The advent of social media, internet, public commentators on sport and several other things have led to the overuse of the word LEGEND, including and especially in football. A sense of instant gratification and over glorification leads people to term some players legends, even when they are far away from the word. Maybe the definition of a legend is subjective and personal but there are some, whose status is absolutely unquestionable.
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Over the years, we have seen greats like Pele, Diego Maradona, George Best, Michel Platini, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane leave indelible marks on the history of teams they have represented. However, there are certain players who have established milestones in multiple clubs, sometimes by taking them to unprecedented heights while restoring pride and self belief on other occasions.
Being a legend for one club is extremely tough but the following list of players have done it in different teams, something that makes them truly unique. Here is a list of ten players who have established themselves as legends at not one, not two, but THREE clubs:
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Ajax, Internazionale and Paris Saint-Germain
If Zlatan Ibrahimovic would come to know that this list is being prepared, he would want to be at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Ibrahimovic probably became a legend at the Swedish hospital in Malmo, where he was born in 1981. Jokes aside, there have been few players in footballing history who have maintained such high quality throughout their careers.
Following his start in Malmo, Ibrahimovic moved to Dutch club Ajax, where he played under Ronald Koeman and became a serious attacking threat. During his time at Ajax, Zlatan won the Dutch Eredivisie twice (2001-02, 2003-04) and the KNVB cup once. After a few seasons at Italian giants Juventus, Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved to Internazionale in 2006 and his time with the Nerazzuri proved to be hugely successful as he scored 66 times in over 110 appearances and helped them win three consecutive Serie A titles.
Zlatan was the Serie A top scorer in 2008-2009 and won Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2008 and 2009 during his time at Inter. Barcelona came calling in 2009 and Ibrahimovic signed for the Catalns to form a possibly devastating attacking partnership with Lionel Messi. However, things do not always work out as one thinks and Zlatan’s time at Barcelona proved to be quite torrid due to strained relations with manager Pep Guardiola.
After moving to AC Milan from Barcelona and helping them win the Scudetto, Ibrahimovic moved to French giants Paris Saint-Germain for a fees in the region of £15.7 million. Despite being 30 when he joined PSG, Zlatan played like a champion in France and the Paris-based outfit won the league in all seasons he was there. In fact, PSG became the first club for which he played more than a hundred games (180) and scored more than 156 goals.
Quite rightfully, when he came to end of his time in Paris, Zlatan said, “I came like a king and left like a legend.”
#2 Pavel Nedved – Sparta Prague, Lazio and Juventus
If ever there was a human manifestation of something that combines world class talent, hard work, skill, humility and loyalty, Pavel Nedved would be one of the top contenders to represent it. One of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Pavel Nedved helped three clubs, Sparta Prague, Lazio and Juventus, establish themselves as footballing powerhouses.
The Czech maestro moved to Sparta Prague from Dukla Prague in 1992 and it proved to be beneficial for both the player and club. He made more than 100 appearances for Sparta Prague, scored more than 20 goals but most importantly, ran the show in the midfield and that helped them win the league title in 1992-93. The turning point of his career came in 1996, when he moved to Italian giants Lazio and within no time, became an integral part of the team.
Nedved and Lazio had a memorable 1997-98 season, during which they won Coppa Italia and were runners up in the UEFA Cup. His stature at Lazio kept growing as Nedved produced stunning performances, one season after another. He helped Lazio won the coveted Serie A title in 1999-2000 and the Coppa Italia as well. After making 138 appearances for the Lazio, Nedved was sold to Juventus in 2001.
Not that he wanted the move (he signed a new contract in 2001), Nedved continued to do at Juventus what he did at Lazio and the Czech filled the gaping hole left by the departure of French maestro Zinedine Zidane, who left for Real Madrid. If one thought Nedved was great at Lazio, his years at Juventus defined him as a player and a footballing great. He won two Serie A titles (two were revoked) but most importantly, did not abandon the club when they were relegated to Serie B due to the match fixing scandal.
Nedved finished his career at Juventus after making almost 300 appearances and retired at the end of the 2008-09 season. Nicknamed Furia Ceca (Czech Cannon) by Italian fans, the midfielder is one of the best Juventus players in history and the club made him their vice-president in 2015.
