Most articulate/intelligent footballers

Loublaze

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Who are the most articulate or smartest footballers out there? I remember being kinda surprised by Beckham the first time I ever heard his voice. I somewhat expected to hear something more refined. I've managed my expectations with footballers ever since! Anywho, i've been thinking about the smartest and most articulate footballers and came up with this list of ten, in no particular order:

1. Socrates- This is a no brainer. He wasn't called the doctor for nothing, he really was a qualified MD.
2. Ashley Young- I think Young is one of United's most articulate players when it comes to interviews. He gives quick, concise and well thought out answers and responses. A little more than you expect from the average footballer anyway, and he sounds manly.
3.Lampard- I read that he scored a very high IQ score with Mensa in 2009. He even speaks Latin.
4. Glen Johnson- Well spoken and also apparently very intelligent. He was studying for a maths degree as late as 2014 as far as I know.
5. Franz Bekenbauer- Very elegant speaker and obviously very bright.
6. Shaka Hislop- Has a degree in mechanical engineering and even interned at NASA. He's also an entertaining pundit whenever I see him in the studio.
7. Juan Mata and 8. Herrera- United's Spanish scholars. Both elegant speakers and seem well cultured
9. Graeme Le Saux- Very smart and well spoken.
10. Michael Owen- A very graceful and well spoken man.

Edwin Van Der Sar, Peter Schmeichel, David Seaman are up there and so is Carrick. Ian Wright is probably one of the most engaging characters in football.
 

Steven Seagull

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Ian Wright said anyone who doesn't want to play for England should be made to call the parents of a dead soldier and explain his reasons. I think that's enough evidence to rule him out.

Carrick and Owen are just incredibly dull.
 

Speak

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Lineker and Souness.
 
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berbasloth4

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Sir Alex said diego forlan was the smartest he worked with. Would pick up a new language in no time.
 

harms

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Dr. György Sárosi had a real law degree (hence the "Dr.")

Absolutely fantastic footballer from the 30's.
 

PvsNP

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Iniesta. I remember reading somewhere that he was getting a university degree at some point.
 

Blackwidow

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Van Bommel

He even got a price from a university in the Netherlands (van Gaal got one, too) for his articulation.
 

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Clarke Carlisle is meant to be bright. Also i read Zidane has an IQ of 164.
 

Tarrou

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I always thought Seedorf was very intelligent and well spoken. Hoping he gets back into management at a good club that will give him a fair crack.
 

Blackwidow

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You mix three things here that must not have anything to do with each other. Intelligence does not mean that you are the guy that is keen on studying or getting a university degree - even if you need to have a special level of education and intelligence to get there. And even if it might tell about a better education - not everybody with a good education or who is intelligent is a smart and eloquent interview partner.
 

Winrar

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juan mata, surely. the guy's pursuing two degrees (marketing & sports science) from technical university of madrid.
 

PvsNP

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Tarrou said:
I always thought Seedorf was very intelligent and well spoken. Hoping he gets back into management at a good club that will give him a fair crack.
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Definitely Seedorf. His nickname is 'The Professor' or something like that.
 

Alock1

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You can be incredibly intelligent without being articulate and vice versa. And I don't see most qualifications as having much worth when it comes to deciding intelligence either. Lots are pure memory games.

Hard to judge articulation when so many players are foreign and not speaking their native tongue. Though there are a few Dutch lads we've had in recent years who seem to have a better English vocabulary than lots of the British lads. Van Persie being a notable one of late.
 

RobinLFC

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Nicolas Lombaerts, he's got a uni law degree and wants to be a lawyer after his career.
 

VeevaVee

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The criteria for this list is those that have achieved academically, and those that can speak/don't have a strong regional accent if English.
 

Aussie_Red_Devil

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Ramshock said:
I know you jest but Rooney has come a long way from every other word being "erm" he also used to look away to the side as well and he has cut that out for the most part too.
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That is true. Years ago he could hardly put a sentence together.
 

Everest Red

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Neville is very articulate. Johnny Evans would have studied medicine and Chicharito business. So I assume they're be reasonably intelligent in academic terms.


Bergkamp has an astonishing list of accomplishments that prove he's bright. IIRC made millions by investing his money, has a patent(this could be wrong) and has an engineering degree.

Also there's a Baltimore Raven(different sport, I know) who is supposed to be a decent mathematician.
 

Speak

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DWelbz19 said:
It just seems like the same rationale for Walcott - softly spoken, rather articulate voices.
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Na, Carrick's softly spoken. And I'd question his inclusion. But Walcott displays charisma and actually uses intonation when he speaks.
Most other footballers are either like giddy high-pitched kids, or can barely construct a sentence, or (like Carrick) are extremely dull and monotone.

Walcott seems on the interviewer's wave-length, whereas most footballers seem to over-think the whole process of responding to the same repeated, basic questions.
One of the more articulate British footballers around, from what I've seen.
 
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rcoobc

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Blackwidow said:
You mix three things here that must not have anything to do with each other. Intelligence does not mean that you are the guy that is keen on studying or getting a university degree - even if you need to have a special level of education and intelligence to get there. And even if it might tell about a better education - not everybody with a good education or who is intelligent is a smart and eloquent interview partner.
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Well, said.
 

Phil

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I feel like Walcott is the only footballer that can actually formulate a sentence in England.
 

Gopher Brown

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Loublaze said:
Who are the most articulate or smartest footballers out there? I remember being kinda surprised by Beckham the first time I ever heard his voice. I somewhat expected to hear something more refined. I've managed my expectations with footballers ever since! Anywho, i've been thinking about the smartest and most articulate footballers and came up with this list of ten, in no particular order:

1. Socrates- This is a no brainer. He wasn't called the doctor for nothing, he really was a qualified MD.
2. Ashley Young- I think Young is one of United's most articulate players when it comes to interviews. He gives quick, concise and well thought out answers and responses. A little more than you expect from the average footballer anyway, and he sounds manly.
3.Lampard- I read that he scored a very high IQ score with Mensa in 2009. He even speaks Latin.
4. Glen Johnson- Well spoken and also apparently very intelligent. He was studying for a maths degree as late as 2014 as far as I know.
5. Franz Bekenbauer- Very elegant speaker and obviously very bright.
6. Shaka Hislop- Has a degree in mechanical engineering and even interned at NASA. He's also an entertaining pundit whenever I see him in the studio.
7. Juan Mata and 8. Herrera- United's Spanish scholars. Both elegant speakers and seem well cultured
9. Graeme Le Saux- Very smart and well spoken.
10. Michael Owen- A very graceful and well spoken man.

Edwin Van Der Sar, Peter Schmeichel, David Seaman are up there and so is Carrick. Ian Wright is probably one of the most engaging characters in football.
Click to expand...
Lampard got an A* in his Latin GCSE, but I think it is probably a stretch to say he speaks Latin.

Iain Dowie has an degree in engineering but always comes across as a jibbering idiot.
 
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