Eric Cantona is a French actor, filmmaker, and former football player. During his playing career, Cantona was a key player for the popular football club Manchester United and is often credited with reviving the club's reputation as a footballing force. Nicknamed King Eric by Manchester United fans, Eric Cantona continues to enjoy an iconic status within the club.
Egyptian professional footballer Mohamed Salah is considered one of the best players in the world. Known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed, he plays for the Premier League club Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. He has been named the CAF African Footballer of the Year twice. His fans and the press have nicknamed him "The Pharaoh."
Michel Platini is a former football player, administrator, and manager. Widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time, this French footballer won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award three times during his glorious playing career. Michel Platini also played a key role as France's national team coach before he was banned from football by the FIFA Ethics Committee.
The current head coach of Chelsea Football Club, Lampard spent most of his playing career with Chelsea. He is widely considered one of the greatest midfielders and greatest Chelsea players of his generation. While playing for the England national team, he represented England at three World Cups. In 2015, he was appointed an OBE for his services to football.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a footballer who plays as a forward and is the captain of the Gabon national team. He is known for his pace and finishing and is said to be one of the best strikers in the world. He plays for the English club team, Arsenal. He has played for other clubs as well like AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund.
Brazilian footballer, Phillipe Coutinho, is hailed as one of the most talented midfielders and playmakers in the world. He has been a key player for Premier League clubs like Inter Milan, Liverpool, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He was a member of the Brazilian national team that won the 2019 Copa America.
Retired soccer player Abby Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She is a FIFA Women's World Cup champion as well and a six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award. She retired in 2015 and was listed in that year’s Time 100 list as one of the most influential people in the world.
Mario Mandžukić is a Croatian former footballer who played as a striker for the Croatia national team from 2007 to 2018. In 2018, he helped his team win the silver medal at the World Cup. As a player, he became renowned for his aerial prowess and aggressiveness. In 2012 and 2013, Mario Mandžukić was adjudged Croatian Footballer of the Year.
Aymeric Laporte is a French-born footballer who plays for the Spain national team and Manchester City of Premier League. Although he represented France at youth international levels, Laporte switched national teams after receiving Spanish citizenship in 2021. A powerful defender who is renowned for his passing ability, Laporte has won many titles including three Premier Leagues and three EFL Cups.
Born to Senegalese parents in France, Kalidou Koulibaly initially played for France U20 and then captained the Senegal national team. He took Senegal to the finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He has often opened up about racism, especially after once being called a “monkey” by a Florentina fan.
Marco Reus is a German football player who plays for the Germany national team and the popular Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund. Known for his speed, versatility, technical skills, and shooting ability, Reus was named the Footballer of the Year (Germany) in 2012. In 2013, 2014, and 2019, Marco Reus helped Borussia Dortmund win the prestigious DFL-Supercup.
Freddy Adu is an American soccer player who was touted as the next Pelé when he was 14 years old. However, he did not live up to the expectations and has since been a journeyman, playing for several teams in different countries. He currently plays for Österlen FF, a Swedish Division 1 club. He has also represented his national team.
Retired Dutch footballer Wesley Sneijder was known as one of the best midfielders of his time. Starting his senior career with Ajax, he later had successful stints with Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Galatasaray. He was also part of the Dutch squad that became the 2010 FIFA World Cup runner-up.
Juan Cuadrado is a Colombian football player who has been representing the Colombia national football team since 2010. Renowned for his pace and dribbling skills, Juan Cuadrado is an important player for his national side. He also currently represents the Juventus Football Club and has won many championship titles for the team.
Javier Hernández is a professional football player and the first Mexican to represent the popular football club Manchester United. An important player for his national team, Hernández is the all-time leading goal-scorer for Mexico. He has represented Mexico at important tournaments like 2010, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cups. Hernández also serves as an inspiration to many aspiring Mexican footballers.
Demba Ba is a former professional footballer who played as a striker in several teams, including Chelsea, West Ham United, and Newcastle United. He started playing football as a child and made his first-team debut with the team Rouen in 2005. He has been associated with many clubs since turning professional. He has also played for the Senegal national team.
Yannick Bolasie is a professional footballer. He currently plays as a winger for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor. In the past, he has played in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Barnet, Bristol City, and Crystal Palace, among others. He also plays for the DR Congo national football team. Besides football, he has a keen interest in grime music.
Fabio Capello is a former footballer and manager. As a player, he won several trophies in a career that spanned over 15 years. Renowned for creating opportunities for his teammates, Capello is considered one of the best Italian footballers of his generation. He also had a successful career as a manager and is considered one of the greatest managers ever.
Portuguese footballer Rafael Leao began his youth career with Amora and then moved on to teams such as Sporting CP in his senior career. He now represents AC Milan as a winger and is known for his versatility and technical knowledge. He is also known as the Portuguese Mbappe.
Lorenzo Insigne is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward. He is currently affiliated with Serie A club Napoli and the Italian national team. He has over a decade’s experience as a professional and can play on either flank or through the center. He is known for his technical ability, speed, and accuracy from free kicks.
Andrey Arshavin is a Russian former football player who helped Zenit Saint Petersburg win several trophies, such as the League Cup, Russian Premier League, UEFA Cup, Russian Super Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. He was also an important player for the Russian national football team and helped the team reach the semi-final of UEFA Euro 2008.
Lukas Podolski is a German football player renowned for his powerful and accurate kicks, technique, and explosive style of play. The third most-capped player in the history of German football, Podolski helped the German national team win the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is also the third-highest goalscorer in the history of German soccer.
Adel Taarabt is a Moroccan football player who currently plays for the Morocco national team and the popular Portuguese club Benfica. He has also played for other popular teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, and AC Milan.