Best Of Bets

Author: Mudeet Arora

  • Best striker partnerships in Premier League history

    Best striker partnerships in Premier League history

    We all have our favourites for the greatest strikers in the Premier League. But, the 1990s and 2000s saw two strikers up front, some of those went on to attain the label of the best striker partnerships ever! Today, BestofBets brings you the best striker partnerships in Premier League history!

    5 best striker partnerships in Premier League history

    5. Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton – Blackburn Rovers:
    Premier League legend Alan Shearer teamed up with Chris Sutton up front for Blackburn Rovers for a brief, but incredible spell as the duo led their team to a Premier League title in the 1994-95 season.
    This duo could only succeed for one season as Sutton suffered and injury next season and Shearer moved to Newcastle in a world record transfer and created history there.
    Shearer and Sutton scored 49 goals combined in 1994-95 out of which Shearer scored 35 and Sutton scored 14.

    4. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min – Tottenham Hotspur:

    The only still-active duo among our list of top 5 is Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
    Both these players are already top of the list for most Premier League goal combinations in history with 37 to their name, meaning both have either assisted or scored 37 goals between them.
    The English-South Korean combo demand some respect in this list simply for the sheer amount of goals they have contributed to each other despite having not won a trophy with Tottenham.
    In their time together at Spurs until now, they have netted a combined total of over 200 goals in the top flight alone.
    Kane has scored over 270 goals in the Premier League for Spurs whereas Son has netted more than 140 times. The English striker has 67 assists to his name in all competitions at senior level whereas the South Korean has more than 71 assists in all competitions for Spurs at the time of writing.

    3. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United:

    Mid 2000s saw the incredible rise of two future Manchester United legends Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Nurtured and unleashed by legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, the English-Portuguese duo took the Premier League by storm.
    The duo led the Red Devils to six trophies during their five full seasons together, including three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League. Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in 2009 and Rooney went on to become Manchester United’s greatest ever goalscorer, a record that stands to this date!

    2. Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke – Manchester United:

    There are many reasons why another legendary Manchester United duo, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke come second in this list and one of those reasons is the iconic 1999 treble season which they made possible.
    Both these players were almost telepathic when it came to understanding each others’ games.
    They scored a combined 53 goals across all competitions as Manchester United won an historic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
    The duo then combined for another 43 goals between them in the 2000-01 season, leading United to win three back-to-back Premier League titles in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

    1. Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp – Arsenal:

    You have to be special to come top of this list with the stature of names we’ve mentioned in our previous four picks and believe us, Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp deserve to be top of this list.
    The audacious link-up play between these two was a treat to watch along with the incredible goals they scored and assists they provided each other in their time at Highbury.
    In total, they directly linked up for 18 Premier League goals which is double the number contributed by Yorke and Cole. Overall, they combined for exactly 200 goals between them in the top flight during their time together.
    Henry scored an incredible 164 goals out of those 200, which counts as 164 assists by Bergkamp, which is quite an astonishing number. That, and their ‘Invincibles’ season makes them the rightful contender for the top of our list!
    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • Football legends who hated training

    Football legends who hated training

    It is a widespread opinion that footballers need to be at their best physical condition at all times, especially during the peak of their career. Due to this, you will see almost every footballer at top clubs taking immense care of their body and spending as much time in training as they can in order to improve their physical condition. However, there are some ultimate football legends who hated training, but they were great despite not doing it enough. BestofBets brings you 10 such great players!

    10 football legends who hated training

    10. Mesut Ozil:
    Our countdown begins with a modern day midfielder, World Cup winner Mesut Ozil. Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger once said in an interview in 2016 that Ozil despised training and “didn’t practice enough.”
    Well, despite Wenger’s comments, Ozil almost never failed to mesmerise fans with his ability and creativity on the ball.

    9. Matt Le Tissier:
    The ‘God’ of Southampton, Matt Le Tissier was a revelation when he burst on to the scene in English football and while he did succeed at club level, scoring over 160 goals for The Saints, the reason he could make just eight appearances for the England national team was the coaches at the time didn’t feel he trained enough to make the cut!

    8. Michael Owen:
    While Liverpool legend Michael Owen didn’t showcase any specific training hatred in his career at other clubs, there did come a time during his stint at Stoke City when he absolutely despised training for then manager Tony Pulis.
    Speaking on his time at Stoke City, Owen said, “Every day is the same…11 v 11 – constantly, for like an hour. I hated training. That finished me off, that place.”

    7. Socrates:
    One of the greatest footballers in history, Brazilian legend Socrates was one of the most revolutionary players in the national team, a team that was favourite to win the 1982 World Cup, but didn’t!
    Socrates had many other things he wanted to do in life that got in the way of him achieving immortal status in football, one was his hobby to study medicine and he earned a degree in the same while playing professionally.
    The biographer of Brazil’s captain for the 1982 edition claimed that Socrates loved to study and hated to train and viewed football as merely a hobby!

