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Footballers go through several highs and lows throughout their careers. For some it's the personal accolades that matter, the moments of magic they wish to be remembered for. A few others love to thrive with the team in collective glory. Over the course of their careers, footballers are remembered for both good and bad reasons, such is the nature of this sport.
However, for someone who loves to kick a ball, it is particularly difficult to hang up their boots and look away from the field where they made their names. Retirement is a special moment, the last of one's essence in a competitive shirt in club or country colors. One can always relive it virtually as many times as they want, but the last goodbyes are fleeting moments that do not come twice.
Except for some, retirements do come twice. At least ceremonially they do, sentimentally it may or may not be the same. On that note, here are the five top players in football who came back from retirement.
#5 Romario
Brazil is home to some of the most extraordinary individuals to ever play football and Romario is right in the top tier of that list. Romario had his quirky style when the goal was in sight, and was especially known for his toe-pokes. The striker announced his retirement on 15th April, 2008.
The Brazilian came out of retirement to play for the America Football Club, where he was also part of the administration aiming to restructure the club. The legend's comeback was motivated by his late father's wishes, Edevair, who was a fan of the America Football Club.
The summer of 1994 was acknowledged as the epitome of Romario's career, when he led the Brazil national team to World Cup glory. Scoring five goals in that edition, Romario was named the tournament's best player. In his 33 appearances for Barcelona that season, he scored 30 goals in the Spanish top-flight and won the Pichichi trophy.
#4 Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is the closest they came to being the most complete footballer. Known for his shy and humble demeanor, Scholes was the winner of 12 Premier League titles with the Red Devils, the only club he ever served. At the Manchester United academy, he was part of the famous Class of 1992, which consisted of the Neville brothers, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Scholes himself.
The Englishman hung up his boots in 2011 and joined the Man United coaching staff. However, in the 2012-13 season, the Red Devils suffered an injury crisis with multiple players sidelined for a few good months. Sir Alex Ferguson looked at his coaching staff, there was his player, the "Ginger Ninja" who considered United the dearest and wouldn't let them suffer.
Seven months after his retirement, the midfielder was back in the Premier League, this time with No.22. Such was the fate that he made his comeback in the Manchester Derby in the FA Cup that United won 3-2. After that season, Scholes signed another one-year contract extension.
Finally, when Scholes was retired for the second time, he retired as the player who had scored in 19 consecutive Premier League seasons. The feat was only bettered by Ryan Giggs at 21. Interestingly, and not many would know this, Paul Scholes has 32 bookings in the Champions league, second only to Sergio Ramos!
#3 Zinedine Zidane
He came, he saw and he conquered. From his youth career to his final days as a player, whichever dressing room Zinedine Zidane stepped in, was aware of what the auro of greatness was like. When the French maestro joined his first Ligue 1 club, AS Cannes, he took their mediocre mid-table side straight to the fourth position.
After that, he climbed through the ranks from Bordeaux to Juventus and finally to Real Madrid where he fulfilled his dream of winning the Champions League. Zidane's left-footed volley in the 2002 Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen final is still considered one of the tournament's best goals of all time.
The 1998 World Cup is still sometimes called Zidane's World Cup. His display in the tournament was prolific and his brace in the final ensured that France became world champions for the first time.
The French superstar broke the news of his retirement from international football in August 2004. France had a World Cup to qualify for in 2006 and a mass retirement of seniors like Lilian Thuram, Claude Makele and Zidane himself only made the task Herculean.
Upon his coach Raymond Domenech's request, Zidane came out of retirement to lead his side to another World Cup final in 2006. For his final act on the biggest stage, the France captain headbutted Italy's Marco Materazzi as was sent off in a losing cause.
#2 Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff is one of the most prominent figures in football, not just for his heroics and sublimity on the field, but also for his part in developing football and making it a spectacle to watch. Cruyff was the manifestation of a supremely skilled and multi-purpose footballer.
The Dutchman was a sensation in the 1970s when Ajax won three consecutive Eurpoean Cups in 1971, 1972 and 1973. There was never a lapse in judgment, it was as if Cruyff had all the time up his sleeve when he never really needed any.
Cruyff announced his shock retirement in 1977 just before the 1978 World Cup, which was a big blow to the Dutch. Later in 1978, the talisman announced retirement from all forms of football. He lost all his money in futile investments after his retirement and due to the financial need, he had to come back and play again.
The Dutch maestro then signed with the Los Angeles Aztecs and played in the United States from 1978-1981. Cruyff realized that his talent was far from over and his engine was still up and running. He moved from the US to Spain where he had a brief spell with Levante.
After two more years of football in his homeland with Ajax, the Dutch legend said his final goodbyes to the game as a player in 1984 by joining Ajax's rivals Feyenoord. He helped them win the League and the League Cup that year.
#1 Lionel Messi
For many of his worshippers, Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time in football. But even for someone of his stature, not all has been hunky-dory at all times in his career. Especially when it came to his national side Argentina.
Messi first made his debut for Barcelona in 2003, in a friendly against Porto. Since then he has climbed to the summit of greatness in football, pulling some of the most unbelievable skills, dribbling past players with his feather feat and scoring stunners in a routine manner.
But while he enjoyed the time of his life with Barcelona, winning La Liga titles and Champions League trophies, Messi was unable to help Argentina win the Copa America.
Twice Argentina reached the finals of the coveted South American tournament and were second best both times to familiar opponents Chile. In 2016, it all boiled down to a penalty shootout which Chile won 4-2, with Messi himself missing from the spot.
The Argentina superstar was devastated and after losing four finals with the national team, the then 29 year-old declared that he wouldn't wear the La Albiceleste jersey again. However, in the same year Messi was called for Argentina's World Cup 2018 Qualifiers and he reversed his decision.
If it wasn't for that day, Messi wouldn't have realized his dream of winning the Copa America in 2021. Would Argentina have won it without him?
