"They're brilliant on the field, and off it too" - 5 footballers who do charity work

The thought of the footballers brings a flurry of images to your mind. The main ones would be the flashy hair, nice boots, his shirt number, the way he does tricks, whether he performs well against your team? All these would define the way a person sees a footballer. But we fail to realize one thing. They too, are humans first. All the fame comes second in line to the fact that they are superstars. The overwhelming attention that is that is burdened upon them often overlooks the work done by them towards the society. Their footballing affiliations and their on-field endeavors often turn the tables against them when they are portrayed by the media. They are the victims of media’s constant allegations and their good work often goes largely unnoticed.

Here are 5 players who are contributing to the welfare of so many in the world even though this never makes the headlines. Well, probably that’s the beauty of doing this :

Craig Bellamy

The arid sunshine on Africa has rather pushed those children into darkness without giving them a way out of their troubles. For all we knew, Africa had no dearth of talent, arguably warranted by the fact that they consistently produce some of the best players in the world. However, consistency means only one or two great players every generation. That is certainly not anywhere near the potential that is hidden there.

That is where, Craig Bellamy stepped in. Not the flashiest footballer in his days, still he is one of the most respected footballers in the Premier League. Having played for many teams throughout his career, his Cardiff and Manchester City days were certainly his best. In 2009, he established the Craig bellamy foundation ( CBF ) with support from the UNICEF. Aimed at bringing out young talent from the grassroots, he set up his academy in the war-ravaged Sierra Leone.

In a country which has yet to recover from the devastation caused by a civil war, the children are longing to find a path that leads to glory. In an already-poor African Continent, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest and most families cannot afford secondary facilities to education and shelter. Bellamy has set up a football league structure that nurtures the dreams of 2400 children – both boys and girls. The league’s model and structure makes sure that every child is educated and made aware of the principles of fair play.

The children who produce eye-catching performances are given special attention and coaching and stand a chance of trials in Europe.

Mario Balotelli

Well, if you watch football, you would surely know this guy. He is one of the most comical footballers you would ever see. Be it throwing darts at a youth team player or driving into a women’s prison, he is one of the most entertaining footballers.

But sadly enough, he makes the headlines for all the wrong reasons than the ones that he should. His on-field gimmicks and his off the field allegations have attributed to him being labeled as a cheater and dirty. Well, some of this may be true but yet that is no warrant for him to carry on his head, such a reputation.

He donates nearly 50 % of his salary to the children in Africa. He regularly shows up at hospitals and trusts to spend time with disabled children. He is also believed to give sizeable amounts of money to the homeless when he sees them.

Having grown up in poverty and struggle, now that he has seen the better side of life, he is trying his level best to make sure that others do the same.

Michael Essien

A well-known and highly respected footballer in the premier League, he too is part of a list of people who had to undergo hardships and lot of suffering before making their name. Having come from Africa, he knows the state of life in those regions.

Thus, he sought out to do his best in making the world a better place to live for those children. It was when he opened The Michael Essien Foundation (MEF), an NGO. It aims to create opportunities for the young and talented who are not privileged enough to make it big. And it has been successful and brought a smile to many faces.

This is set up in the Awutu Breku area. Apart from this, he has also planned to bring up a scheme for farmers, build libraries for children, building clean toilets, teaching life skills to women and provide the people with clean drinking water.

Well, for a man who plies his trade in one of the biggest clubs in the world, this clearly shows his humble nature and his willingness to help.

Dirk Kuyt

Having been in the Premier League for so long, he left last year. But he didn’t leave simply, he left after making a mark on the Premier League. Known to be one of the most hardworking players on the field, his ability has surfaced even off the field as he strives to improve the lives of disabled people in The Netherlands and many other third-world countries.

Having opened the The Dirk Kuyt foundation, he is extremely happy that the organization is flourishing under the control of his wife. He provides sports participation for people with physical or mental disorders. He raises money through selling Dk-branded clothes. People in The Netherlands, Brazil, Ghana and Nepal have benefitted ever since the organization was started in 2006.

Dirk Kuyt may have lived the best possible life he ever could, having won the Champions League and reaching the finals of the World Cup, but he has not forgotten where it all started.

Lionel Messi

The final player in this list is none other than the Lionel Messi. Arguably, one of the greatest footballers of all time, he has reached the pinnacle of footballing success. He has achieved every possible distinction there is and has reached heights that no one could have ever imagined of.

But he never forgot his roots. He wanted to make a difference outside the footballing world too. And he established Leo Messi Foundation, a charity supporting access to education and health care for vulnerable children. In regard with Messi’s own hormonal problem in his younger days, the organization has sought to provide treatment to Argentine Children who are suffering from similar conditions.

In 2011, Messi became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, and did activities aimed at improving child rights. Messi has funded the construction of a dormitory inside the stadium of Newell’s Old Boys for the club’s youth academy as well as the construction of a gymnasium. In 2013, Messi contributed €600,000 towards the renovation of a hospital in his hometown in Argentina.

Whether you like these footballers or not is an entirely different question, but you cannot deny their contribution to the betterment of humans and their lifestyle.