    6. Gary Lineker:
    Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp once said, “It is amusing to see Gary looking so fit now because during his peak years as a player his aversion to practice sessions was famous throughout football. He was a terrible trainer. He just liked to come in on Saturday and play.”
    It is said that Lineker didn’t take any shots on goal in his pre-match warm-up as he “didn’t want to waste any goals.”

    5. Romario:
    Another extra-ordinary talent from Brazil, Romario was known to skip training sessions on many occasions at every club he played for in his career.
    Once, on being asked about his son Romarinho aiming for a career in football and how it will affect him being in his father’s shadow, Romario went on record to cheekily state, “I’ll go to his matches. But I don’t think I’ll go to his training sessions. I mean, I didn’t even go to my own.

    4. Ronaldo Nazario:
    El Fenomeno, Ronaldo Nazario is one of the greatest strikers of all time and was part of an incredible Brazil team in the late 90s and early 2000s that won two World Cups, in 1994 and 2002.
    On the pitch, Ronaldo showcased magical skill and technique that left the world shocked in awe, but on the training ground, he was last at every single drill!

    3. Ronaldinho:
    Fourth Brazilian in this incredible list, Ronaldinho was a sight to behold when he was in full flow. It’s almost as if he could conquer the world with the ball at his feet, and he did, he conquered millions of football fans’ hearts who learnt it’s not just about winning and glory, but also about enjoying every single moment with a smile on your face and with the ball at your feet!
    But, even a legend like him hated training.
    His teammate from his time at PSG, Jerome Leroy once said, “Ronaldinho didn’t train any day of the week but just turned up on Friday ready to play on the Saturday. He’d get changed and he’d go straight to the massage bed to sleep.”

    2. George Best:
    Footballing icon and one of Manchester United’s greatest legends, George Best had quite an incredible life on and off the pitch!
    The Northern Irish legend lived two completely different lives, he was a footballer on the field and lived like a complete rockstar off it!
    In January 1972, Best missed a full week’s training at Manchester United to spend time with the winner of Miss Great Britain that year.

    1. Wayne Rooney:
    While still being a teenager in the mid 2000s, Wayne Rooney was already being touted to be the best footballer in the world and was at that time, rated higher than his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Well, Ronaldo since then moved to newer heights as one of the greatest footballers in history, something Rooney could have also achieved if he took care of his body and didn’t hate training as much as he did.
    “Wayne didn’t see the importance of the gym really. He’d say, ‘I am here to play football’. I always wish I could have pushed Wayne that bit further.” said former Manchester United fitness coach Mick Clegg in 2013.

    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • 18 great players who re-signed for their former clubs

    18 great players who re-signed for their former clubs

    Some of the top clubs in Europe have often come up with surprising moves in the transfer market. Some of these transfers turn heads while some create a hint of nostalgia among fans when their club brings a former player back to the club. Best of Bets takes a look at 18 of these top players who re-signed for their former clubs.

    Best players who re-signed for their former clubs

    Dani Alves – Barcelona:
    First spell – 2008-2016
    Second spell – 2021-2022
    Brazilian full-back Dani Alves joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 and after a highly successful eight years at the club, he arrived at Juventus. A season in Turin was followed by a move to PSG in 2017. He then returned to Brazil with Sao Paolo in 2019 before returning back to Barcelona in 2021 for one season.

    Thierry Henry – Arsenal:
    First spell – 1999-2007
    Second spell – 2012
    Thierry Henry created a legacy at Arsenal in his first spell between 1999 and 2007 wherein he scored 228 goals in all competitions, winning numerous trophies.
    He left for Barcelona in 2007, but returned back to North London for a short spell in 2012.

    Robbie Fowler – Liverpool
    First spell – 1993-2001
    Second spell – 2006-2007
    Despite growing up as an Everton fan, Robbie Fowler joined Liverpool in 1993 and in his eight years spell in his first stint at the club, he became a God among Liverpool fans.
    After over a century of goals for the Reds, he left for Leeds United in 2001, followed by a move to Manchester City in 2003.
    However, he returned back to Liverpool for one season in 2006 and played over 30 games.

    Paul Pogba – Manchester United
    First spell – 2011-2012
    Second spell – 2016-2022
    Paul Pogba joined Manchester United‘s youth academy in 2009 and was promoted to the senior team in 2011. However, after not being able to crack into United’s first team under Sir Alex Ferguson, he joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2012.
    Over the next four years, Pogba established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe, with Manchester United paying a then world record fee to bring him back to Old Trafford in 2016 for a then world record £89.3 million.
    He left the Red Devils again as a free agent back to Juventus in 2022.

