In these days of football being more of a business than a game, and money playing a huge part in the careers of players, loyalty is something that is becoming rarer and rarer each and every year.
But, every now and again, along comes a player whose loyalty and love for a club goes beyond anything money can offer.
Now, I'm not saying that all players who have played for more than one club aren't loyal. For example, Bobby Charlton was one of the most loyal players in Manchester United history, yet United weren't the only club he played for.
I fully understand that sometimes players want to leave their clubs, either because they are unhappy, or an offer comes in from their boyhood club, e.g Alan Shearer to Newcastle.
I also fully understand that some players need to leave to further their careers.
But this makes the one club men even easier to admire. They must have all gone through at least one of these phases in their career, yet they chose to stay.
I can think of perhaps one player who has played for one club his whole career that I dislike, and that is Gary Neville, for obvious reasons.
Other than him, everyone else's loyalty wins me over. Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes play for my club's arch-rivals Manchester United, yet I still like them. Perhaps this is what made people so upset at Cristiano Ronaldo throughout the summer with the Real Madrid rumours—that he was being compared to the loyalty of these two great players.
At Chelsea, you have John Terry, although he did spend a brief spell on loan at Nottingham Forest.
At Arsenal you had the likes of Tony Adams, and at Liverpool you have Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
All these players are cult heroes at their respective clubs. If I was a player, one thing at the top of my list of goals to accomplish in my career would be to become a cult hero.
- B/R Ticket Guide
You get the feeling also that most of these players, with the possible exceptions of John Terry and, as much as I hate to say it, Steven Gerrard, would take a pay cut if it meant still playing for their beloved clubs.
At this point a shout has to go out to the likes of Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluigi Buffon who, despite previously playing for other clubs, took a pay cut to stay at Juventus when they were relegated to Serie B.
Other current players from around Europe who have been loyal to their clubs include players such as Raul (Real Madrid), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), and Xavi (Barcelona).
But, in terms of complete loyalty, two stand above the rest. All the clubs listed above are highly successful. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Barcelona can easily pay enough to keep the talent there, and are successful enough for the talent to not get frustrated, unlike the clubs these two play for.
First up is AS Roma's Francesco Totti. Now, without Totti, Roma would, I think it's fair to say, have struggled to come anywhere near to any silverware. With Totti, however, they have managed two Italian Cups and even a Serie A title.
Totti has been at Roma now for 16 years, and is the top scorer and appearance maker in the club's history. Such was his quality that teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United made big money offers for him. Such was his loyalty that he turned them down.
He has been the golden boy in Italian football for almost a decade now, and, thanks to his loyalty and dedication, he must go down as the greatest player in Roma's history.
But, the next player dwarfs even Totti.
I speak of Southampton's Matt Le Tissier.
Now, Le Tiss is a player I rate very, very highly. In terms of midfielders, he is, in my opinion, the best the Premier League has ever seen. Yes, that includes Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard etc.
But Matt Le Tissier was unbelievably good. Most of the goals he scored would be ranked among the best ever, had they been scored by Maradona or Pele. He defines the phrase "scorer of spectacular goals."
His only weakness was that he seemed to drift out of games too often, and was considered a lazy player. It really is a grave injustice that he only has eight England caps to his name. He probably deserves 50+ Brazil caps!
But, what makes this man even more incredible, was the fact that he played his entire 16 year career with Southampton, a team constantly fighting relegation. Had he signed for one of the top teams, which he continually had the chance to do, he would be regarded much higher around the world than he is today.
In fact, I'm willing to bet that many of those reading this around the world haven't even heard of Le Tissier. If you haven't, check him out.
Matt Le Tissier is the shining example of football loyalty, and he should be applauded for that, as should everyone else mentioned above.
So here's a toast to the one club footballers!
To see a list of all the one club footballers, click here!
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about 1 month ago
Clicked on this article to see if my favourite player of all time was mentioned.
