10 legends that didn't get the credit they deserved
We are extremely lucky to live in an era where two of the best players ever to grace the football field, battle for supremacy – the ‘Portuguese Machine’ versus the ‘Argentine Magician’. It's a mouth-watering duel between two athletes that consistently makes the most casual of football fans feel grateful for the fact that they can witness history being made week after week, when these legends find a way to create and score goals, and help their team to trophies. But enough about Eder and Carlos Tévez.
Yes, we all agree that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are living legends, and that players like Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will probably be considered legends when they retire.
But we, as football fans, can’t really live with no more than what we have right now, and can’t help but feel a little bit nostalgic when names such as Pelé, Maradona, or Beckenbauer are mentioned. We despair at the fact that those really were the days when real men played football, as opposed to today’s game where TV revenue and underwear contracts mean more than tough tackling and half volleys hitting the top corner of the net.
But not all legends are regarded at the same heights as the Pelés and Maradonas of the game. Some of the best players ever still fall under the radar and are not remembered in the way they deserve.
Here are some of them.
#10 Matt Le Tissier
Everyone likes a “One Club Man”, and Le Tissier was exactly that as he spent his entire career at Southampton, flashing his technique and scoring wonder goals from the middle of the park for the Saints. The Guernsey-born midfielder is definitely a fan favourite at Southampton where he still has his name on one of the stands at St. Mary’s.
But it wasn’t all sunshine for Le Tissier. This penalty specialist (scored 48, missed 1) was criticised for not capitalising on his potential and instead spent his free time at pubs which would ultimately be the reason he, despite being a great footballer, wasn’t much of an athlete.