    Didier Drogba – Chelsea
    First spell     – 2004-2012
    Second spell – 2014-2015
    Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba arrived at Chelsea for his first stint back in 2004 and over the next eight years, he was one of the best strikers in the Premier League, winning ten trophies in what was his first stint at the club.
    After becoming the first African player to score 100 goals in the Premier League, Drogba left Chelsea in 2012 to join Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, followed by a move to Galatasaray.
    He then returned back to Chelsea for a season in 2014.

    Shinji Kagawa – Borussia Dortmund
    First spell     – 2010-2012
    Second spell – 2014-2019
    Borussia Dortmund signed Shinji Kagawa in 2010 and he went on to become one of the best players in their squad already consisting of superstars like Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze and Marco Reus.
    However, Manchester United came calling and signed him in 2012.
    After becoming the first Asian to score a Premier League hat-trick, he then went on to play a huge part in a title winning win against Aston Villa, becoming the first Japanese player to win a Premier League title.
    On 12 May, 2013, Kagawa was included in the United squad to play against Swansea City in Alex Ferguson’s last home game before retirement, which United won 2–1. On the same day, Kagawa received his Premier League medal and was voted Man of the Match.
    David Moyes arrived after Sir Alex’s retirement and ousted Kagawa from the team, leading to him returning back to Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

    Jermaine Defoe – Tottenham Hotspur
    First spell     – 2004-2008
    Second spell – 2009-2014
    English striker Jermaine Defoe burst on to the scene at West Ham between 1999 and 2004 before joining Tottenham.
    His first stint at Spurs came between 2004 and 2008 when he scored 43 goals in 139 games before joining Portsmouth.
    However, he returned back to Spurs after just one season for his second stint, scoring 47 goals in 135 appearances between 2009 and 2014. He then joined Toronto FC but returned back to Spurs for a short term loan before leaving for Sunderland.

    Ian Rush – Liverpool
    First spell     – 1980-1986
    Second spell – 1986-1987
    Third spell – 1988-1996
    England legend Ian Rush joined Liverpool in 1980 in what would be his first spell of three at the club. The striker scored 109 goals in 182 games before joining Juventus in 1986 for two seasons. He was loaned back to Liverpool for the first of those two seasons.
    However, he joined the Reds permanently again in 1988 and spent eight more years at Anfield, scoring 90 goals in 245 appearances before joining Leeds in 1996.

    Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United
    First spell     – 2003-2009
    Second spell – 2021-22
    Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo arrived as a teenager at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2003. He stayed three for six years, winning numerous trophies and a Ballon d’Or before joining Real Madrid for a then world record fee in 2009.
    After nine successful years in Madrid in which he won virtually everything there is to win at club level, he joined Juventus in 2018.
    In 2021, he made an emotional return back to Manchester United for a season. Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in 2023 after getting his contract terminated following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

    Teddy Sheringham – Tottenham Hotspur
    First spell     – 1992-1997
    Second spell – 2001-2003
    English striker Teddy Sheringham joined Tottenham Hotspur from Nottingham Forest in 1992. In what would be his first spell of two at the club, Sheringham scored 75 goals in 166 games before Manchester United came calling in 1997.
    After four incredibly successful years at United where he would play a crucial role in helping the club make an epic comeback in the dying minutes of the iconic 1999 UEFA Champions League final, Sheringham returned back to Spurs in 2001.
    He would stay at the White Hart Lane for two seasons in his second spell, scoring 22 goals in 70 appearances.

    Kaka – Milan
    First spell     – 2003-2009
    Second spell – 2013-2014
    One of the greatest midfielders of the modern generation, Brazilian maestro Kaka started his club career at Sao Paolo in Brazil where Milan scouted him and brought him to the San Siro in 2003.
    In his first spell at Milan, Kaka became the best midfielder in the world, winning a Champions League among other trophies.
    He then joined Real Madrid in the same year as Cristiano Ronaldo, making just 85 appearances in four seasons before returning back to Milan in 2013 for a season.

    Mark Hughes – Manchester United
    First spell     – 1980-1986
    Second spell – 1988-1995
    Legendary striker Mark Hughes started at Manchester United’s academy in 1978 before being promoted to the first team in 1980.
    He played for six years in his first spell at the club, scoring 37 goals in 89 appearances before joining Barcelona in 1986.
    After two seasons at the Camp Nou, which included a season-long loan at Bayern Munich, Hughes returned back to Manchester United in 1988 for his second spell where he scored 83 goals in 256 games.
    He then featured for clubs like Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn Rovers before retiring.

    Mario Gotze – Borussia Dortmund
    First spell     – 2009-2013
    Second spell – 2016-2020
    Germany’s attacking midfielder Mario Gotze burst on to the scene at Borussia Dortmund, rising up from their academy to make their first team in 2009.
    He took Bundesliga by storm in his four seasons in what would be his first stint at the club, scoring 22 goals in 83 appearances before Bayern Munich came calling for him in 2013.
    He spent three underwhelming years at Bayern, scoring 22 goals in just 75 games before returning back to Dortmund in 2016. However, Gotze’s second stint at Dortmund was plagued with injuries and he could make just 75 appearances in four years, scoring 13 goals.
    He left Dortmund for PSV in 2020 before joining Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. Believe it or not, he’s still just 30 years of age!

