Footballers who came back stronger from bad spells

[horsechoker]

Thierry Henry and Van der Sar for example became great players once again after a bad spell at Juventus.

Which other players looked to be going downhill before bouncing back?

 

[crossy1686]

Henry was young and Juventus played him as a winger so I'm not sure you can say he came back from a bad spell.

Rashford is probably one that stands out, Pirlo seemed to be decent for most of his career and when he hit 35 everyone decided he was the best midfielder ever, Evra and Vidic were pretty poor when they first joined but you have to put that down to the pace of the league I guess.

We need more context for what 'bad spells' are.

 

[horsechoker]

We need more context for what 'bad spells' are.

Not playing well, looking massively out of form and on the decline or not hitting the heights expected

 

[T00lsh3d]

Mason Mount when he tears it up next season

 

[Siorac]

Nani in 2010? He was written off by large sections of the fanbase after his underwhelming previous 18 months. Then he exploded into form.

 

[Thunderhead]

John Stones had a rough 18 months a couple of years ago

 

[Big Andy]

We need more context for what 'bad spells' are.

I'd say whatever Dele Alli is in the middle of right now.

 

[crossy1686]

I'd say whatever Dele Alli is in the middle of right now.

Yeah but I don't think he's coming back mate so I'd call that a one way decline, same for Martial and Sancho...

 

[HTG]

Di Maria after United?

 

[Big Andy]

Di Maria after United?

I wouldn't call being a massive fanny a "bad spell", he just lost interest and never wanted to be here in the first place.

 

[El Jefe]

I'd probably say Pirlo is the best example. He was obviously great at Milan but towards the end wasn't really that influential anymore. He moved to Juve and he had an even better career that what he'd done prior.

Another one is Falcao. He looked completely cooked after his spells at United and Chelsea. While he didn't quite reach his Atletico form he was really good at Monaco. Had a great record there and played a big role in that seriously impressive 2017 Monaco side.

 

[Matty7]

Ryan Giggs for a period in the mid 00's was poor for a while. I remember thinking he was finished. Then Fergie switched him to CM, played a key role for the next couple of seasons.

 

[Irrational.]

Darren Fletcher went from the much maligned Fergie’s grandson to the reason why we lost the CL final to Barcelona in 2009.

 

[adexkola]

Ryan Giggs for a period in the mid 00's was poor for a while. I remember thinking he was finished. Then Fergie switched him to CM, played a key role for the next couple of seasons.

He was great on the wing in 06-07, the switch to CM happened later

 

[Random Precision]

Joelinton

 

[Lux Thunder]

First player that comes to my mind is Luka Modrić, who struggled in his first season at Madrid in 2012, to the point that he was voted as worst signing of the season by Marca. And we all know what happened later.

 

[Matty7]

He was great on the wing in 06-07, the switch to CM happened later

Might have been a bit later then, but he still had a huge dip in form. I remember a fair few giving him abuse for a bit.

 

[Chipper]

Bergkamp was out of sorts at Inter before Arsenal bought him.

 

[Oldyella]

John Stones had a rough 18 months a couple of years ago

Bergkamp was out of sorts at Inter before Arsenal bought him.

Two good examples. Stones especially as nothing appears to have changed externally, no change in position or moving to new team/league. Just seems to have earnt managers trust and got more games through that.

 

[nav_10]

Marcus Rashford last season made quite a good comeback after a poor run of bad form. Last summer, think quite a number of fans were happy to let him go.

Also, going back in the past, R9.
May be not due to playing poorly but, owing to injuries and fitness issues he looked like he was done. To come back from the serious knee injury he had and win the World Cup in 2002 was impressive.

 

[Buchan]

Diego Forlan went from a striker who looked like he’d never score a goal ever again in his initial months at United to becoming La Liga top-scorer at both Villarreal and Atletico, and tearing up World Cups and Copa Americas for Uruguay.

Forlan top-scored at the 2010 World Cup and was also the Golden Ball winner for the tournament’s best player, which looked an impossibility based on his form for United early in 2002/03 for United. Incredible transformation.