#3 Johan Cruyff – Ajax, Barcelona and Feynoord
The history of football has seen many greats but none have impacted the sport as a player, manager, philosopher and theorist like the late Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. There are some people who walk the face of this earth and leave an impact on the psyche of everything and everyone they come into contact with – Cruyff was one of them. During the course of his career as a player, Cruyff represented (graced rather) three clubs, which saw him produce exceptional football and greatness.
An Amsterdam-boy, Cruyff inevitably ended up playing for the Ajax youth team and graduated to the senior team in 1964. He represented Ajax for nearly a decade, making more than 300 appearances and scoring around 250 goals for them. Many describe Cruyff’s time at Ajax as the club’s Golden Era, during which Total Football blossomed unlike any other. During his first spell at Ajax, the team won a colossal six league titles and three European Cups along with one UEFA Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup.
Cryuff moved to Barcelona from Ajax in 1973 and became an instant hit with the Catalan public due to his footballing skills and demeanour. To summarise what Cruyff did Barcelona with one example, he helped the Catalans win their first league title since 1960 and also was key in handing bitter rivals Real Madrid a 5-0 bashing at the Santiago Bernabeu. Though his time at Barcelona as a player did not yield many trophies, what Cruyff brought to club in terms of ethos and philosophy changed the face and history of the club.
After leaving Barcelona in 1978, Cruyff had spells in the United States before he returned to Ajax and immediately impacted their performances. Despite influencing Ajax to two league titles in 1981-82 and 1982-83, he was not offered a contract extension and that, quite rightly, hit Cruyff. What did he do? He signed for arch-rivals Feynoord and led them to a historic double (League and KNVB Cup) in his sole season at the club, establishing himself as a legend there as well.
#4 Xabi Alonso – Real Sociedad, Liverpool and Real Madrid
Moving to a new football club after spending quite some time at one can be tough for players but not for a certain Xabi Alonso, who has maintained produced superior quality football wherever he has gone. A Basque province boy, Alonso was a part of the Real Sociedad’s youth team before moving to their senior team in 2000. Despite being really young, Xabi Alonso was handed the captain’s armband by manager John Toshack and the move paid off.
There was an alteration in management in the coming years but Alonso’s position stayed put and with him being the midfield mainstay, Sociedad finished second in the league 2002-03 season. This performance propelled them to qualify for the UEFA Champions Legaue for the first time. The club succumbed to pressure of European football in the next season but Alonso continued to put in strong performances and stayed committed to Sociedad despite interest from a lot of sides including Real Madrid.
After making over 120 appearances for Sociedad, Alonso moved to Liverpool in 2004 and his qualities as a player started to show immediately. Alonso, alongside compatriot Luis Garcia and Liverpool’s talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard, ushered a new era at Anfield under the management of Rafa Benitez. They flourished in Europe and won the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League in his first season by beating AC Milan on that “Night in Istanbul.” Alonso, in fact, culminated Liverpool’s resurgence in the final by scoring the goal that levelled proceedings at 3-3.
He continued to flourish at Anfield and Alonso’s partnership with Gerrard became the mainstay of Liverpool’s gameplay. However, much against his wishes, Alonso was sold to Real Madrid in 2010, much to the delight of the Santiago Bernabeu outfit. Alonso’s time at Real Madrid, for whom he made 158 league appearances, was a fruitful one as he helped Los Merengues to win the La Liga title in 2011-12 season and the much-awaited 10th European Cup (La Decima) in 2013-14.
For some odd reason, he was deemed surplus to requirements at Real Madrid and was sold to Bayern Munich in 2014. Alonso has produced quality wherever he has gone and is continuing the same at Bayern Munich, a club that too will crown him a legend when he leaves/retires.
#5 David Beckham – Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy
There is an aura about David Beckham that few footballers, irrespective of how great they are/were, will be able to replicate or emulate. Maybe it is the unmistakable swagger in his passing, the boyish charm, the fashion statements, hairstyles or just the immense love Beckham gathered wherever he went, the Englishman has managed to stake a claim in the history of three different clubs in different countries – Manchester United, Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy.
To describe David Beckham, the first two words that come to anyone's mind would be Manchester United. He joined the club’s youth team in 1991 and then graduated to the senior side in 1992, alongisde the likes of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, popularly known as the Class of ‘92. During his decade-long career at the club, Beckham played a key role in establishing United as Premier League giants under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Champions League title.
