FOOTY FAIR

10 Things Jermain Defoe will Never Say about Toronto FC

2015-04-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

It has been almost four months since his departure from Toronto FC of the MLS, but the wound left by Jermain Defoe is far from healing.

His one year stay with the club had mixed reviews and it had its fair share of ups and downs. What started as a promised relationship between club and player, ended in a bitter divorce that left fans wanting his head and calling him a mercenary.

In all interviews that Defoe has given and will give, he is most likely to comment on his time in Toronto, but these are ten sentences that he will never say about his experience in MLS.

“I had plans to finish my career in Toronto, but the club didn’t want to keep me any further.”

“The weather in Toronto is great, almost tropical when compared to the miserable fog and rain of London.”

“Canada is my second home; I am keeping my house there and plan on spending my offseason enjoying the beach in Wasaga.”

“MLS is almost at the same level as EPL, in two more years they may be neck and neck fighting for viewers.”

“Toronto FC is a stronger team now that I left, this year they will be in the playoffs.”

“I returned to London not by choice, but because I am allergic to maple syrup.”

“Toronto FC is not the reason I wasn’t selected to the England National Team, my lack of quality and consistency is the main reason, also the fact that I was injured played a small role.”

“The thing I will miss the most about Toronto is the -35C weather. I couldn’t get enough of that.”

“Leaving Toronto FC was a step back in my career, but sometimes you have to take two steps back before you can take one step forward.”

“Toronto FC is to MLS what Real Madrid is to La Liga, minus the titles, great players, incredible stadium, millions of fans, and incredible history.”

10 Things you Won’t Hear at Chelsea’s Team Meeting

2015-04-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

We would all love to be a fly on the wall during a Chelsea’s team meeting, so we can hear what Mourinho or the players have to say to eachother.

Since we don’t have that ability, I thought I would go the opposite direction and come up with the “10 Things You Won’t Hear at Chelsea’s Team Meeting”. There are better odds at me getting this right than ever being able to get to be a part of the discussions and conversations that happen inside that locker room.

“John, can you take my wife shopping? She needs underwear and I just have no time to take her to the mall.”

“If only our club had money to buy some quality players, we could really contend for the title.”

“Mourinho is such a humble guy.”

“Alright boys, tonight we are going to try something different and play with 3 strikers and no holding mid.”

“I heard that Abramovich took a loan to buy a car, and he is not able to make the payments anymore.”

“Will the guy who took Willian’s Head & Shoulders please stand up?”

“What this team needs is more foreigners.”

“On gameday Stamford Bridge reminds me of ‘La Bombonera’”

“The goal this year is to avoid relegation.”

“Ivanovic, how do you feel about us signing Suarez next summer?”

10 Best Quotes from Diego Simeone

2015-03-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

One of the best coaches in world football, Diego Simeone has taken Atletico Madrid to the top of Spanish football. The Argentine coach is not only known for his ability to lead his club but also for the incredible quotes he has given us over the years.

Sharply dressed and with a sharp tongue, Diego Simeone enters every press conference ready to set the world on fire, and these are ten of my favorite quotes from “El Cholo”.

“Call me crazy, but I would never coach Real Madrid. I am a fan of Racing and Atletico. I would never coach Independiente and I wouldn’t coach Madrid. It would be foolish.”

“I want to thank all the mothers of my players for giving them so big balls.”

“I apologize because I laughed at Ronaldo and Ramos comments after el clasico….Neymar is a real actor.”

“When I reach a Cup final, my players already know what is going to be my headline quote: You don’t play finals, you win them.”

“I manage a team as if it were my family. From that feeling, everyone makes up a part of my team. From the club president to the groundsman. The most difficult thing is to make them all feel that they are an important part within the group. It’s a difficult task, but if you achieve such a thing, it’s easier for success to come.”

“A player who prefers to be comfortable at a small club where he is the big fish in a small pond will watch cup finals on television.”

“The members of our group who are substitutes on the bench or in the stands, are just as important as the starting XI. Titles are not won with only eleven players. The entire team wins them.”