    Mats Hummels – Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
    Bayern Munich first spell     – 2007-2008
    Bayern Munich second spell – 2016-2019
    Borussia Dortmund first spell – 2008-2016
    Borussia Dortmund second spell – 2019
    Another German maestro, defender Mats Hummels started his career at Bayern Munich’s youth academy and was handed his first team debut at the club during his first stint with the senior team between 2007 and 2008.
    He joined Borussia Dortmund on an initial loan in 2008 before making a permanent move a year later. Hummels stayed at Dortmund until 2016 before Bayern Munich returned for him, paying his release clause.
    The German spent another three seasons in Munich before again returning back to Dortmund for his second spell in 2019.

    Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea
    First spell     – 2011-2014
    Second spell – 2021
    Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku arrived in England with Chelsea from Anderlecht in 2011. He was loaned out to West Brom and Everton, from which he joined the latter on a permanent deal in 2014.
    After three goalscoring seasons with the Toffees, Manchester United paid a hefty fee to bring him to Old Trafford in 2017.
    He left the Red Devils for Inter Milan in 2019 before returning back to Chelsea in a 100 million plus fee in 2021. Chelsea loaned him back to Inter in 2022.
    What an absolute transfer circus!

    Gareth Bale – Tottenham Hotspur
    First spell     – 2007-2013
    Second spell – 2020-2021
    Welsh winger Gareth Bale lit up the footballing world in his first stint with Tottenham between 2007 and 2013 before Real Madrid made him the most expensive footballer in the world.
    He spent nine glorious years at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning 15 trophies, including five Champions Leagues.
    Out of one of those nine years, Bale returned back to Tottenham for a one-season loan in the 2020-21 season, scoring 11 goals in 20 appearances.
    He then joined Los Angeles FC for one season before announcing his retirement from the game in January 2023.

    Wayne Rooney – Everton
    First spell     – 2002-2004
    Second spell – 2017-2018
    One of the greatest English footballers of all time, Wayne Rooney started his career with Everton‘s academy in 2002 before being promoted to make his first appearance for their senior team at the age of just 16!
    Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded him to join Manchester United in 2004, where he went on to become the club’s greatest ever goalscorer, scoring 253 goals before returning back to Everton in 2017.
    He joined MLS club DC United in 2018 before returning back to England with Derby County as a player-manager. He retired in January 2021 before managing Derby until 2022.
    Rooney currently manages DC United.

    Carlos Tevez – Boca Juniors
    First spell – 2001-2004
    Second spell – 2015-2016
    Third spell – 2018-2021
    Only the second player after Ian Rush in this list to have three separate stints at a club, Carlos Tevez started his career with Boca Juniors at youth level before being promoted to their first team in 2001.
    He stayed three for three years before joining Corinthians. In 2006, West Ham shocked the footballing world by signing him along with his Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano.
    In 2007, Manchester United signed Tevez on a loan. He stayed there for two seasons, winning six trophies including two Premier League titles and a Champions League before joining newly rich Manchester City in controversial fashion in 2009.
    Tevez left City, again in controversial circumstances to join Juventus before returning to Boca Juniors for his second stint in 2015 for a season.
    The Argentine was then signed by Shanghai Shenhua in 2016, where he made just 16 appearances in two years. He returned back to Boca Juniors in 2018 for a third time in his career and ended his professional career there in 2021.

    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • 10 worst loan deals in Premier League history

    10 worst loan deals in Premier League history

    The Premier League is no stranger to loan deals in its history. Some loaned players turn out to be excellent whereas some turn out to be the worst! Loans are a move considered by clubs to be low-risk and high-return moves for a temporary period in a season in order to elevate their team’s performances or positioning in the league. Today, BestofBets take a look at 10 worst loan deals in Premier League history!