Along with being a top class player, Beckham became a brand and an international icon during his time at Old Trafford and perennial star-lovers Real Madrid, under Florentino Perez’s Presidency, came circling for the midfielder. In 2003, after making close to 400 appearances for Manchester United, Beckham moved to Real Madrid in one of the most talked about transfers of the 21st century. He spent around four years at Real Madrid and won one league title while making over 155 appearances for the Santiago Bernabeu outfit.
Beckham moved to United States in 2007 when he signed for Los Angeles Galaxy to play in the Major League Soccer (MLS). He established himself as a fan favourite at LA Galaxy as well, helping them win two MLS Cup titles (2011 and 2012) along the MLS Western Conference (Regular Season and Playoffs) three times. By the time he left Galaxy in 2012, Beckham had become a big hit among the fans and colleagues as well.
#6 Luis Suarez – Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona
Though a lot of people might scoff at the fact that Luis Suarez is on this list, given that he is still playing for Barcelona, what he has managed in two seasons at Camp Nou is nothing short of incredible. Disliked perennially by rival clubs and its fans, Suarez has made a stunning impact at every Eurpean club he has represented. He joined Ajax from Groningen in 2007 and was an instant hit.
During his 159 league appearances for the Dutch club, Suarez scored 111 goals and became part of an elite group comprising Dennis Bergkamp, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, who have all scored 100 goals or more for the Amsterdam-based side. Suarez won the league with Ajax in 2010-11 and the KNVB Cup in 2009-10. He moved to Liverpool in January 2011 and in what could be termed as the most interesting part of his career, Suarez brought Liverpool as close to that elusive league Premier League title as anyone could.
Luis Suarez scored a record equalling 31 league goals in 33 appearances in the 2013-14 season, which saw Liverpool finish second in the league and he won the Premier League Golden Boot and PFA Player of the year Award. Despite his antics at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the disgraceful biting incident involving Giorgio Chiellini, Barcelona came calling and Suarez signed for them, finishing his Liverpool career with more than 80 goals in over 130 appearances.
There was a lot of talk about how Luis Suarez would fit in the scheme of things at Barcelona with the dominating presence of Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. However, nothing affected Suarez, not even the four-month ban, as he ended up scoring 25 goals and making a colossal 20 assists in all compeititons. He also scored the all important second goal for Barcelona in their 3-1 win over Juventus in UEFA Champions League final.
Suarez continued his prolific goalscoring in the second season and won the coveted Pichichi Trophy due to his tally of 40 goals as Barcelona won the double (League and Copa del Rey). Other than his scoring prowess, Suarez’s biggest achievement at Barcelona has been coming out of the shadows of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and breaking the duo’s domination.
#7 Clarence Seedorf – Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan
A quick glance at Clarence Seedorf’s resume as a player would immediately tell you that he is one of the most successful players in modern history of European football. During his illustrious career that spanned more than a decade, the Dutch midfielder won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs and league titles in three European countries.
Starting off at Ajax, Seedorf became a part of the club’s golden generation that included himself, Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert, Edwin van der Sar, Ronald de Boer and Danny Blind. Seedorf won two Eredivisie titles, a KNVB Cup and a UEFA Champions League. He moved to Real Madrid in 1996 and established himself as a favourite by helping them win the La Liga title in the first season.
In his second season for Real Madrid, Seedorf was instrumental in taking them to a UEFA Champions League title, which they won by defeating Juventus 1-0 in the final. Seedorf is also known for scoring that breathtaking long range goal in the all-important Madrid derby againt city rivals Ateltico. Towards the end of his tenure at Real Madrid, Seedorf got lesser playing time but by the time he was transferred to Italy 1999, he had done more than enough to stand among the club’s all-time elite.
Though he won a lot of trophies at Ajax and Madrid, Seedorf played the best football of his life under Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan. His golden touch in Europe continued as Seedorf helped AC Milan win the UEFA Champions League in 2002-03 and 2006-07 along with Serie A titles in 2003-04 and 2010-11. Seedorf spent a decade at Milan, making more than 400 appearances and scoring over 60 goals.
#8 Rui Costa - Benfica, Fiorentina and Milan
The 1990s and to some extent the first five years of the 21st century was golden generation for football, especially in terms of midfield talent. Such was the abundance of top class midfielders that one could be forgiven for missing out on a few. However, one great name that no one will forget is Rui Costa, an attacking midfielder who became a legend wherever he went.