“The ‘Cholo’ nickname was given to me by a Velez Sarsfield youth coach, Oscar Nessi. He had a footballer at Boca Juniors named Simeone who they called ‘Cholo’. One day in training he called me that and it stayed with me.”

“No, absolutely no. Madrid and Barcelona play in a different league. This is a boring championship for the rest of the supporters who can only aspire to be third or fourth. We’ll have to wait for a different distribution of television money because now the league is only of two.”

“The group has to be with you. It has to believe in you, if it doubts or doesn’t trust you, obstacles begin to appear in your path.”

Top 10 Pepsi Football TV Ads

2015-03-19T20:00:00.001-04:00

Here at FootyFair we don't really care if you drink Coke, Pepsi or olive oil. Nonetheless, over the years, the "suits" and "creatives" in Pepsi's marketing department and their ad agencies have come up with some great ways to incorporate huge football stars into their sometimes funny, sometimes cheesy, but never dull Pepsi football ads. We take a look at the top 10 "classic" Pepsi Football ads.

#10 - Korea vs. Roberto Carlos (Banned)

That's right, apparently this one was banned but we still include it in our list. We are guessing that it was banned because of "racial insensitivity", or maybe because the creators realized that nobody would believe that Roberto Carlos flew all the way to Asia so he could play against a whole squad by himself.

#9 - Oktoberfest

This is one of the "play for Pepsi" themed ads, where David Beckham and his group of superstars have to play a crew of Lederhosen wearing gentlemen in order to win their drink. Take note, they actually lose not because of the crazy CGI moves of the Germans, but because Roberto Carlos is trying to pick up the waitress.

#8 - Improvised Football

Kids at a metro station turn themselves into alter egos and play for the remaining 3 Pepsi cans. And there's also the part where Thiery Henry is really into Cesc Fàbregas.

#7 - Africa

Henry, Drogba and others play against kids in Africa, on a pitch where the lines are made out of a crowd of spectators. Was Jorge Campos the shirt designer for this one?

#6 - Surf Football

Beckham, Raúl, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos play some beach footy, when a crew of surfers comes up to them and show them a sign that says "só para surfistas" which translates from Portuguese as "just for surfers" and then take their ball and kick it to the water. Instead of kicking their ass however, Beckham and his buddies take their surfboards and play the first ever known to mankind match of surf-football.

#5 - Manchester United vs. Real Madrid Cowboys

David Beckham as a cowboy is a bit of a stretch, but the "Wanted" sign for Rivaldo is a great little detail.

#4 - Medieval

In this one we see a group knights who take over a village because obviously the villagers have cans of Pepsi stashed everywhere. But Beckham and his crew Totti, Ronaldhino, Roberto Carlos and Alexander the Great...sorry Fernando Torres, would have none of it. So like any dispute during the Medieval times, this one would be settled with a football match.

#3 - Sumo

Who doesn't love to see a Sumo wrestler pull of a bicycle-kick. What makes this one even greater is the montage of celebrations at the end.

#2 - Little Players

There is something odd about seeing world football stars having no arms and being attached to a rod. This ad however, is clever and funny.

#1 - Can I have your shirt?

This is a classic, and a favorite all over the world. If you haven't seen it you are either very young, live in a cave or haven't heard of this phenomenon called Internet (which means you're probably not reading this either), but in any case we don't want to spoil the amazing twist, so just watch and enjoy.

10 Best Ronaldinho Gaucho Quotes

2015-02-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ronaldinho is one of the game’s all-time great players. Currently playing in Mexico and away from the lights of Champions League football or the big stages of Europe is easy to forget how great he was and how incredibly talented he still is.

Ronaldinho has always been able to amaze us with his ability on the field but one aspect of him that is most often forgotten is how smart and eloquent he is. When sitting down for an interview, away from the stadiums lights or the night life he enjoys, Ronaldinho gives the fan a different side of him. A side that allows us to truly look inside the man and see what makes him tick.

Here are 10 of the best Ronaldinho quotes.

“My game is based on improvisation. Often, a forward does not have the time to think too much. You have a second, rarely more, to decide whether to dribble, shoot or pass to the right or left. It is instinct that gives the orders.”