    10 worst loan deals in Premier League history

    1. Saul Niguez (Chelsea):
      Many fans thought Chelsea hit a jackpot of a loan deal when they brought in Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on loan in August 2021 as they were depleted in midfield.
      However, the move was a full-blown disaster. He made just five appearances for the Blues in the Premier League, from which he was substituted off at half-time in two games.
      Chelsea paid a £3.4million loan fee and wages of almost £200,000 a week for this nightmare.
    2. Denis Suarez (Arsenal):
      Spanish midfielder Denis Suarez spent the second half of the 2018-19 season with Arsenal, following a high profile loan move from Barcelona in January.
      He made just four appearances for the Gunners, and we are pretty sure many fans remember his spell at the club at all.
    3. Radamel Falcao (Manchester United & Chelsea):
      Failing at one loan spell is understandable, but managing to fail twice with two top clubs takes a whole new level of confidence.
      Manchester United signed Radamel Falcao from Monaco for £6million loan fee plus wages of £265,000 a week in 2014. He made just 15 starts for the Red Devils, scoring five goals.
      Despite this disaster, for some reason, Chelsea wanted to burn their hands and they signed Falcao on a loan in 2015.
      At Chelsea, Falcao played 228 minutes of league football, scoring one goal.
    4. Alexandre Pato (Chelsea):
      The second player from Chelsea on this list is Alexandre Pato. The Brazilian was touted to be the best in the world “on his day”. However, his “day” came just a few times in his career, and it was definitely not during his stint at Stamford Bridge.
      He played just twice for the Blues, scoring his solitary Premier League goal from the penalty spot against Aston Villa in the first of those two games.
    5. Simone Zaza (West Ham):
      West Ham paid a €5 million loan fee to Juventus for Italian striker Simone Zaza in 2016. Zaza made just 11 appearances for the Hammers which included eight in the Premier League and three in the EFL Cup, having failed to score in each of those games.
      Yes, you have guessed it right. He became a meme!
    6. Gonzalo Higuain (Chelsea):
      Chelsea brought in Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus in January 2019. He made 14 appearances for the club, scoring nine goals in a series of underwhelming performances causing the London club to not attempt at making his deal permanent.
      The Argentine joined Inter Miami in the MLS in 2020.
    7. Renato Sanches (Swansea):
      Former Golden Boy award winner, Portuguese star Renato Sanches joined Swansea City on loan in his prime from Bayern Munich in the 2017-18 season.
      Fair to say that he was a total failure for the Welsh club and later, in an interview with L’Equipe, he openly stated, “It was not my choice to go to Swansea. I was forced to go there. I didn’t want to go. I have respect for the club, the players, all the people I met there. I appreciated their humility.”
      Sanches since then, joined Lille in 2019 before joining PSG in 2022.
    8. Arthur (Liverpool):
      A typical example of panic buying, Arthur joined Liverpool from Juventus on loan in September 2022. Juventus specified that Liverpool had paid €4.5 million in loan fees, with an option to purchase the player for €37.5 million at the end of the one-year loan.
      He made his Liverpool debut in a 4–1 Champions League defeat to Napoli on 7 September 2022.
      Believe it or not, at the time of writing this article on March 30, 2023, Arthur still hasn’t played a single game for the Reds since Napoli!
    9. Jese Rodriguez (Stoke City):
      Former Real Madrid star Jese Rodriguez arrived in England at Stoke City from PSG in 2017, and after just one training session with the team, he scored against Arsenal on his debut.
      In December that year, then Stoke manager Mark Hughes made him sit on the bench and didn’t elect him as one of his three substitutes in the game, causing Rodriguez to storm out of the stadium.
      The Potters were relegated at the end of that season and Jese returned back to PSG.
      In June 2022, he told TuttoSport that the time in Staffordshire was “the worst adventure” of his career.
    10. Kim Kallstrom (Arsenal):
      Arsenal signed Kim Kallstrom in January 2014 as Arsene Wenger thought he is exactly the type of midfielder who could help the Gunners’ title charge in the second half of the season.
      However, just a few days before signing for the Gunners, Kallstrom was in Abu Dhabi and fell over while playing football on a concrete pitch.
      “I fell badly on a small rock. I hit my back and had some pain,” he said later, as quoted by the Star.
      “Obviously we were due to go back to Moscow the day after so we didn’t do any medical check-up there because it wasn’t too bad at the time. We informed Arsenal straight away that I had a problem with my back and that I had no idea what it was, so they just told me to come along anyway.
      “It was a bit of a blur because the deal had to be done quickly. I came to London, we had the medical and we found out there were some problems but we arranged the deal anyway.”
      He was out injured for two months between January and the end of the season in May, making just three Premier League appearances. Guess where Arsenal finished that season? Fourth!For more engaging and informative content like this, visit the BestofBets’ Insights section.
  • Every Golden Boy winner from 2003 to 2022

    Every Golden Boy winner from 2003 to 2022

    The Golden Boy award is a prestigious honour bestowed upon the best young footballer in Europe under the age of 21.

    The nominees for this award are selected based on their performances for their respective clubs and countries for a calendar year (January to December).

    This award was first established by the Italian sports newspaper called Tuttosport in 2003 when Rafael van der Vaart first won it.

    Who has won it since then right up until 2022?

    BestofBets take a look!