Costa’s career began at Portuguese giants Benfica, with whom he spent around four years, winning one league title once and Taca de Portugal as well. Despite being really young, Costa was an important member of the club’s midifield and forged a strong partnership with Joao Pinto. Costa moved to Italian giants Fiorentina in 1994 and his spell with the Florence-based club proved to be the best of his career.
He produced some stunning football in Italy during his time at Fiorentina, where he spent more than half a decade. Costa shined in Serie A during a time when there was immense talent in midfield across the league and the masterful Zidane was creating magic at Juventus. He was recognised as one of the best midfielders during his time at Fiorentina and he played over 270 matches for them.
From Fiorentina, Rui Costa was signed by AC Milan in 2001 in huge transfer (one of the biggest of the time) and the Portuguese went on to represent the Rossonerri for half a decade, during which he helped them win a Serie A title, an Italian Cup and a UEFA Champions League trophy. He established his pedigree at San Siro as well before Brazilian superstar Kaka took over.
#9 Thierry Henry – Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls
The level of quality, class and style Thierry Henry produced during his club football career will be matched by only a few. Regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, Henry produced top level football in Europe and later in the United States of America. Most importantly, Henry’s goals and attacking prowess turned into trophies for the teams he represented.
After spending five years in Monaco and one in Juventus, Henry was brought by compatriot and manager Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, where he played the best football of his life. Having played under Wenger previously at Monaco, it did not take long for Henry to influence proceedings at Highbury (Arsenal’s previous stadium) despite there being a strong cynicism about him being played as a striker.
Henry went on to play more than 360 games for Arsenal and scored over 220 goals in all competitions including 174 in the Premier League. The Frenchman went on to win the Premier League Golden Boot four times and helped Arsenal win league titles in 2001-02 and 2003-04 apart from three FA Cups. A stunning career at Arsenal ended in 2007 when he moved to Barcelona.
Though not as prolific as he was at Arsenal, Henry made more than significant contributions during his time at Barcelona and forged a strong partnership with Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi. During his three-season stay at Camp Nou, Barcelona won two La Liga, one UEFA Champions League, one Copa del Rey and a FIFA Club World Cup title. He represented Barcelona in 121 games and scored 49 goals.
Just when Henry was about finished, he proved everyone wrong by plying his trade in the United States of America with New York Red Bulls. Though he did not win the MLS Cup with the Red Bulls, Henry was a firm favourite with the fans and others at the club. He spent five seasons at the club and scored more than 50 goals in 135 appearances.
#10 Edwin van der Sar – Ajax, Fulham and Manchester United
The fact that Edwin van der Sar appears towards the ends of this list despite being almost as successful (maybe even more than some) shows how underrated he was as a player. One of the most trusted goalkeepers of his generation, van der Sar was known for his composure, stability, consistency and the ability to rise on the biggest occasions. A staggering fact to verify his legendary status is that the Dutchman won 25 trophies during his nearly three-decade career.
Trophy success came to van der Sar right at the beginning of his career at Ajax, where he was a part of the club’s golden generation including Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Frank de Boer, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Marc Overmars among others. With van der Sar in goal, Ajax won four Eridivisie titles, three KNVB Cups, a UEFA Cup and a UEFA Champions League. He played over 300 games for the Dutch team before moving to Juventus in 1999.
For a goalkeeper of his pedigree, van der Sar’s time at Juventus was rather lacklustre and he was gradually replaced by an obviously talented Gianluigi Buffon. The Dutchman shocked everyone by moving to newly promoted Premier League side Fulham in 2001 and stayed with them for four seasons, putting in stunning performances quite regularly. Though there was nothing to show in terms of trophies, van der Sar’s abilities were noted by several managers including Sir Alex Ferguson, who signed the Dutchman in 2005.
His spell at Manchester United proved to be hugely successful and van der Sar was an instant hit at Old Trafford. Van der Sar, standing behind the defensive partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, helped Manchester United win four Premier League titles, two League Cups and that famous UEFA Champions League trophy in 2007-08, when they defeated Chelsea in the final on penalties.The Dutchman proved to be more than his money’s worth at Manchester United and left Old Trafford a legend in 2011 after making more than 266 appearances for them.