“A lot of the moves I make originate from futsal. It's played in a very small space, and the ball control is different in futsal. And to this day my ball control is pretty similar to a futsal player's control.”

“Paolo Maldini and John Terry are two of the toughest men I have met on the field.”

“When I got to the senior national team, there was another Ronaldo, so they started calling me Ronaldinho because I was younger.”

“Football is about joy. It's about dribbling. I favour every idea that makes the game beautiful. Every good idea has to last.”

“I think each player has an individual style. Each is concerned with giving the best to his team, and I think my best talent is dribbling and setting up goal situations, giving an assist or deceiving one of the other team's players.”

“Of course, I follow Bollywood. In fact, it's widely followed in Brazil.”

“When I was 7, I started playing with a club. The only grass on the field was in the corner. There was no grass in the middle! It was just sand.”

“I am passionate about music - and people think because I go to places where I can enjoy music I have to be partying. It isn't true.”

“I have never imagined doing anything other than football, but now, thinking about it coldly, if I hadn't been a footballer, I would have been a musician.”

Top 10 Silvio Berlusconi Quotes

2015-02-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

The AC Milan owner is one of the most charismatic owners in World Football. Not only does he own one of the giants of Italian football he has also been the Prime Minister of Italy for three terms.

Now, one would think that the fact that he has an estimated net worth of US$9.0 billion and is a former Prime Minister would give this loose cannon a bit more stability and accountability. Instead he is a complete maverick, someone who plays by his own rules, says what he wants when he wants it and has no concern for what others may think of him.

Finding quotes to make a top 10 list wasn’t difficult, what was difficult was to narrow it down only to ten.

“Mussolini never killed anyone, he just sent dissenters abroad for vacation.”

“Only Napoleon did more than I have done. But I am definitely taller.”

“Barack Obama being young, handsome and sun-tanned is going to get along with you swimmingly.”

“Obviously the government of [Mussolini's] time, out of fear that German power might lead to complete victory, preferred to ally itself with Hitler's Germany rather than opposing it … The racial laws were the worst fault of Mussolini as a leader, who in so many other ways did well.”

“I am absolutely sure to be the most democratic man to ever become Prime Minister in Italy.”

“Go and read the black book on communism and you'll find that under Mao's China they didn't eat babies but they boiled them to fertilize the fields.”

“The women of the Right are certainly the most beautiful … the Left has no taste, not even when it comes to women.”

“They keep calling me a dwarf, but I'm taller than Sarkozy and Putin.”

“The public prosecutor … should be subject to regular examinations to attest to sanity.”

“I used all my playboy skills and courted the Finnish President.”

Ray Hudson’s Top 10 Quotes

2015-02-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am a huge fan of Ray Hudson and it has been a while seen I have written something about the best football commentator on the planet.

After looking at who should I feature in this weekly piece, what better way to start the month that celebrates love and affection than to give some love to the man who makes beIN Sports his home and uses his vocal prowess to enchant the airwaves.

"Like a happily married couple, Messi washes, Kun Aguero dries." (Argentina vs. Sweden, February 2012)

"Milito uses the old Jedi mind trick on them. Fabulous. Picks his spot, finds the target. Laser beam. Darth Vader death ray hit again…" (Barcelona vs. Real Zaragoza, December 2007)

"He better check his pulse as well, the doctor, because this game has enough tranquilizers in it to put a sperm whale to sleep…" (Hertha Berlin vs. Bayern Munich, December 2007)

“Barcelona were like a three pound chicken trying to lay a four pound egg …. Just constipated in front of goal.” (Villareal vs. Barcelona, April 2007)

“I’m telling you man, this kid could be the best thing on two legs since Sophia Loren” - Comparing former Barcelona player, Bojan Krkic to the Italian actress.

"Victor again does his impersonation of the Exxon and spills it." (Racing vs. Barcelona, 11 March 2012)

"Llorente has an absolutely impossible task to hit that first time. Well, he just threw a pint glass into a shot glass. Astonishing." (Athletic Bilbao vs. Manchester United, 15 March 2012)

“Messi…the Mozart of our game. The rest? Banjo players.” - Describing Messi’s play.