    Every Golden Boy winner in history from 2003 to 2022

    Yr

    Winner

    Nation

    Club(s)

    Position

    2003 Rafael van der Vaart Netherlands Ajax MID 1983
    2004 Wayne Rooney England Everton, Manchester United FW 1985
    2005 Lionel Messi Argentina Barcelona FW 1987
    2006 Cesc Fàbregas Spain Arsenal MID 1987
    2007 Sergio Agüero Argentina Atlético Madrid FW 1988
    2008 Anderson Brazil Manchester United MID 1988
    2009 Alexandre Pato Brazil AC Milan FW 1989
    2010 Mario Balotelli Italy Inter Milan, Manchester City FW 1990
    2011 Mario Götze Germany Borussia Dortmund MID 1992
    2012 Isco Spain Málaga MID 1992
    2013 Paul Pogba France Juventus MID 1993
    2014 Raheem Sterling England Liverpool FW 1994
    2015 Anthony Martial France AS Monaco, Manchester United FW 1995
    2016 Renato Sanches Portugal Benfica, Bayern Munich MID 1997
    2017 Kylian Mbappé France Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain FW 1998
    2018 Matthijs de Ligt Netherlands Ajax DEF 1999
    2019 João Félix Portugal Benfica FW 1999
    2020 Erling Haaland Norway Borussia Dortmund FW 2000
    2021 Pedri Spain Barcelona MID 2002
    2022 Gavi Spain Barcelona MID 2004

    The 2023 Golden Boy award will be announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony which takes place in October.

    You can check out more content like this in our comprehensive BestofBets’ football section.

  • Footballers who also tried other sports at a professional level

    Footballers who also tried other sports at a professional level

    We all know how tough a footballer’s life is.

    The sport is highly competitive with the chance of one injury or an off-field incident truly ruining a player’s career once and for all.

    However, there have been some players who not only managed to overcome their issues in the game, but also tried or excelled at other sports apart from just football either before or after their careers in the beautiful game.
    Best of Bets brings you a list of some of these players!

    Footballers who tried other sports at a professional level

    1. Gareth Bale:
      The greatest Welsh footballer in history, Gareth Bale turned his attention to playing Golf at a professional level ever since retiring from the beautiful game in 2023.
      In February 2023, Bale played at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California, a tournament at which professional golfers play alongside celebrities.
    2. Petr Cech:
      Chelsea legend Petr Cech called curtains on his footballing career at the end of the 2018-19 season and although he returned back as a coach, he felt he could still compete in another professional sport.
      So he decided to join the National Ice Hockey League team Guildford Phoenix – as a goaltender, of course.
      “After 20 years of professional football, this is going to be a wonderful experience for me to play the game I loved to watch and play as a kid,” he said on joining the team.
    3. Paolo Maldini:
      Quite possibly the greatest defender of all time, Paolo Maldini retired from professional football in the summer of 2009.
      However, he began a new journey afterward as in 2017, he qualified for a professional tennis tournament – the Aspria Tennis Cup, in Milan alongside his doubles partner and coach Stefano Landonio. In case you are wondering, they ended up being beaten 6-1, 6-1 in 42 minutes.
    4. Eric Cantona:
      Manchester United legend shocked everyone when he announced his retirement from professional football in 1997 in his prime at the age of 30.
      However, he pursued beach hockey and played for the France national beach soccer team from 2002 onwards. Cantona later became the national team coach and guided the team to glory at the newly-reformatted Beach Soccer World Cup in 2005.
    5. Ivan Perisic:
      This one might come as a surprise to you as Perisic is continuing his career at the highest level at Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, but the Croatian actually competed in a professional beach volleyball competition, where he represented his country.
      After the game, he said, ““his was always my dream, I have been playing beach volleyball since I was 10. I’m very passionate about this game and every summer I have been practicing with my friend. I’d like to thank everyone who has given me the opportunity to play with the best beach volleyball players in the world. It felt amazing – even though I lost.”

