Source <TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><B><BIG>20 Most Loyal Footballers In Europe</BIG></B></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR bgColor=yellow><TD width=200>Player </TD><TD width=200>Team </TD><TD width=30>Years </TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Paolo Maldini</TD><TD>AC Milan</TD><TD>25</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Sander Boschker</TD><TD>FC Twente Enschede</TD><TD>19</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Roar Strand</TD><TD>Rosenborg BK</TD><TD>19</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ryan Giggs</TD><TD>Manchester United</TD><TD>19</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Jean-francois Douence</TD><TD>FC Libourne St Seurin</TD><TD>18</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Alon Harazi</TD><TD>Maccabi Haifa</TD><TD>18</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ladislav Pecko</TD><TD>Slovan Bratislava</TD><TD>18</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Francesco Totti</TD><TD>AS Roma</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Pedro Roma</TD><TD>Academica de Coimbra</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Toni Huttunen</TD><TD>MyPa Anjalankoski</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Gary Neville</TD><TD>Manchester United</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Paul Scholes</TD><TD>Manchester United</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Pavel Verbir</TD><TD>FK Teplice</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Kim Daugaard</TD><TD>Brøndby IF</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Steve Harper</TD><TD>Newcastle United</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Oliver Glasner</TD><TD>SV Ried</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Jussi Kuoppala</TD><TD>Tampere United</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Pedro</TD><TD>Paços de Ferreira</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Vladimir Maminov</TD><TD>Lokomotiv Moskva</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Alessandro Del Piero</TD><TD>Juventus FC Torino</TD><TD>16</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thoughts?
I'd call Totti, Maldini and Del Piero loyal considering how Italians move from club to club very often through their careers and not one of the three have so far since turning professional. Not meaning none of the others are though. Vladimir Maminov is a staple at Spartak and remains as one of the most underrated players in football today. I'm not sure about five or six guys on that list though to be honest with you.
The first two names that popped intomy head where giggs and maldini. Also some past players i thought of. adams for Arsenal.
Man Utd ftw! Only team with more than one in there, and they have three. Wes Brown can't be too far off either. He's been there 12 years as a professional, so he is a little way off actually.
Casual racism? But carrying on, most of those people have been playing at one club their entire careers, anyone can be called loyal even if they leave, it depends on the way they left e.g your club is in debt so you are sold to keep them afloat, but you can't do anything about it otherwise that club will go in administration. So you leave because of loyalty to that club. See it is not measured in just years.
lol every football thread Max goes on ends up with him saying something about the colour of wes browns skin.
When I saw this thread the first player I thought of was Raul. I'm a Real fan so that can be expected. Pretty hard to believe that Maldini has been at Milian for 25 years. Pretty hard to believe he's even been a pro that long.
Not really. Look at Chris Chelios in the NHL. The guy is still in the second line defense for Stanley Cup champions Detroit at 46 years old. It seems that athletes retire later and later these days, more so in ice hockey and football from what I have seen.
I think that relates to the physical shape you have to be in to play those games. You don't see any fatties successful at any serious level in either sport. I think rugby would be up there if it wasn't for the constant beating you take in every match.
When people say loyal footballers to me the first I think of are Ryan Giggs and Scholes who could have easily left their club for a chance at Real for example. Loyalty is not measured by years it is measured by going through with that club through thick and thin.
That's true as well. Ice hockey players take a big beating as well. Despite the protection we all have to remember that the game is faster and the hits are much harder most of the time. Some rugby players do play a long time though. Look at Serge Betsen of the Wasps (former Biarritz legend).
Basicly as long as they have the heart and physicl strength they can stay 10 years longer than other players.