Seems the whole article is devoted to him. Kudos.
from about 1 month ago
I presume you mean Le Tiss? Absolute legend, and he's too often overlooked!
about 1 month ago
Interesting read, Barney, but I think loyalty in today's game is very much a mutual thing. There are many instances today where a player will leave a club not because he wants to, but simply because the player is no longer considered "good enough" to fulfill the ambition of the club. Thus, they sell him off. Despite that they may have wanted to remain at a club longer, or "see out" their career with a club, they get shipped out for cash, rather than having them rot in the reserves and collecting their wages.
It doesn't happen often at the "big clubs," I suppose, but I can think of several recent instances (like with Gary O'Neil) that this occurred at my club (Portsmouth).
from about 1 month ago
Yeh I appreciate that, after all, if it comes to saving your career or staying with youre boyhood club, most are going to choose their career, understandably, I just have huge respect for those who choose the latter!
about 1 month ago
Great article Barney but you forget to mention one man ...................Iker Casillas , he is playing at his beloved Real Madrid , Granted he has no reason to leave bbecause hes at the biggest club in the world technically ( Man u are the biggest for real ) :0) , anyway , while his team mates were on 6 ad 7 million a season , Casillas was on 400 K a season , and never asked for more money , and never wanted it , it was a gesture to show his loyalty to his club who he supports because he knows he is the luckiest boy in Madrid . eventually the club made him take his pay rise to come up with everyone else and coz he won the euros with spain so hes number 1 in europe , but I think hed still be happy on 400 k a year .
I still think your spot on tho , I mean Stevie G never thought about the Chelsea move , it was just media speculation , if there is one thing i can give stevie , then its respect , he knows he is living every scouse lads dream and if it came to it hed play for you for nothing , id play for United for nothing as well .
from about 1 month ago
Ah yes Casillas of course! He certainly ranks high among the most loyal players. Another shining example of not caring about the money, just caring about the game!
from about 1 month ago
Thats right , I walked into a shop in southern spain to buy a Real Madrid shirt , I saw the Goalkeeper Jersey and said to the woman " Casillas " in a chanting voice and she hugged me and my girlfriend and asked me to swap my Beckham shirt for a brand new Casillas shirt , I realised what a hero he is there .
Completely Agree with you on Le Tissier too , that guy was a talented player and he was loyal to the Saints even though they were crap , except for wen they hammered us by 6 . I blame those grey shirts tho ha ha :0)
about 1 month ago
Thanks for a quality read Barney, five star effort for sure.
It is to your credit you can appreciate quality players like Giggs even though they play for a rival squad.
from about 1 month ago
Cheers J C! Giggs is up there with my favourite players of all time, and when it comes to respecting players, rivalry doesn't really come in to it with me!
about 1 month ago
How many times in your life will you be able to say two of the best players in the world are playing in Italy's second division??? ADP and Gigi get the utmost amount of respect from me for staying loyal to Juve during the whole match fixing scandal. Two of the classiest players in the business.
from about 1 month ago
Exactly my thoughts Danny. It shows that they care more about the football than the money, which is why I found the rumnours of Man City going after Buffon stupid. He played in Serie B, and took a pay cut to do so, what makes them think they can buy him out?!
about 1 month ago
Good read, would love to see more players who stay at one club for their entire career. Hoping the Stephen Ireland and Micah Richards are like that.
from about 1 month ago
I would love it as well Peter, but you have to wonder about the futures of the two you mentioned. They may be important parts of the City team now, but if Abu Dhabi get their way then they may not be part of the dream team!
about 1 month ago
good stuff barney, and good to see matt le tissier get a mention. best midfielder in prem history though? im not so sure :)
from about 1 month ago
On his day I maintain there have been no better premiership midfielders. The man was a genius! (In terms of footballing ability if not IQ!)
from about 1 month ago
Matt Le Tissier was/is very clever too. The only reason he isn't considered the best midfielder in the Prem history is because...
"Ooh he didn't play for a big club so how could he have been?"
Pathetic.
about 1 month ago
I'm not sure that Le Tissier can be defined as exclusively a midfielder, it's to much of a gray area
No doubt one of the best with the ball at his feet. A goal ratio of a goal every 2.7 games suggests that he was more of a secondary forward than a out and out midfielder
from about 1 month ago
Attacking midfield I'd call him!
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