    6. Rio Ferdinand:
      In September 2017, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand announced he would attempt at becoming a professional boxer.
      He said, “Boxing is an amazing sport for the mind and the body. I have always had a passion for it and this challenge is the perfect opportunity to show people what’s possible. It’s a challenge I’m not taking lightly, clearly not everyone can become a professional boxer, but with the team of experts Betfair are putting together and the drive I have to succeed, anything is possible.”
      However, despite practicing hard for the sport, he was denied a professional license. “It was not sensible for him or for the sport,” BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith told BBC Sport in May 2018.
    7. Lev Yashin:
      The greatest goalkeeper of all time, Lev Yashin was great at two other sports which he played professionally in his career.
      The only goalkeeper to win a Ballon d’Or in football’s history, Yashin also represented the Soviet Union at ice hockey and bandy, unsurprisingly also as a goalkeeper.
    8. Grant Holt:
      Former Norwich City striker Grant Holt made his debut in wrestling in 2018, winning a 40-man Royal Rumble event.
      After that shock appearance, he linked up with the World Association of Wrestling (WAW), signing a contract to fight at the company’s Fightmare 3 event in 2019.
      You can watch him in action here.
    9. Joe Hart:
      Former England number one Joe Hart took to the cricket field in Shrewsbury while England took on Sweden in the World Cup quarter-final, scoring six runs in 2018.
      In that game, he also took a catch for his hometown team.
    10. Jerzy Dudek:
      Champions League final winning hero with Liverpool in 2005, Jerzy Dudek retired from football in 2013 and became a professional motor racer.
      “Motor racing was my passion before football,” he told LFC TV. “I raced go-karts but of course that stopped when I became a professional footballer. When I quit football I also missed the adrenaline you got from playing.
      “Now I’m taking in new tactics about cars, about different tracks. Of course, there are times when I ask myself why I’m doing this; I have a wife and three kids at home – a very nice life, and when you lose control or focus in the car you can really get into trouble.
      “But you need passions in life – they are what keep you going. Motor racing gives me a lot of joy and I’m loving it.”Apart from the above 10 footballers, theres a few more like Bixente Lizarazu, who became Jiu-Jitsu European champion in the Blue Belt Senior 1 Light Division.
      Gabriel Batistuta became a professional Polo player and scored two goals on his debut for the Loro Piana polo club.
      There’s German goalkeeper Tim Wiese who launched his wrestling career as “The Machine” in WWE, saying ahead of his debut in 2016: “I don’t really see wrestling as an escape, it’s an alternative to becoming fat and sitting on the couch.”
      Last, but not least, Clive Allen, who spent a year as the London Monarchs’ placekicker in NFL Europe in 1997. “It was bloody scary when I got out there I tell you that!” Allen told the Evening Standard in an interview in 2022, while backing NFL fan Harry Kane to make a similar transition later in his career.You can check out more content like this in our comprehensive BestofBets’ football section.
  • 20 most searched footballers on Google in 2023

    20 most searched footballers on Google in 2023

    Have you ever thought about which footballer has the most searched name on Google?

    Well, we thought so!

    So, using KWFinder, we ran an SEO search considering the top 5 leagues in the world, namely the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

    And the results are quite amazing!

    BestofBets brings you the 20 most searched footballers on Google till March 2023 and the number of their average monthly searches (the names below is the actual search term used by users in their Google searches)

    1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 17.6 million average monthly searches
    2. Messi – 14.5 million average monthly searches
    3. Neymar – 10.1 million average monthly searches
    4. Mbappe – 9.07 million average monthly searches
    5. Lewandowski – 3.36 million average monthly searches
    6. Benzema – 3.11 million average monthly searches
    7. Pique – 2.39 million average monthly searches
    8. Dybala – 2.22 million average monthly searches
    9. Luis Suarez – 1.78 million average monthly searches
    10. Sadio Mane – 1.71 million average monthly searches
    11. Pogba – 1.48 million average monthly searches
    12. Luka Modric – 1.42 million average monthly searches
    13. Gareth Bale – 1.41 million average monthly searches
    14. Harry Maguire – 1.34 million average monthly searches
    15. Sergio Ramos – 1.34 million average monthly searches
    16. Frenkie de Jong – 1.32 million average monthly searches
    17. Gabriel Jesus – 1.28 million average monthly searches
    18. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 1.23 million average monthly searches
    19. Marcelo – 1.13 million average monthly searches
    20. Salah – 1.11 million average monthly searches

    For more, visit the BestofBets’ Insights section.

  • Every Ballon d’Or winner from 1956 to 2022

    Every Ballon d’Or winner from 1956 to 2022

    The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious individual recognition given to the best footballer of the calendar year. The award is handed out by France Football magazine.

    While we do remember the recent award winners, have you had the chance to look at every Ballon d’Or winner since the award was incepted in 1956?

    Well, we’re here to help!

    BestofBets take a look!

    *The format below is in “Year/Player/Club at that time”

    Every Ballon d’Or winner from 1956 to 2022

    • 1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool)
    • 1957: Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)
    • 1958: Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid)
    • 1959: Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)
    • 1960: Luis Suarez (Barcelona)
    • 1961: Omar Sivori (Juventus)
    • 1962: Josef Masopust (Dukla Prague)
    • 1963: Lev Yashin (Dynamo Moscow)
    • 1964: Denis Law (Manchester United)
    • 1965: Eusebio (Benfica)
    • 1966: Bobby Charlton (Manchester United)
    • 1967: Florian Albert (Ferencvaros)
    • 1968: George Best (Manchester United)
    • 1969: Gianni Rivera (AC Milan)
    • 1970: Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich)
    • 1971: Johan Cruyff (Ajax)
    • 1972: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich)
    • 1973: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona)
    • 1974: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona)
    • 1975: Oleg Blokhin (Dynamo Kyiv)
    • 1976: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich)
    • 1977: Allan Simonsen (Borussia Monchengladbach)
    • 1978: Kevin Keegan (Hamburg)
    • 1979: Kevin Keegan (Hamburg)
    • 1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich)
    • 1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich)
    • 1982: Paolo Rossi (Juventus)
    • 1983: Michel Platini (Juventus)
    • 1984: Michel Platini (Juventus)
    • 1985: Michel Platini (Juventus)
    • 1986: Igor Belanov (Dynamo Kyiv)
    • 1987: Ruud Gullit (AC Milan)
    • 1988: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)
    • 1989: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)
    • 1990: Lothar Matthaus (Internazionale)
    • 1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (Marseille)
    • 1992: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)
    • 1993: Roberto Baggio (Juventus)
    • 1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona)
    • 1995: George Weah (AC Milan)
    • 1996: Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund)
    • 1997: Ronaldo (Internazionale)
    • 1998: Zinedine Zidane (Juventus)
    • 1999: Rivaldo (Barcelona)
    • 2000: Luis Figo (Real Madrid)
    • 2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool)
    • 2002: Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
    • 2003: Pavel Nedved (Juventus)
    • 2004: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
    • 2005: Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
    • 2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
    • 2007: Kaka (Milan)
    • 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
    • 2009: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2010: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2011: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2012: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
    • 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
    • 2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
    • 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
    • 2018: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
    • 2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
    • 2020: Cancelled
    • 2021: Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
    • 2022: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

