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English football has long faced an identity crisis and on the international scale too, their trophy cabinet has been barren for years. But the same cannot be said of the clubs in the English top flight. A combination of ambitious owners and impatient fans has resulted in prolific success for English clubs at the international level. The Heysel disaster surely put England on a different track compared to other European clubs, but the inception of the English Premier League and its rising popularity over the years coupled with the success of fabled clubs have brought English football to the forefront of world football once again. Were it not for the players from across the English Channel, English football wouldn’t have been what it is today. The amount of money spent on European players by English clubs knows no bounds. They are the eye-catchers, they are the elusive ones. They are the ones that wealthy owners and big clubs try to rope in at the very first glance.
Looking at European players that set the stage alight in England, the very first names that crop up are the likes of Eric Cantona, David Ginola, Gianfranco Zola, Peter Schmeichel, Jurgen Klinsmann, Dan Petrescu, Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud Gullit, Patrik Berger, Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira. These superstars opened the door for further European influx into the Premiership over the coming years and lifted the profile of the English domestic game. These stars laid down the marker with their artistry, persona and panache. Zola was a real crowd charmer while the controversial Cantona’s football tale still rings in the ears of many a fan.
The late 90s and early 2000s brought us the finest generation of players ever to grace the Premier League pitches. Legendary, world class players of the ilk of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Marc Overmars, Denis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Petit, Patrick Vieira, Jens Lehmann adorned the Premiership. They were monumental figures, and raised the bar for the coming generations. Peter Schmeichel, Marcel Desailly, Dietmar Hamann, Paolo Di Canio, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Pedro Mendes were few of the unheralded stars that arrived in English shores and were worth their weight in gold.
The turn of the millennium brought an increasing influx of foreign stars to England. With England catching up with the rest in the money spinning, lucrative Champions League and the 1999s success of Manchester United in the competition, many a European star arrived at various English clubs. England was to see something new in the form of Spaniards as flamboyant, flair players like Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia, Mikel Arteta, Jose Antonio Reyes, Gaizka Mendieta graced the stage. They brought about a breath of fresh air in the physicality and coarseness of the English game. They were soon followed by compatriots Francesc Fabregas, Jose Reina, Fernando Torres, David Silva, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla among others.
The Iberian ripple effect brought on shore some quite brilliant Portuguese talents too. The advent of Jose Mourinho saw some of his favoured Portuguese stars being lured to England, most notably Ricardo Carvalho and Maniche. Arguably the best import of the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo, too found his way around England and Manchester specifically, when he was signed young and raw by Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo was a real treat to fans and neutrals alike, enthralling crowds with his pace, power, trickery and, most importantly, goals. His can be said to be one of the most significant European transfers to the Premier League. Another Portuguese, Deco made his presence felt in England as he spent a highly productive 2 years at Chelsea, winning the league and FA Cup.
The likes of Robin Van Persie, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Edwin Van der Sar, Jerzy Dudek, Aliaksandr Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, Andrei Arshavin, Dimitar Berbatov and Luca Modric turned quite a few heads with their artistry, guile and prowess. The impact they had in their respective clubs was immense and considering that they weren’t homegrown and had to adjust to newer surroundings, their achievements take even greater significance. Speaking of shellacking opponents and blowing fans’ minds, players like Van Persie, Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini, David Silva, Michu, Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa still do it week in week out.
These superstars continue to bring fans to their feet, and make admirers and pundits go gaga over them. Without these European imports or I would rather say European Delights, the English Premier League wouldn’t be where it is now. It would still be languishing in the lower echelons and English football would’ve been in tatters without them. They represent an integral part of the English football culture and no matter how many rules are sewn on home-grown quota, the so called European player is here to stay.
