5 active footballers who are impossible to hate
Football remains one of the most popular sports, followed religiously by millions of people around the world. Its increasing popularity is also dependent on the presence of some of the greats of the game, who produce magic on the pitch whenever they go out to play.
While some of them are born with talent, others reach the heights through sheer hard work. Their stories of success and charisma inspire fans around the globe.
Players have several expectations to meet in their careers
Modern-day football demands a lot from the players. The competition is high and fans have a tendency to get back at players whenever they sense a dip in performance.
Players therefore have to persistently keep themselves on their toes in order to meet the demands of the game. Some with greater skills and greater mental strength thrive while some just fade away under the pressure.
However, certain players have got what it takes to earn the love and respect of fans all around, no matter how they perform on the pitch. They are simply impossible to hate.
In the list below we are going to discuss five such active footballers who are loved by almost everyone:
# 5 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich and Poland star Robert Lewandowski has the hopes of both his club and nation resting on his able shoulders.
The 33-year-old has scored over 500 goals for club and country combined, putting him in the league with some of the greatest players in the world.
At Bayern, Lewandowski has had some great players like Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller by his side to help him.
However, while on international duty, Poland have relied heavily on Lewandowski, who is often devoid of world-class service.
After failing to qualify for the group stages of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, Poland rode on Lewandowski's impressive run of form to make it to Russia in 2018. The striker scored as many as 16 goals in the qualifiers.
Lewandowski's exceptional disciplinary record adds to his repertoire. In a total of 633 club career matches, the veteran has received just one straight red card and another as a result of two yellow cards.
This, in addition to the against all odds scenario he faces at international level, makes Lewandowski one of the most difficult players to hate in football.
#4 James Rodriguez (Everton)
James Rodriguez caught the attention of football fans around the world through his performances for Colombia in the 2014 World Cup.
He ended the tournament with the highest number of goals, thus winning the Golden Boot award. In one of his post-match press conferences during the tournament, Rodriguez spoke about his admiration for Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants took the cue and wasted no time in snapping the youngster up for a €73m fee. Rodriguez found his chances limited at the Bernabeu and was hardly used as a regular by the two managers he played under - Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.
Despite that, Rodriguez was an ever-smiling face on the Real Madrid bench. His stakes among fans kept increasing with all the charity work he was doing in between.
The midfielder was also among the first to have responded to a cry for help when the Colombian town of Mocoa was hit by flood and landslides back in 2017.
Rodriguez's career received a new lease of life when he went out on loan to Bayern Munich. His 67 appearances for the German giants resulted in 35 goal involvements.
Though his promising start at Everton has been marred by injuries recently, Rodriguez remains one of the most loveable characters around.
He has an exceptional disciplinary record having received just two red cards over the entire course of his career for club and country.