    The 2023 version of the Ballon d’Or is expected to be held in October with newly-crowned World Cup winner Lionel Messi set to win an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or!

     

    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • Arsenal vs Sporting CP Europa League round of 16 second leg preview, where to watch, probable XI and prediction

    Arsenal vs Sporting CP Europa League round of 16 second leg preview, where to watch, probable XI and prediction

    Premier League leaders Arsenal will host Sporting CP in an all-to-play Europa League round of 16 clash at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.

    Following a 2-2 draw in the first leg of this UEFA Europa League in Lisbon last week, Arsenal are the big favourites to defeat Sporting CP at home. Apart from playing on home turf, a reason for the overwhelming Arsenal support is that Sporting CP haven’t won any of their last nine European away games against English clubs.

    Best of Bets takes a look at all you need to know about the game.

    Arsenal vs Sporting CP – Match Details

    • Location: London, England
    • Stadium: Emirates Stadium
    • Date: Thursday 16 March
    • Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT
    • Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
    • VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)

    Arsenal vs Sporting CP – Head to Head record

    Games played: 5
    Arsenal wins: 2
    Sporting CP wins: 0
    Draws: 3

    Record in the last five games (Latest game first)

    Arsenal: W D W W W

    Sporting: W D W W W

    How to watch Arsenal vs Sporting CP in the UK?

    The game will be shown on TV on BT Sport 2 and live streamed on BTSport.com

    Arsenal probable XI vs Sporting CP

    Turner; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Jorginho, Partey, Vieira; Saka, Trossard, Smith Rowe

    Sporting CP probable XI vs Arsenal

    Adan; St. Juste, Inacio, Reis; Esgaio, Ugarte, Goncalves, Santos; Edwards, Paulinho, Trincao

    Arsenal vs Sporting CP score prediction

    The Gunners could enjoy this game considering Sporting CP’s atrocious away record as they have conceded nearly twice as many goals on their travels this season (25) as they have at home (14).

    Sporting CP could pose some threat but we think Arsenal will have enough to overcome the challenge.

    Our prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Sporting CP

    For more information and in-depth coverage, please head to Best of Bets’ football where you will find extensive coverage of all football games including Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and much more.

  • Real Madrid vs Liverpool Champions League round of 16 second leg preview, where to watch, probable XI and prediction

    Real Madrid vs Liverpool Champions League round of 16 second leg preview, where to watch, probable XI and prediction

    Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Wednesday night.

    The Reds come into this game in the most confused state of mind, much like their season, as they lost to Bournemouth, who sits in 20th place in the Premier League table, in their last game after beating Manchester United 7-0 in the game before.

    Real Madrid, meanwhile, are nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga and once again, the Champions League is what they will target for this season.

    Best of Bets takes a look at the preview of this game.

    Real Madrid vs Liverpool match details:

    Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

    Location: Madrid, Spain

    Date: Wednesday, March 15

    Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

    Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)

    VAR: Marco Fritz (GER)

    Record in the last five games (Latest game first)

    Real Madrid: WDLDW
    Liverpool: LWWDL

    Real Madrid vs Liverpool Head to Head record

    Games played: 10
    Real Madrid wins: 6
    Liverpool wins: 3
    Draws: 1

    How to watch Real Madrid vs Liverpool in the UK

    The game will be shown live on BT Sport 1, BTSport.com, BT Sport App, BT Sport Ultimate

    Real Madrid probable XI vs Liverpool

    Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius.

    Liverpool probable XI vs Real Madrid

    Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.

    Real Madrid vs Liverpool score prediction

    Los Blancos come into this one in a positive frame of mind and would look to add more insult to injury to the Reds. We think Carlo Ancelotti’s men will claim a 4-1 win over the Reds at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

    For more information and in-depth coverage, please head to Best of Bets’ football where you will find extensive coverage of all football games including Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and much more.