It seems one man has been forgotten when we look back to that memorable night in Munich when England thrashed Germany 5-1.
You could almost forgive someone if they looked at pictures of that evening and asked: ‘Who’s that short squat bloke in the number eleven shirt’.
The answer, of course is one Nick Barmby, who was temporarily the latest in a long line of ‘solutions’ to the infamous left wing problem.
Barmby’s career trajectory took something as a downward spiral after that night as the man who had scored the first goals of both Sven Goran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle’s managerial reigns made his last international appearance just a month later against Greece.
A series of injuries and an ill-fated spell at Leeds meant Barmby was able to leave the club on a free transfer in the summer of 2004.
Despite his waning reputation, he was still only thirty and he could have spent several seasons on the fringes of a top-flight, or certainly wealthy Championship, squad and raked in the wages.
But Barmby boldly decided to go back to his home town club and now, at 34, he is set to return to the Premiership as he helped fire Hull up in the play-offs with goals in both legs of the semi-final.
When Barmby joined the Tigers they were an unfashionable League One club and to have an England international who was hardly on the verge of retirement would have been a massive boost.
Any suggestion that Barmby had come to wind down was immediately dispelled as scored nine goals to help fire Hull to promotion in his season with the club.
The play-of final itself was secured by a fine strike another Hull boy Dean Windass, who returned to the club after a twelve-year absence and, at the age of 39 is playing the football of his life.
Another footballer who went home is Henrik Larsson who returned to Helsingborgs, where he first made his name, and is now adequately refreshed to come out of international retirement for the third time.
Fabio Cannavaro, by all accounts a proud Neapolitan, talked wistfully last summer of a return to Napoli, but must have found the noughts on the end of Real Madrid’s contract extension offer too hard to turn down.
Another object of fan idolatry, along with the ‘returning hero’, is the notion of the ‘one club legend’.
These are more common in the higher echelons of modern day football than many cynics would probably think in the age of players chasing fast money.
But a closer scrutiny reveals that most of the famous one club legends are at top clubs already
with the wages and trophy opportunities to match.
It is also already interesting to see how many of these monotonous men have seen their international careers affected by their commitment to their clubs.
Two of England’s definitive one club men, Paul Scholes and Jamie Carragher, have retired early, Ryan Giggs seemed to hardly play in any Wales friendlies and Steven Gerrard has rarely produced his club heroics on the international stage.
World Cup winners’ medal aside, Roma idol Francesco Totti is widely considered a massive underachiever in the blue of Italy and Real Madrid stalwart Raul has just been left out of Spain’s squad for Euro 2008.
Are these men simply giving all they have to offer to their gives or are they simply unable to adjust to the national set-up, where they have to become part of the team rather than the main man?
Below is my team of ‘one club legends’ still loyal to their clubs today (Paolo Maldini just misses out because of his recent retirement).
1. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Played in a Champions League Final for Real just four days after his nineteenth birthday and has become a model of consistency in a club of fluctuating fortunes.
‘Saint Iker’, as he is known to the Madrid fans, has already played for Los Merengues over 300 times and has amassed 75 international caps. The scary thing is that he is only 27 and, as a goalkeeper, could have another decade in the top tier of the game.
1. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Played in a Champions League Final for Real just four days after his nineteenth birthday and has become a model of consistency in a club of fluctuating fortunes.
‘Saint Iker’, as he is known to the Madrid fans, has already played for Los Merengues over 300 times and has amassed 75 international caps. The scary thing is that he is only 27 and, as a goalkeeper, could have another decade in the top tier of the game.
2. Gary Neville (Manchester United)
Say what you like about the United full back (and believe me, I know Liverpool fans will) but Neville’s dependable presence meant Sir Alex Ferguson never had to think twice about who to put at right back for over a decade.
The club have repaid his loyalty during his current injury-cursed run and he now faces an intriguing battle for his position with the in-form Wes Brown when, or if, he returns to fitness.
Say what you like about the United full back (and believe me, I know Liverpool fans will) but Neville’s dependable presence meant Sir Alex Ferguson never had to think twice about who to put at right back for over a decade.
The club have repaid his loyalty during his current injury-cursed run and he now faces an intriguing battle for his position with the in-form Wes Brown when, or if, he returns to fitness.
3. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
OK, not strictly a left back but man of the scouse people Carragher has never given less than 100 per cent for the Reds wherever he is picked on the team sheet, anywhere in the back for or even occasionally as a holding midfield player.
Of course his finest moments in a Liverpool shirt have come during Liverpool’s Champions League runs in recent years when he has epitomised his team’s ability to rise to the big games and respond the Anfield atmosphere.
OK, not strictly a left back but man of the scouse people Carragher has never given less than 100 per cent for the Reds wherever he is picked on the team sheet, anywhere in the back for or even occasionally as a holding midfield player.
Of course his finest moments in a Liverpool shirt have come during Liverpool’s Champions League runs in recent years when he has epitomised his team’s ability to rise to the big games and respond the Anfield atmosphere.
4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
The modern day Kop idol, post-Abramovich Chelsea seem to tease his worshippers every summer by dropping seductive hints to the midfield dynamo who, so far, has resisted the temptation to cash in.
Let’s face it, few players anywhere receive the kind of hero worship showered upon Gerrard by Liverpool fans but this is a man who has risen to the occasion countless times in the club’s biggest games of recent years.
The modern day Kop idol, post-Abramovich Chelsea seem to tease his worshippers every summer by dropping seductive hints to the midfield dynamo who, so far, has resisted the temptation to cash in.
Let’s face it, few players anywhere receive the kind of hero worship showered upon Gerrard by Liverpool fans but this is a man who has risen to the occasion countless times in the club’s biggest games of recent years.
5. Carles Puyol (Barcelona)
A relatively late starter, the Spaniard didn’t make his first team debut for the Catalan club until he was 21 but he rapidly became a fixture in the team, first as a right back then at the heart of the defence.
His unkempt appearance and rugged style seem to go against the grain of the Nou Camp philosophy but over the last few years Puyol has been the rock on which the club’s stylish passing teams have been built.
A relatively late starter, the Spaniard didn’t make his first team debut for the Catalan club until he was 21 but he rapidly became a fixture in the team, first as a right back then at the heart of the defence.
His unkempt appearance and rugged style seem to go against the grain of the Nou Camp philosophy but over the last few years Puyol has been the rock on which the club’s stylish passing teams have been built.
6. John Terry (Chelsea)
Unforgettably dubbed ‘Mr Chelsea’ by ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley as he walked up to take ‘that penalty’, JT is arguably the most important player of Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea team – and he didn’t cost a penny.
It seems almost every other Chelsea first team player has been linked with the exit door at Stamford Bridge already this summer but not Terry, the idea of him playing elsewhere is just unthinkable.
Unforgettably dubbed ‘Mr Chelsea’ by ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley as he walked up to take ‘that penalty’, JT is arguably the most important player of Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea team – and he didn’t cost a penny.
It seems almost every other Chelsea first team player has been linked with the exit door at Stamford Bridge already this summer but not Terry, the idea of him playing elsewhere is just unthinkable.
7. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)
This one is slightly cheating as Del Piero did actually start at Padova before switching to the Turin club 14 years ago.
However, his status as the club’s record appearance holder and record goalscorer, coupled with his godlike status amongst the Juve fans, he can hardly be deprived the title of ‘one club legend’.
When the Bianconeri were relegated following the Calciopoli scandal in 2006 ‘Pinturrichio’ followed them to Serie B and played a key part in firing them back to the top flight.
This one is slightly cheating as Del Piero did actually start at Padova before switching to the Turin club 14 years ago.
However, his status as the club’s record appearance holder and record goalscorer, coupled with his godlike status amongst the Juve fans, he can hardly be deprived the title of ‘one club legend’.
When the Bianconeri were relegated following the Calciopoli scandal in 2006 ‘Pinturrichio’ followed them to Serie B and played a key part in firing them back to the top flight.
8. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Of all the great players Sir Alex Ferguson has worked with at Old Trafford he still reserves a special place in his affections for Scholes, principally because of his quiet, workmanlike attitude.
His goal contributions may have dried up in recent seasons but he still has the ability to dictate the pace of United’s play with hi incisive passing and lighting quick football brain. For all his gifts, it’s just a shame Scholes still hasn’t learned how to tackle.
Of all the great players Sir Alex Ferguson has worked with at Old Trafford he still reserves a special place in his affections for Scholes, principally because of his quiet, workmanlike attitude.
His goal contributions may have dried up in recent seasons but he still has the ability to dictate the pace of United’s play with hi incisive passing and lighting quick football brain. For all his gifts, it’s just a shame Scholes still hasn’t learned how to tackle.
9. Raul Gonzalez Blanco (Real Madrid)
How Spain boss Luis Aragones can consider that, with 18 goals under his belt last season and experience of 102 caps and 44 goals at international level, there is not even a place in his squad for Raul at this summer’s European Championships is beyond me.
Having made his debut for Real at 17, Raul is still only 30 and one place where he will always be loved is at the Bernabeu. Intriguingly, Raul was a youth player with rivals Atletico before going on to score over 200 goals in the white of Real.
How Spain boss Luis Aragones can consider that, with 18 goals under his belt last season and experience of 102 caps and 44 goals at international level, there is not even a place in his squad for Raul at this summer’s European Championships is beyond me.
Having made his debut for Real at 17, Raul is still only 30 and one place where he will always be loved is at the Bernabeu. Intriguingly, Raul was a youth player with rivals Atletico before going on to score over 200 goals in the white of Real.
10. Francesco Totti (AS Roma)
A personal favourite of mine and, for me, his status as a one-club man is all the more remarkable because Roma are not a top tier club and Totti has had doubtless opportunities to take a step up both financially and in terms of trophies.
Some cite fear as the reason but the Roman god was a ball boy at the club and has formed a fierce bond with the supporters since turning at the age of sixteen, a relationship he simply could not have anywhere else.
A personal favourite of mine and, for me, his status as a one-club man is all the more remarkable because Roma are not a top tier club and Totti has had doubtless opportunities to take a step up both financially and in terms of trophies.
Some cite fear as the reason but the Roman god was a ball boy at the club and has formed a fierce bond with the supporters since turning at the age of sixteen, a relationship he simply could not have anywhere else.
11. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
The model professional, Giggs’ name was already firmly etched into the fabric of the club before he scored at Wigan to clinch this season’s Premiership for United on the day he equalled Bobby Charlton’s club appearance record.
Giggs went even further 10 days later when, on the evening he claimed the record outright, he scored a crucial penalty in the Champions League shoot-out before Nicolas Anelka missed his kick to hand the Red Devils the double.
The model professional, Giggs’ name was already firmly etched into the fabric of the club before he scored at Wigan to clinch this season’s Premiership for United on the day he equalled Bobby Charlton’s club appearance record.
Giggs went even further 10 days later when, on the evening he claimed the record outright, he scored a crucial penalty in the Champions League shoot-out before Nicolas Anelka missed his kick to hand the Red Devils the double.
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