"He's a competitor. . . . He'd stab his grandmother in the eyes just for another bowl of porridge." - Describing DC United midfielder Dema Kovalenko

"Without penetration, it's just masturbation, and right now, we're playing with ourselves." - Discussing DC United inability to score goals when he was coaching them

10 Funny, Clever and F$@%ed Up Footballer Nicknames

2015-01-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

We are all familiar with Lionel Messi as "the flea" and Chicarito which means "little pea", but what about the really messed up nicknames given to football players over the years? Here's a list of some funny, clever, racist, and simply bizarre footballer nicknames.

10. Alvaro Recoba - 'El Chino' (The Chinese)

Uruguay and Argentina are the two South American countries that have the highest Caucasian population compared to their neighbors. So when a minority footballer becomes popular, you bet your ass he is likely to have some sort of nickname that is deemed racist by most other countries. Recoba's eyes were deemed "unusually slanted" for a Uruguayan man, hence the nickname 'El Chino'.

9. Alphonse Tchami - 'el Negro'

When Cameroonian international striker Tchami joined Argentinian giants Boca Juniors in the mid 1990's, political correctness was very far down the list of priorities for the Boca faithful. When Tchani became somewhat popular, he was given the nickname 'el Nego', literally meaning "the black guy".

8. Diego Perez - 'El ruso' (The Russian)

This one is quite simple. Apparently, Uruguayans think of Russians as "rough around the edges" type of people. So when Diego Perez became known for his somewhat physical play on the pitch, he was appropriately named 'El Ruso'.

7. Mesut Özil - 'Popeye'

Boy, did eye laugh when I heard this one (pun intended). For obvious "they are about to fall out of their socket" type of reasons, the German international was given this clever name by some fans. If you don't get the 'Popeye' reference you may want to stop thinking of the pipe smoking, spinach eating sailor, and instead look at the photo of Özil (above) and think of the wording.

6. Oliver Kahn - 'Genghis Khan'

This one makes all the sense in the world. I mean, have you seen the look on the former German international keeper's face when he gets mad? I bet if Oliver Kahn was born before Genghis, it would be the Mongol emperor who would be stuck with the nickname Oliver Kahn.

5. Ronald Koeman - 'Floquet de Neu' (Snowflake)

During his time with Barcelona, the light-skinned Koeman was given the nickname 'Floquet de Neu' which means snowflake in Cataln. What makes it so much funnier is that at the time there was an albino guerrilla in the Barcelona Zoo called...you guessed it...Floquet de Neu.

4. César Azpilicueta - 'Dave'

Oh you lazy bastards. Chelsea FC fans seemed to have given up on trying to pronounce Azpilicueta's name, so they came up with the next best alternative...'Dave'. That's right, Dave is what they call him, and they even have a chant about it.

3. Antonio Luna - 'Tony Moon'

Aston Villa fans got very "English" when giving their Spanish full-back Antonio Luna a nickname. Translating the name into its meaning in English they came up with the simple Tony Moon, with Tony being the equivalent of Antonio and Luna meaning moon in the English language.

2 - Claude Makélélé - 'Kinshasa Tripod'

Now this may or may not be true, but during his time with Real Madrid the Zaire born French international Makélélé was given the nickname 'Kinshasa Tripod'. Kinshasa is the capital city of Zaire and Tripod...well, you guessed it, a tribute to what his teammates thought of the size of the Frenchmen's "third leg".

1 - Flávio Augusto do Nascimento - 'Caça-Rato' (Rat Hunter)

As if this guy's life wasn't hard enough, Brazilian footballer Flávio Augusto do Nascimento was given the nickname Rat Hunter ('Caça-Rato') because apparently when he was in his early teens, he was very poor and while being afraid of playing football against the older boys, he would hunt rats by the field instead. This may seem kind of funny until you realize that this footballer lived through horrible poverty, being hung by his own father at the age of 8 just to be saved by his uncle who then shot the father dead, and being shot at a club in his 20s. The 'Caça-Rato' nickname does not seem as bad anymore, does it?

10 Best Eusebio Quotes

2015-01-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the day the world lost Eusebio. By far the greatest Portuguese player of all time, Eusebio was someone that was admired and loved by all, fans, opponents, people in general.

He has left a legacy behind that not many will be able to achieve and his humbleness made him an even more special person that made this world a better place.

Either while representing Benfica, the club of his heart, or Portugal, Eusebio always gave his all and his best and he was someone who history will always remember for what he did on the field during the time he played. While we can all watch videos of some of his incredible goals and victories, one thing we tend to forget or neglect is how insightful he was. He was a wonderful and intelligent man that when he spoke people listened.

Here are ten of Eusebio’s best quotes.

“I was never afraid of getting whacked. My left knee alone was operated six times, but I was never afraid, because I always loved to play.”

“If they gave me a choice I would die there, at Benfica's stadium. Its the house that made me a man, where I am since I was 18. We do not get to choose, but I'd like to... And in an intense match and with a Benficas victory.”

“The greatest joy I had was with my first international victory, in 1962, when Benfinca won the European Cup. The greatest sorrow was the defeat in the semi-finals at the 1966 World Championship.”

“I told Coluna, our captain, that I wanted to take it. He agreed. I put the ball down and Real’s goalie Araquistan began to call me, in Spanish: litte negro, bitch, faggot. I asked Coluna what it all meant. He told me, “Just shoot and I’ll tell you later”. I shot and I scored. At the end of the game, Araquistan spoke to Coluna. Then he came to me to apologize. Only then did Coluna translate the ugly words for me.”

"I could have bought half this city." – Talking about Lisbon

“Benfica never used players from other countries – not even Brazilians, who spoke the same language but were considered foreigners. Everybody was from Portugal or from the Portuguese African colonies. It's not like that today, unfortunately.”

“I can't forget my older team-mates who always gave me advice. I was always around them because it was with them that I learned how to be a man and learned how to respect your adversary and to earn respect on the pitch.”

“The team didn't change much in 10 years. Can you imagine playing with the same team for 10 years? Today, unfortunately, this doesn't happen any more. After playing together for 10 years we didn't even need a coach! If I picked up the ball, other players knew what I was going to do, or when Simoes got the ball we all knew what he was going to do, and where we had to run to collect the pass and score a goal. It was easy!”

“In my opinion, one player was the most complete: Alfredo Di Stefano. They are all great players, but Di Stefano had it all.”

“I'm not sad about my experiences at Wembley. I played there, I scored goals – I'm just disappointed I didn't win the matches. But I'm glad I played there because for me it will always be one of the best stadiums in the world.”

10 Best Quotes of the 2014 World Cup

2014-12-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

As we wrap up 2014 I have decided to look back into this summer’s World Cup and put together the 10 best sound bites that we had during this summer’s tournament.

It was a good tournament, and one that used all spectrums of social media. It had a direct impact on the fans and viewers and gave us a different outlook on the games and emotions that the participants were feeling.

Here are my ten favorite quotes from this year’s World Cup.

"I didn’t like Brazil from the start, but I didn’t think Germany were going to be so imposing, so devastating, so decisive." – Diego Maradona

"Messi could be the best player in the world - if he was human." – Carlos Queiroz

"As amazing as it sounds, the ball hit my mustache, It was a mustache goal" – Fred

"If I had played this way I would have been destroyed by the Belgian press," said Wilmots, "we were not impressed by the Argentines, absolutely not, it’s just an ordinary team." – Marc Wilmots

"If we beat Costa Rica I want a kiss, obviously on the cheek, from the UK Queen." – Mario Balotelli

"The truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me" – Luis Suarez

"He (Suarez) should go for a treatment." – FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke

"Everyone knows what they’ve done to Luis. They wanted him out of the World Cup. Perfect, they did it. They chucked him out of there like a dog." – Suarez grandmother

"It was a very violent, unlawful tackle. It was an evil tackle." – Ronaldo

"I taught Romero how to save penalties, so yes - it hurts." – Louis van Gaal

10 Best Joey Barton Quotes

2014-12-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Nobody provides better sound bites in English football than Jose Mourinho but a very close second has to be Joey Barton. The bad boy of English football has the ability to throw more verbal jabs than any of his fellow team mates and opponents, and they are vicious, funny and sometimes just plain stupid, but always entertaining.

