10 players who were bigger than the clubs they played for

Note: The views expressed in this article are the author’s opinion

Tony Adams is an Arsenal legend

“Play for the name on the front of the shirt and they’ll remember the name on the back.” Wise words utterred by an Arsenal legend who went by the name of Tony Adams. In most cases it holds true but some players transcend that barrier altogether.

The greatness of these players is such that the club’s popularity is the consequence of the player’s fame. These big names came to the club and elevated it’s status because of their association of their name with the entity in itself.

The player must have a well-rooted connection to the club and those who only had a short spell or one that wasn’t too memorable have not been considered. Also the comparison is based on factors like popularity, contribution to the club and how well renowned the player is.

So without further ado let’s begin the countdown

10) Gianfranco Zola – Chelsea

Before the Abrahamic era began, there was a little magician by the name of Gianfranco Zola. Chelsea are now a club full of stars and have probably established themselves among the elite in Europe.

The money pumped into the club has elevated it to new heights. But it wasn’t that they weren't successful before that. The club consistently finished in the top half of the table. But Zola took them to an even higher level.

He was a revelation and the fans truly loved him. Under the little Italian, the club managed to earn their very first appearance in the UEFA Champions League in the 1999/2000 season. 

Zola won 6 trophies in his 7 years at the club and is one of the greatest players to ever don the blue shirt. It was probably the fame he brought with him that even prompted Roman Abrahmovic to invest in the club.