8 less gifted footballers who still made it big

Carles PuyolThe immensely talented stratosphere of footballing talents has thrown up some wonderful names that have enthralled us purely on the strength of their abilities with the ball. But among these names are some equally illustrious ones that shine all the brighter for their mental fortitude and desire.Not as uniquely gifted as their team-mates, these names have made it to the top of the game by virtue of the intangibles that go hand-in-hand with success in virtually every field of achievement. In fact, these qualities – work-rate, desire, determination and willpower, to name a few – are to be as cherished as those that are far more easily apparent on a football field.These players are a manager’s dream – the men who will inspire the troops when the going gets tough. Fighters who have succeeded in the face of stiff odds. They are thus more likely to appreciate the select universe they inhabit at the top of the game.Here are 10 players who still made it despite their lack of pure skill.

#8 Filippo Inzaghi

The current Milan boss was the typical fox-in-the-box, a term bandied about by purists, who sneer at the phrase as if those who espouse it are unworthy of their attention. It becomes a little hard to ignore a man who has won just about everything there is to win in world football.

A man whose pesky ability to notch up the goals count had an irate Sir Alex Ferguson blurt out Filippo Inzaghi was born in an offside position. His near unrivalled ability in front of goal was only matched by his longevity in the game all remarkable for a man who had no real pace, skill or strength to boast of. In the twilight of his career he managed to be a part of a World Cup winning team, and then scored twice in the Champions League final a year later.

The art of the striker is one that may be losing its sheen in todays world of multi-talented footballers,but they are worth their weight in gold when one good enough does show up. Sir Alex himself placed his trust in a more mobile version of what Inzaghi represented as a poacher:Ruud Van Nistelrooy. And, much later, in the slight form of Mexican Javier Hernandez. A sign of grudging respect from the Scot, who for all his faults certainly knew a winner when he saw one.