One-club players are an increasingly rare phenomenon in contemporary soccer, but here are the best 5 that have graced the beautiful game.
The one-club player is an inspiring and respected figure in world soccer; those players that stick with their team for the entirety of their career, and usually they are childhood fans of their club which makes them all the more admirable.
More from Soccer
- LeBron James, Giannis, Damian Lillard all want that Mbappé money
- Is this Alex Morgan’s last Women’s World Cup with the USWNT?
- Caesars and PointsBet Promo Codes: $1,750 Bonus For ANY World Cup or MLB Game!
- DraftKings + FanDuel World Cup Promos: Bet $10 on USA vs Netherlands, Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED!
- NWSL Challenge Cup news: Courage ruthless against Washington, Racing remain perfect
It’s a feat which is becoming less and less prominent in the game with the superpower clubs dangling the allure of major trophies and financial gain before the best of the best. With the salaries that modern soccer players earn today, that temptation couldn’t be any larger, right?
Love them or hate them, every one-club player commands a certain level of respect, not just for their technical ability, but for their undying loyalty to their club. Here are 5 of the best to ever kick a soccer ball for one club.
5. Ryan Giggs
24 seasons in a Manchester United shirt, Ryan Giggs notched up an unbelievable 963 appearances for his club. With a litany of honours as long as Per Mertesacker’s legs, Giggs has collected an astounding 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, nine Community Shields, two Champions League medals, and a FIFA Club World Cup and those are just the ones worth mentioning. It is just a shame Giggs’s talent was hidden from the international scene and he never made it to a World Cup.
Perhaps the standout moment of his phenomenal career is the goal he scored against Arsenal in the 1999 semi-final FA Cup replay, where he latched onto a misplaced Vieira pass and embarked on a never-ending dribble down the centre of the pitch, dodging tackle after tackle, before firing the ball beyond the helpless David Seaman.
4. Xavi Hernandez
This Catalan inspiration has been a key feature in both Barcelona and Spain’s midfield for over a decade, continuously proving his exceptional footballing ability on the biggest stages in world soccer.
Considered one of Spain’s greatest ever players, Xavi’s passing, creativity, vision and touch are among his finest attributes. Adored throughout Catalonia and Spain, the central midfielder has notched up over 800 appearances for his club and 130 for his country, claiming seven La Liga titles, two Copa Del Rey’s, three Champions League trophies, two UEFA European Championships and a FIFA World Cup. Xavi has won 25 trophies – more than any other Spanish player in history.
3. Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes played every game of his 20-year club career under one manager, and one club – Sir Alex Ferguson, and Manchester United. He is an example of a player that comes around once in a lifetime, with his vision, control and passing abilities unsurpassed by anyone in the game. Andrea Pirlo chose Scholes as the only English player to feature in his Champions League all-time XI this week. La Masia (Barcelona’s youth academy) graduates Iniesta, Xavi and Messi have spoke about the coaches using Scholes as an example to young players of how to play the game.
Perhaps the most curious, yet admirable aspects of Paul Scholes’ career, was his complete absence from any media participation. Scholes preferred to do his talking on the field and avoided the spotlight of the media.
He is lamented for his skills on the pitch which includes over 700 appearances in a Manchester United shirt, 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two Champions Leagues and a FIFA Club World Cup.
2. Paolo Maldini
One of the game’s greatest ever defenders, Paolo Cesare Maldini was a defensive masterclass in his playing days, the likes of which comes along once in a lifetime. Earning the title of ‘Il Capitano’ (The Captain) among AC Milan supporters and players, Maldini illustrated exceptional defensive capabilities, inspiring leadership ability and had an unmatched ability to read the game.
Maldini won a staggering five European Cups, which is more than most clubs have won in their entire history. He lifted the European Cup in 2003 exactly 40 years after his father had done so for the same club. He is AC Milan’s record appearance holder with an astounding 902 games for the club. Every single season of Maldini’s career was played at the top level of European football. Eventually retiring at 41, his lengthy playing career was perhaps supplemented by his early retirement from international football in 2005.
1. Francesco Totti
An Italian trequartista who commands respect on the field and deserves all the plaudits that have come his way over the years, Totti played his first game for Roma in the youth squad in 1989. Widely regarded as Roma’s greatest ever player, the Italian legend has spent his entire career at the club and is their number-one goalscorer as well as the club’s most capped player in history.
“I cheated on all my girlfriends with each other, but I never cheated on Roma and I never will” – Francesco Totti
The influence of ‘Il Re di Roma’ (The King of Rome) transcends anything we have seen before in the world of soccer. Such loyalty demonstrated by Totti over his 26 year tenure in Rome is awe-inspiring, especially given his talent and numerous opportunities to join one of Europe’s elite clubs. Five-time Italian Footballer of the Year, and second all-time Italian league goalscorer with 239 goals, ‘Il Gladiatore’ has has also shined on the international scene. One of Italy’s finest ever players, Totti will be mourned for years to come when he eventually hangs up his boots at Roma, and understandably so. His trophy cabinet does not do him justice with only five domestic honors for his club, but Totti is equipped with countless individual achievements and a FIFA World Cup medal with Italy in 2006.
More from FanSided
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle