Offside Sound-Off: Tell us about the Player You Love the Most
By: Laurie | January 18th, 2008
I was going to write today’s Sound-off on “the player you hate the most.” But then the player I hated the most (Carlos Ruiz) came to my team, the LA Galaxy. Which seems to mean I can’t hate him anymore.
So instead let’s talk about the players we love the most. The ones who make our hearts sing every time they touch the ball or make a great tackle or save. The ones we think about even when they’re not on the field.
I think I have three.
Top has to be Nicolas Anelka, newly signed by Chelsea. The guy who had the awful reputation. I think there’s a feeling of discovery for me when it comes to Nico, because I saw the turnaround while most people were still saying he had a rotten attitude. So the new Nico feels like my own personal invention. This means that, in some odd way, I feel somehow responsible for the fact that everybody now loves him. (Or at least the Chelsea fans. And at least for the honeymoom period.)
Isn’t being a fan strange sometimes?
Second is twenty-year-old Lyon and France player Karim Benzema (pictured). Another discovery. I picked him out of the crowd awhile ago, before most English-speakers had ever heard of him. (Well, except for Inara, of course. You can never beat Inara when it comes to Lyon players.) And because in my mind I “discovered” him, again, he somehow became “my” player. (As I have said before, I have a longstanding invitation to adopt him. For some reason he hasn’t taken me up on it.)
When it comes to US players, I think it has to be Mike Randolph. An out-of-nowhere success story. In 2006 he was playing in the USL for the Portland Timbers. He moved from there to the LA Galaxy bench. Then all of a sudden a slew of injuries put him in the starting lineup, and he made the most of it. And now he’s in training with the US U-23s and may well play in the Olympics. And he comes across as a nice kid, too. What’s not to like?
Those are the players I love. Now it’s your turn. We at the Offside want to know:
Which players make your heart beat faster when they take the field?
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Category: World Football
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Comments
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I have three favorite players.
The first is Juninho. It’s not just his magic touch, it’s the passion he brought to Lyon. He brought his warmth to a burgeoning French football team and played the biggest role in turning them into a contender for the top ten teams in Europe. Watching him on the pitch is Brazilian flamboyancy and artistry coupled with French discipline, and turned into something unique.
Edgar Davids. Maybe it’s the dreadlocks, maybe it’s the headgear, or maybe it’s the bad ass way he used to play during the height of his career. But I just love the guy.
Hatem Ben Arfa, who I think is the most technically gifted footballer in France. Maybe no one knows him as well as Nasri and Benzema, but Ben Arfa has more raw talent than they do. And he plays such pretty football.
And Karim Benzema of course. Watching him is like watching the future unfold right in front of your eyes.
Oh wait…that was four…
Posted from
United States
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hmm I’m going to have to go with Cristiano Ronaldo, Jozy Altidore, and Kaka.
Posted from
United States -
I’m always going to love Jens Lehmann, mad as he is. And he is mad. But he’s also talented and exciting to watch. And fun to read about. And I hope he ends his career well, but somehow it’s fitting that it will most likely end dramatically. But I’ll miss him when he’s gone.
I have a lot of other favorites. It’s an everchanging and sometimes ridiculous list. But I think Jens will always be the one I’m most attached to.
Posted from
United States -
Without a doubt, the player I love the most is Turkish Legend, Hakan Sukur. In his time he scored in every way possible. He hold the records for the fastest goal in a world cup, most times captain of the Turkish national team, and he is the all time top scorer in the Turkish super league. On top of that he’s a great man personally, preferring his wife and kids to the bars and nightlife of other players. A model professional who only saw one red card in his 20 years of football.
A close second and third would be Gheorghe Hagi and Rinat Dasaev.
Posted from
United States -
deco and messi!
Posted from
United States -
Andrea Pirlo – Champion of the world for club and country.
Posted from
United States -
Give me the passion of one Gennaro Gattuso.
Posted from
United States -
Lovely to see so many Pirlo people here: yeah, i love him. he’s the maestro of Milan, totally dictates our game. sometimes i’ll just sit there with my jaw open after he makes a magical pass. incredible. bring me a more consistent player, i dare you.
and it has to be said: Kaka’. Give him space, and he will destroy you.
also add Ibra for good measure. and..I’m gonna stop before I ramble further.
Posted from
United States -
I have two favorites:
First is Michael Owen. Ever since I saw him score the goal against Argentina in ‘98, I’ve considered him my personal football hero.
Next is Steven Gerrard. Show me someone who holds a team together more than Steven Gerrard. The man is the rock of Liverpool, and has the best qualities a football player can have.
Posted from
United States -
He’s bald!
He’s tall!
And you can’t score at all!
Brad Friedel! Brad Friedel!Say what you will but Brad Friedel has been the heart of Blackburn Rovers these last few years, and is the player I love most, both for club and (at least once) for country.
Posted from
United States -
For England Michael Owen ever since his first world cup goal versus Argentina – will he ever get that back
In Club football, Paolo di Canio when he was a West Ham. One of the most talented and most insane players ever in the Premiership.
How anyone can choose someone like Christiano Ronaldo is beyond me – immensely talented but also an immense cheat. He does the “lose the ball and then leave trailing leg to trip over the defender followed by a dive” at least once in every game. Pele would not have been as great as he was if he had cheated consistently. The tragedy is that C Ronaldo is so good he doesn’t need to cheat – it’s just in his personality he’s obviously an overpaid, arrogant, cheat.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Toni Kroos. Though he’s still young, he does magic to the match, I love seeing him.
Posted from
Hong Kong -
the roman trio of Totti, De Rossi and Aquilani. I also think about Mexes when thinking about the other three, because the four of themplay their hearts out for the jersey i feel.
Posted from
United States -
My all-time favorite is Roberto Baggio. The greatest Italian #10 of the modern era.
Presently it’s Francesco Totti, the closest you can come to Baggio.
Posted from
United States -
andrea pirlo!!!
also v.nistelrooy,tevez,benzema,messiPosted from
India -
Un capitano….c’e solo un capitano…
Er Pupone, daje per sempre
Posted from
United States -
Andres Iniesta: That kid might be perfect. He’s loyal, intelligent, extremely professional, will fill in whatever role asked of him and do an above average job of it, and is a joy to watch.
Deco, Eto’o, and Marquez also deserve mention.
Of all time it would have to be Luis Enrique.
Posted from
Canada -
I have to agree with Jack- I love Gattuso for his character and grit.
Pirlo for his surgical precision.
And Berbatov because the guy always has something up his sleeve and can change a game in the blink of an eye.
Posted from
United States -
Schweinsteiger… just because. Diego and Mario Gomez because they have so much talent. Lahm because he works hard, plays fair, and is unselfish.
Posted from
United States -
hell, schweinsteiger just for his name! i know what schwein means, but i can’t figure out the steiger part…
Posted from
United States -
Every forward’s dream is to score the best goal ever scored.
Their nightmare?
To play against the world’s greatest ever defender.
Paolo Maldini
Posted from
United States -
im gonna say edgar davids as well, he was such a badass in his day, it definately was the dreads. The dreadlock generation along with Seedorf, Kanu, Melchiot and one other guy cant remember who. That Ajax team was incredible.
Posted from
United States -
Messi, shades of greatness
Posted from
United States -
Miro Klose – I love watching him play. And Dave, “steiger” means climber so his last name literally is pig climber
Posted from
United States -
My German friend says Schweinsteiger means Pig Mounter.
Lol.
That’s my nickname for my mate now.
Pig Mounter
Posted from
United States
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