This part of the site contains a Who’s Who of Football History. A collection of short profiles of players, managers and officials every serious aficionado of the history of the beautiful game really should know about.
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The profiles below have been added recently.
Gary Lineker (Player 1979-1994)
The best English striker of the eighties, Gary Lineker was the 1986 World Cup top scorer. Surprisingly, his club career was light on silverware, with a top flight league championship eluding the tree times English top scorer. Lineker was never shown a single red or yellow card during his lengthy career.Read More...
Glenn Hysén (Player 1978-1994)
Defender - Glenn Hysén was a mainstay of the Swedish national team throughout the 1980's and captained his country during the 1990 World Cup. A tough and composed defender, he won the UEFA Cup with IFK Gothenburg twice. During his time with Liverpool, Hysén won the league and the Charity Shield.Read More...
Eric Gerets (Player 1972-1992)
Defender - Eric Gerets' spirited performances for Belgium in the early eighties earned the bearded full back a transfer to AC Milan, but a lengthy ban due to his role in a Belgian bribary scandal cut short his time in Italy. In 1988, playing for PSV, Gerets became the first Belgian to lift the European Cup.Read More...
Trevor Francis (Player 1970-1994)
Forward - Transferring to Nottingham Forest after impressing at Birmingham City, Trevor Francis was the first British player signed for a million pound. Although Francis never quite lived up to his record fee, he did score the winner in the 1979 European Cup final for Forest. He later played in Italy and Scotland.Read More...
Ralf Edström (Player 1971-1985)
Forward - Swedish footballer of the year in 1972 and 1974, Ralf Edström collected silverware with clubs from all over Europe. What he lacked in pace, he made up for by strength in the air, excellent timing, and a remarkably good technique for a man his length. Edström scored four goals during the 1974 World Cup.Read More...
Roberto Donadoni (Player 1982-2000)
Midfielder - Roberto Donadoni was a regular on the right flank of the great AC Milan team of the late eighties and early nineties. The powerful midfielder won the Serie A on five occasions with Milan and the European Cup on three. In 1994 Donadoni almost won the World Cup with Italy, losing the final on penalties. Read More...
Zoltan Czibor (Player 1948-1963)
Forward - Zoltán Czibor was the outside left of the superb Hungarian national team of the early 1950's. He was known for his dribbling and his accurate crossing, but also possessed a powerful shot. Following the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary, Czibor and Honved teammate Sándor Kocsis joined Barcelona.Read More...
Ivor Allchurch (Player 1947-1968)
Forward - One of the best ever Welsh footballers, Ivor Allchurch helped Wales reach the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1958. The gifted inside-forward was known for his pinpoint passing and ability to score goals from distance. Quiet and unassuming, Allchurch spent most of his career with his home town club.Read More...
Mario Zagallo (Player 1948-1965)
Forward - Mário Zagallo played his football for Flamengo and Botafogo. The nimble outside-left nicknamed El Lobo (the Wolf) was heavily involved in all of Brazil's first three World Cup victories. Having won the trophy as a player in 1958 and 1962, he became the first World Cup winning player to go on to also capture the trophy as a coach in 1970. Read More...
Jan Wouters (Player 1980-1996)
Midfielder - Jan Wouters was a defensive midfielder who was more than happy to do the dirty work in midfield that allowed more gifted teammates to shine. With his relentless tackling the often underestimated Wouters played a significant part in the Dutch national team winning the European Championship in 1988. Read More...
Jorge Valdano (Player 1973-1987)
Forward - Jorge Valdano was a strong and intelligent striker who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, scoring four goals (including one in the final). With Real Madrid he won two UEFA-Cups and three Spanish championships. Valdano later returned to Real Madrid as manager and sporting director.Read More...
Marco Tardelli (Player 1972-1988)
Midfielder - In the ten years Marco Tardelli played for Juventus he won just about everything a footballer can win, including all three European Cup competitions. But the highlight of the industrious and dynamic midfielder's career came when he won the World Cup with Italy in 1982, scoring a goal in the final.Read More...
Raimundo Orsi (Player 1920-1942)
Forward – Raimundo Orsi won Olympic silver with Argentina in 1928. The following year the left-footed winger switched from Independiente to Juventus and was promptly coaxed into playing for Italy by the Italian FA. Thus the highlight of Orsi’s career came in 1934 when he won the World Cup with Italy.Read More...
Oldrich Nejedly (Player 1926-1948)
Forward – One of the best footballers of his era, Oldřich Nejedlý reached the final of the 1934 World Cup with Czechoslovakia, and captured the Golden Boot along the way. Relying on his excellent technique, timing and positioning, the frail Nejedlý scored 161 goals in 187 league games for Sparta Prague.Read More...