10 Footballers Who Went From Loser To Legend

 

In the exciting world of football, there are some amazing stories about players who started off facing challenges and doubters but ended up becoming true legends. These players didn't give up when things got tough. They kept working hard, believing in themselves, and never stopped trying.

 1. Kevin Debruyne

Debruyne who might be currently enjoying his Premier League titles didn't start smoothly for him when he arrived in England during the 2013/14 season. Initially, he struggled at Chelsea and only played a few games, with some people even thinking he wasn't cut out for English football. But De Bruyne didn't let that stop him.  He worked hard and proved everyone wrong, especially when he joined Manchester City and thrived under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola. He turned his fortunes around and became a true footballing legend.

 2. Mo Salah

Salah played for Chelsea, but it didn't work out as he had hoped. He went to play in the Serie A for teams like Fiorentina and AS Roma. He did really well there and caught the attention of Liverpool. They signed him, and from that moment on, history was made. Salah became a true football legend for Liverpool, showing that even when things don't go perfectly at first, with hard work and determination, we can achieve great things.

 3. Kasper Schmeichel

Even though he had a good start to his career with Manchester City, he faced some challenges along the way. Instead of playing regularly, he was loaned out to different teams and was considered the backup goalkeeper. Eventually, Schmeichel left Manchester City and joined Notts County in a lower division.

When he moved to Leicester City, it wasn't expected to be a long stay for him. In fact, he even got a red card in his first month of the season. But Schmeichel didn't give up. He worked hard and improved his skills, helping Leicester City get promoted to the top division. Then, something incredible happened.  He became a true legend for Leicester City by playing a key role in winning their first-ever English Premier League title. Even though he isn't at Leicester City anymore, the fans still remember and appreciate all the great things he did for the club.

      4. Thierry Henry

  It might be surprising to know that this amazing player had a tough time at Juventus. He only scored three goals and gave two assists in 17 matches in 1999, and as a result, Juventus decided to let him go. However, everything changed for Henry when he joined Arsenal. His story there became a part of football history. He became the club's all-time leading goal scorer, helping Arsenal win numerous trophies, including two Premier League titles and two FA Cups. Henry's incredible speed, skill, and goal-scoring ability made him a fan favorite and a true legend in the world of football.

     5.  Lionel Messi

With all his fame and fortune, has always had an easy life. But believe me, he also had his share of challenges in the past. One of the toughest moments for Messi was on August 17, 2005, when he made his international debut for Argentina. It was a day he would remember, but not in a good way.

As a young and talented player, a lot was expected of Messi in his debut match against Hungary. He came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute, but unfortunately, his debut didn't last long. Just a few minutes later, while trying to keep the ball away from his opponent, Messi accidentally elbowed him in the face. The referee misunderstood the situation and gave Messi a straight red card, thinking he had done it on purpose. This was a tough lesson for Messi, but he learned from his mistake. Despite that difficult start, Messi went on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning major titles and capturing the hearts of fans around the world.

       6. Emiliano Martinez.

 Martinez is now considered a legendary goalkeeper for Argentina, having won the World Cup in 2022, along with the Golden Glove award and FIFA Best Goalkeeper title in the same year. He also played a significant role in Argentina's victory in the Copa America in 2021. However, things weren't always easy for him. In the past, he wasn't the first-choice goalkeeper at Arsenal and was loaned out to other clubs several times. He also faced disappointment when he didn't play a single game for Argentina's U20 team in the 2011 World Cup. It was only in 2021 that he received his first call-up to the national team.  Despite these challenges, Martinez's hard work and determination paid off, and he emerged as a true footballing legend for Argentina.

        7. Ciro Immobile

Immobile, at one point, had a tough time in teams like Juventus, Dortmund, and Sevilla. He went on loan to different clubs and didn't score many goals for them. But everything changed when he joined Torino and later Lazio. He played a big role in helping Lazio win the Coppa Italia in 2019 and his national team wins the European Championship in 2021. He also became one of the legendary players in Serie A by winning four top scorer awards and even becoming the top scorer in Europe in 2020. It's amazing how he turned his career around after his loan spell at Juventus.

    8. Roy Keane

The Irish legend, who played for Manchester United, had a difficult start to his football career. When he was young, he didn't have many opportunities to try out for teams in England. Finally, he got a chance with Nottingham Forest, but he often felt homesick in 1990. He even had a challenging moment when his manager, Brian Clough, punched him in the chest for making a mistake in an FA Cup game. However, Keane didn't let these setbacks define him. He made a big move to Manchester United and became a true legend at Old Trafford. He played a crucial role in helping the team win numerous titles, including seven English  Premier League titles and four FA Cups.

   9. Sergio Ramos

His first season at Bernabeu in 2005/06 didn't go as well as expected. He had a hard time performing at his best and received eight bookings. However, Ramos worked hard to improve his form, and the rest, as they say, is history.

He played for Real Madrid for 16 years, winning with the Galacticos 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 5 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, and many other trophies. He even holds the record for most international victories for Spain, winning 131 matches.

   10. Diego Maradona

Maradona was once a loser too. In World Cup 1982, he was sent off after a brutal foul against a Brazilian player. He was involved in a brawl against Bilbao in Copa del Rey final 1983/84 resulting in him being left out of the national team for two years. However, he made a triumphant return in 1985 and went on to fill his trophy cabinet with numerous awards, including the 1986 World Cup, receiving well-deserved recognition for his exceptional talent.

 These are some of the players who changed their fates and became legends.