The invention of Twitter has given Barton an open medium to vent all his anger and his frustrations, and begs the question of what would he do if he didn’t have Twitter. Perhaps he would write a best seller, I don’t doubt his ability to put something together in time for the holiday season. Until he decides to do that, we have him on Twitter and other social media, unleashing jabs at anybody that crosses his path.

"If there is a God. If you do exist. Prove yourself. Take out either Chiles or Townsend with a stray bolt of lightning. The nation awaits."

Joey on his former team mate and manager Alan shearer:
"I really don't like that prick, in fact I honestly despise him...I'd take it off Hansen and Lineker but not from that bell, same fella that stamped on Neil Lennon,then threatened FA if they banned him"

"Can someone take the helium of Carragher for the after the match stuff. Dogs all over England standing to attention every time he speaks..."

Barton on Justin Bieber:
"He looks little a shaved little bird with earrings. This is a truly fucked up world, if he's 'cool'".

On Suarez incident:
"People are going on like he's actually eaten someone. Nobody has died. Worse things happen in nurseries every day of the week. Move on FFS!"

More Ranting on Thatcher-
"£8m cost to the taxpayers for a state funeral? She enriched her friends at cost of millions of jobs. She should pay for her own funeral!"

After seeing David Beckham's Super Bowl advert for a new range of underwear, Joey tweeted. ..
"Not arsed if they're Beckham's or not. 9.99 pounds for a pair of gruds for H&M is an outrage, do one Becks. They cost about 1p to make in a sweat shop in the Third World, is there no limit to what 'Brand Beckham' will endorse for a pound note?"

"If your over the age of 14 and are male and listen to Justin Bieber, then you my friend are on a slippery slope."

"The reason I'm successful is that I work hard. I'm more intelligent than about 97% of the British Isles. If anything football has held me back. If I wasn't a footballer I'd be still more successful than 97% of youse. Still harder working than 97% of youse. Still living life not just taking part. Some of you want to get off you arse's and take part in life. Before you know it you will be dead and know one will even know u existed"

"Neymar is like the Justin Bieber of football. Brilliant on the old YouTube. Cat piss in reality ..."

Top 10 Center Backs that played in the EPL

2014-05-07T14:39:00.000-04:00

With the imminent departure of Nemanja Vidić from Manchester United this summer, we take a look at our top 10 Center Backs to have played in the English Premier League.

#10 - Vincent Kompany

Kompany has been a permanent fixture in City's back-line since his arrival in 2008 from Hamburger SV. The Belgian international has won the Premier League Player of the Year award for his outstanding campaign in the 2010-11 season.

#9 - Ricardo Carvalho

Ricardo Carvalho joined Chelsea from Portuguese outfit Porto in 2004 for a fee of €30,000,000. He helped the club to 3 league and FA Cup titles.

#8 – Marcel Desailly

This World Cup winning Frenchman joined Chelsea from AC Milan in 1998. Desailly did switch around from the Defensive Mid role to the Centre Back position throughout his career, but he made the CB position look easy, with very few strikers enjoying great success playing against him. Desailly retired at the age of 38, playing his last 2 seasons in the Qatari League.

#7 – Sol Campbell

In 1999 Sol Campbell, helped Tottenham to a League Cup title, less than 2 years later he made the unthinkable move to London rivals Arsenal where he enjoyed most of his club career success. Being labeled as "Juda" by the Spurs supporters did not seem to have to much effect on Campbell as he helped Arsenal to 2 Premier League and 3 FA Cup titles. Campbell has also been capped in over 70 matches for the English national team.

#6 – Jamie Carragher

Like another CB legend Paolo Maldini in AC Milan, Jamie Carragher spent his whole professional playing career with one club - Liverpool. In his 16 years at Anfield, Carragher helped Liverpool win pretty much every club title, except the one that will most likely haunt him the most, the Premier League trophy.

