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Football at the highest level certainly has its perquisites. Salaries that put investment bankers to shame and lifestyles that match Donald Trump’s. Clubs pay big money for players who have proven talent, and even bigger money for marketable talent.
This is exactly why David Beckham’s transfer to Los Angeles Galaxy was funded by the entire MLS, as it was seen as a boost to the league, and not just to the club. Cristiano Ronaldo also falls in the same bracket, with the record £80 million transfer to his name.
That being said, every club knows that even though you can buy a player’s contract, you can never be sure of his loyalty. Footballers have now evolved from the working class that doubled up as part-time footballers to full time professionals who dedicate a good part of their life to better every facet.
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Some of the biggest names in football today are also the most travelled players. Such movements cannot be attributed to one single generalised factor, as it boils down to individual preferences or potential risks. Let’s take a look at some such footballers, who are fabulous, yet fickle, when it comes to club loyalty.
Nicolas Anelka
The number one name that usually pops up when you say ‘fickle’. Incredibly talented, the Frenchman has seen a lot of club crests in his life.
Aged 34, he has been at 11 different clubs, in just over 17 years. This, obviously, excludes the year he spent as a youth player at Paris Saint Germain, a club he later returned to, after they paid £20 million to Real Madrid for a player who was theirs to begin with.
A rather temperamental player, Anelka has spent time at the crème de la crème of football institutions around the world. He has played for clubs in France, England, Italy, China, Turkey and Spain. This truly global player spent most of his time in England, representing five different clubs in the same league, the English Premier League.
He has repeatedly hit roadblocks with his managers, including Raymond Domenech, the French coach.
He rarely spent more than a year or two at most clubs, his longest term being at Chelsea, which is again only 4 seasons.
Year | Club |
1996–1997 | Paris Saint-Germain |
1997–1999 | Arsenal |
1999–2000 | Real Madrid |
2000–2002 | Paris Saint-Germain |
2001–2002 | ? Liverpool (loan) |
2002–2005 | Manchester City |
2005–2006 | Fenerbahçe |
2006–2008 | Bolton Wanderers |
2008–2012 | Chelsea |
2012–2013 | Shanghai Shenhua |
2013 | ? Juventus (5 month loan) |
2013– | West Bromwich Albion |
Christian Vieri
Christian Vieri
Another incredible striker and another nomad in terms of football clubs. A total of 13 clubs had him in their payroll, mostly in Italy.
He fit the stereotype of the proverbial striker, who could push through a defence, just as he easily as he could rise above them. One of Italy’s highest scorers in the World Cup, he scored 9 goals in 9 matches at France in 1998 and South Korea in 2002.
The Italian’s most notable tryst came at Internazionale, also his longest term, where he scored over a 100 goals in under 150 appearances. When he was bought from Lazio, he was the then most expensive player, standing at £32 million.
He also risked a move from Inter to rivals Milan, in the July of 2005, after his contract was mutually terminated at Inter. But without the promise of regular football, he quickly shifted to Monaco within 6 months of his last move.
If you take a look at his movement from Torino in 1991 to Inter in 1999, he moved between 8 clubs, spending exactly one season at each club, with 7 of them in Italy. Clearly unprecedented, at least for such a classic player, such a fickle attitude was unbecoming. Either way, he saw most of Italy, and must have liked it.
Year | Club |
1991–1992 | Torino |
1992–1993 | Pisa |
1993–1994 | Ravenna |
1994–1995 | Venezia |
1995–1996 | Atalanta |
1996–1997 | Juventus |
1997–1998 | Atlético Madrid |
1998–1999 | Lazio |
1999–2005 | Internazionale |
2005–2006 | Milan |
2006 | Monaco |
2006 | Sampdoria |
2006–2007 | Atalanta |
2007–2008 | Fiorentina |
2008–2009 | Atalanta |
Hernán Crespo
Hernán Crespo
The third striker on the list, and just as talented, Hernán Crespo has played in England, Italy and Argentina, with close to 350 games in Italy.
Crespo was sensational as a centre forward, commanding a then world record transfer of £35 million in 2000, when he shifted to Lazio from Parma.
Crespo’s longest term came at Parma in the Serie A, where he played 116 games, scoring 62 goals. Starting at River Plate, he spent 3 years in Argentina, before Parma happened, and then he followed the path tread seldom, but tread carelessly.
He ended his career at Parma, spending two seasons there before calling it a day. He became their all-time goal scorer, with 94 goals in 201 appearances.
Crespo’s best performances came at Lazio and Internazionale, where he proved his mettle. His move to Chelsea was ill fated, when he found himself surplus to Jose Mourinho’s plans. He was also a star name in the Bengal Premier League Soccer, a project which never took off.
Year | Club |
1993–1996 | River Plate |
1996–2000 | Parma |
2000–2002 | Lazio |
2002–2003 | Internazionale |
2003–2008 | Chelsea |
2004–2005 | ? Milan (loan) |
2006–2008 | ? Internazionale (loan) |
2008–2009 | Internazionale |
2009–2010 | Genoa |
2010–2012 | Parma |
John Burridge
John Burridge
‘Budgie’ is one of the most travelled footballers till date. You will remember him from C2K on Ten Sports, where he is a panelist alongside Joe Morrison and Carlton Palmer.
A former English goalkeeper, Burridge has played over 770 league games, in addition to the numerous non-league games. He has represented 29 different clubs, including 15 Football League teams, a record which stands till date.
He became the oldest player to appear in the Premier League at the age of 43 years 4 months and 26 days when he represented Manchester City in 1994-95, against Queens Park Rangers.
Refusing to call it a day, he played the role of a stand-by keeper at any team that availed his service. The list is unbelievable, and commendable if you take in to account the perseverance needed to push through so many doors.
Before you head to marvel at Budgie’s list of previous employers, I would like to mention a few notable players who could make the list soon – Andy Cole, Zlatan Ibrahimovi?, Ronaldo Luís and Jermaine Pennant.
Year | Club |
1969–1971 | Workington |
1971 | ? Blackpool (loan) |
1971–1975 | Blackpool |
1975–1978 | Aston Villa |
1978 | ? Southend United (loan) |
1978–1980 | Crystal Palace |
1980–1982 | Queens Park Rangers |
1982–1984 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
1984 | ? Derby County (loan) |
1984–1987 | Sheffield United |
1987–1989 | Southampton |
1989–1991 | Newcastle United |
1991–1993 | Hibernian |
1993 | Newcastle United |
1993 | Scarborough |
1993–1994 | Lincoln City |
1994 | Enfield |
1994 | Aberdeen |
1994 | Newcastle United |
1994 | Dunfermline Athletic |
1994 | Dumbarton |
1994 | Falkirk |
1994–1995 | Manchester City |
1995 | Notts County |
1995 | Witton Albion |
1995 | Darlington |
1995–1996 | Grimsby Town |
1996 | Gateshead |
1996 | Northampton Town |
1996 | Queen of the South |
1996 | Purfleet |
1996 | Blyth Spartans |
1996 | Scarborough |
1997 | Blyth Spartans |
