childhood pictures, you can’t help but think that he hardly looked like someone who would go on to become the best player ever, arguably, of the beautiful game. The Argentine was a timid, shy figure and was always the smallest player in his team.
He was so cute that it makes me wonder as to how he wasn’t spotted by some Hollywood agent and signed on a child artist contract for commercials or movies. Actually, thank goodness that he wasn’t—otherwise we would have missed out on witnessing something we are probably never going to see again.
So this is it for now. We will be back soon with part two, so watch this space!