#5 – Nemanja Vidić

The reason behind us putting together this list comes in #5. The Serb international joined Manchester United from Russian club Spartak Moscow in 2004 when he was just 23. In his 8 years with United, Nemanja has won a total of 15 club trophies including Champions League, Club World Cup and an astonishing 5 Premier League titles.

#4 – Jaap Stam

Stam's transfer to Manchester United from PSV Eindhoven in 1998 broke some records. The big Dutchman became the most expensive Dutch player and the most expensive defender in transfer history, with a transfer that cost United £10,600,000. While Stam only spent 3 years at Old Trafford before his move to Lazio, those 3 years saw United lift the Premier League title a total of 3 times, win the FA Cup once and become Europe's champions by claiming the Champions League trophy in 1999.

#3 – Rio Ferdinand

Here is another Manchester United player on our list, and another great Premier League center-back. Ferdinand who came through the youth ranks at West Ham United, and later played for Machester United's rivals Leeds, was snapped up by the Red Devils in 2002 for a transfer fee of £34 million, becoming at that point the most expensive British player. Now in his 11th year with United, Rio is considered by many to be the best defender United has ever had.

#2 – John Terry

Another West Ham United youth product, John Terry may not be the most popular CB off the pitch, with a number of controversies surrounding him in the past few years. On the pitch however, we have JT in #2 because of his massive contribution both to his club Chelsea FC and country (England National Team). Of course Terry hasn't really won anything with the English national squad, but it's not like any other player has since 1966. With Chelsea however, Terry has won every imaginable club competition including 3 Premier league titles, 5 FA Cups, a Champions League and Europa League titles (among others).

#1 – Tony Adams

Tony Adams, another player who was loyal to his one and only club Arsenal. Adams was a force and a great leader with the gunners, and in his 19 years with the club had picked up over 500 appearances. He helped Arsenal to a total of 13 trophies, including 4 league titles. After retiring as a player Adams became a very mediocre manager with Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth and Gabala FK in Azerbaijan, but not every great player becomes a great manager.

Top 10 Beards in Football

2014-04-30T16:10:00.000-04:00

Wednesday's Champions League Semi-Final between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid had shown us that beards do have a place in football. While both Ashley Cole's and Arda Turan's beards are great, we take a look at 10 bearded footballers we consider having the greatest footy beard.

#10 - Lisandro Lopez

It seems that the pointy beard of Lisandro Lopez has impressed many, but intimidated his own teammates. Olympic Lyon have won 7 titles in 7 consecutive years before Lopez's arrival to the squad in 2009. Lyon has not won the French title since.

#9 - Socrates

Possibly one of the most famous beards in football history was that of Socrates. An incredible player for both club and country, Socrates always had a beard.

#8 - Olof Mellberg

Like a true viking, the Swede wore his beard proudly most of his career.

#7 - Josh Brillante

Aside from the fact that this Aussie's beard makes him look 30 years older (he is 21 years old), this is one impressive Leonardo Da Vinci look

#6 - Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo made the transition from having no beard early in his career, to having a great looking full beard.

#5 - Raul Meireles

Meireles went from being a clean shaven boy playing for Boavista in Portugal, to this punk/homeless look at Fenerbahce.

#4 - Tim Howard

Not sure if it's the bold head that makes Tim Howard's bear that much more impressive, but the Everton and USA goalkeeper's beard makes quite a mark.

#3 - Djibril Cisse

Cisse has been know in the football world as a big fan of the blonde die. With many different hair and beard styles, Djibril comes in 3rd place on our list.

#2 - Alexi Lalas

It's the length, the hair combination and of course the fire red color that make Alexi's beard one of the best ever in professional football.

#1 - Adam Clayton

How could we not put this at the top (or in this case bottom) of the list. Adam Clayton of Huddersfield Town dyed his already incredible beard in the colors of his club, for a kids charity. While he will never be remembered for his football skills, he is sure to always be remembered for this stunt.