His 2010 World Cup goal reel is still insane to this day. Nobody worked the Jabulani ball quite like Forlan. Two-footed maestro.

 

[Castia]

Diego Forlan went from a striker who looked like he’d never score a goal ever again in his initial months at United to becoming La Liga top-scorer at both Villarreal and Atletico, and tearing up World Cups and Copa Americas for Uruguay.

Forlan top-scored at the 2010 World Cup and was also the Golden Ball winner for the tournament’s best player, which looked an impossibility based on his form for United early in 2002/03 for United. Incredible transformation.

His record at first for United wasn’t great admittedly but it always pissed me off the press was keeping a count every week on if he’d scored or not although in most games he was getting like 5 minutes of game time

I liked Forlan will always remember that Liverpool game

 

[Buchan]

His record at first for United wasn’t great admittedly but it always pissed me off the press was keeping a count every week on if he’d scored or not although in most games he was getting like 5 minutes of game time

I liked Forlan will always remember that Liverpool game

My favourite player in that era, funnily enough. I loved his effort and could see it was just small margins preventing him from really exploding for us. Was very pleased for him with all the success he had in his career subsequently.

 

[WeePat]

Robben was an insane talent at Chelsea, albeit injury prone. Seemed like he stagnated for a couple of years at Real Madrid and then came back with a vengeance at Bayern.

 

[Bondi77]

Falcao after he left us.
De Gea after initial spell with us then came good.
Depay after he left us

 

[Plg91]

Our own Luke Shaw, looked like he is done during the Mourinho's era then came back to become one of the best in his position.

 

[IRONTUSK]

Probably most Man Utd player`s we have signed and subsequently sold in the last 10 years?

 

[Kaos]

I remember Kanoute being quite shite at Spurs only to tear it up at Sevilla.

 

[Lay]

Riquelme had a poor spell at Barcelona for various reasons and then became world class at Villarreal.

 

[Zoo]

Wout Weghorst. Just wait and see.

 

[dcrompton]

Mark Hughes and Ian Rush both had successful returns to United and Liverpool after disappointing spells at Barca and Juve

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Xavi had his ups and downs before Euro 2008 and Pep era. From coming through early as a great prospect expected to be the next Guardiola, and struggling to consistently meet the expectations of that, plus his later serious injury.

At Barca, Michael Laudrup recovered from his inconsistent years in Italy and eventual failure to replace Platini.

quite a few excellent players were able to come back from decline by reinventing themselves as sweepers/libero during the 75-95 period. Matthaus, Thon, Sammer, Boniek quickly come to mind.

 

[Iker Quesadillas]

Benzema is an obvious example. He wasn't great in his first year(s?) at Real Madrid, then improved. Then he had a middling spell in 2017 and came back better, improving every season until he won the Balon d'Or.

Then his legs fell off.

 

[crossy1686]

Why are you all just naming players that were young, had potential, got older and filled that potential? That’s every player that’s had a decent career.

Surely this is referring to players that were good, then went shit for a bit and came good again?

 

[harms]

Raul had a tough spell in mid-00’s when it looked like he was finished – before reinventing himself and becoming a 20+ goals per season striker once again.

 

[MegadrivePerson]

Compare the Mo Salah at Chelsea to the one that turned up at Liverpool.

 

[tenpoless]

Di Maria after United?

He got robbed, went to France and got robbed again. If thats your definition of coming back stronger then so be it...

 

[horsechoker]

Compare the Mo Salah at Chelsea to the one that turned up at Liverpool.

Did he have a bad spell? I think he wasn't fancied by Mourinho and got sold

 

[matherto]

Robben was an insane talent at Chelsea, albeit injury prone. Seemed like he stagnated for a couple of years at Real Madrid and then came back with a vengeance at Bayern.

Would say he stagnated at Chelsea then came good again at Real actually. Remember being seriously surprised he went to Bayern as a victim of the new Galacticos era cause he was brilliant for Madrid the year before and the press were raving about him.

 

[Hound Dog]

According to Gary Neville, Torres.

He looked crap throughout his Chelsea stay but scored that goal at Barceloma that, according to Nevz, was worth the transfer fee on its own, despite Chelsea already going through when he scored it.