The only opposition player’s I’ve really liked wasn’t actually rivals because at the time their teams where probably better than ours Cunningham Regis Batson and Anderson not just great players but for reasons that anyone who watched football in the 70s would understand
My Favourite Player Plays For Rival Team
- Thread starter Sky1981
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Yes, Gladbach in the 70s and HSV in the 80s were rivals. Also Werder and obviously Dortmund under Klopp. Hell, even Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart and Köln were once rivals. But none of them for an extended period of time during the last decades.
Do you count Borussia or Hamburg as your rival in the 70s-90s?
Historic rivalries are with 1860 Munich (feck them) and Nürnberg (feck them too).
I could probably pick a favorite player from every club but I don’t really watch Bundesliga besides Bayern.
When I was a lot younger, there was a time when I genuinely thought that I would have to change who I support because my fave player signed for them.
I really considered supporting TOTTENHAM, because Edgar Davids signed for them. What a player
I really considered supporting TOTTENHAM, because Edgar Davids signed for them. What a player
I found his glasses/goggles so cool as a kid
Whilst he's not my favourite player I completely disagree. Relentless goalscoring to me is objectively fun, I respect the ability, desire and need to score like that too much not to enjoy that alone. Then there's also the unique nature of Haaland the athlete - he's a freak of nature like we've never seen before. His build, stature and style of play is unorthodox, awkward and looks like it shouldn't work, but it's made him the best striker in the world. Are you seriously saying you can't, with the most neutral head you can find to put on, find something to enjoy about him bursting through, shrugging off big centre-halves like they're little children and then hammering the ball past the goalkeeper?
I actually sat and watched his goals for city just now, just to see if there is something I am missing. There are the odd goals where his pace and athleticism impress, but mostly its poacher goals and good headers. As dull a goals compilation for a balon d'or contender you will ever find.
I loved watching someone like Vieri for how he would use his physique to dominate defenders. Haaland isn't the same. I don't know how he manages to makes his physical strength look perfunctory, but he does. I guess its the whole hide-n-seek approach to forward play. He's not getting in there, dominating them. He's just sneaking around and his strength makes sure that once he is ahead, defenders don't get a chance to get in front again.
How can Haaland be anyone's favourite player? The few times I've watched City he's invisible apart from getting on the end of things.
Still glad City got him over Kane who'd have been so much better for them all round.
Still glad City got him over Kane who'd have been so much better for them all round.
He's scored a lot more goals than just the ones he scored last season for City.
Bloody hell, that's a wonderful who's who of detestable dickheads.
If I had to pick someone I find annoying from City that I also enjoy watching it would be Silva or Foden.
A while ago for me it was David Silva. Just couldn't bring myself to dislike him. So incredibly good, and seemed like a decent human being. I hated that he played for them though, of course.
Those are the goals that made him a supposed Balon D'or contender.
I think smashing goalscoring records to bits at 22 years old in your first season in a new league on your way to winning a treble absolutely puts you up there.
As for enjoying or not enjoying his playstyle, don’t be such a snob, there’s plenty to enjoy there even if you don’t see it yourself.
Unbelievable thread.
Thierry Henry is a player I absolutely adore in general terms, however, when he was playing for Arsenal, while I had a grudging appreciation for his talent, I absolutely despised him!!! 
This is healthy! I feel like this about De Bruyne to be honest.Thierry Henry is a player I absolutely adore in general terms, however, when he was playing for Arsenal, while I had a grudging appreciation for his talent, I absolutely despised him!!!
that is the best and most accurate description I’ve seen of a footballerYaya Toure for me.
This is the worst shit ever.
Since I was a little kid, my favourite non-Chelsea PL player has been Thierry Henry. He oozed class.
I support this statement.
Maybe, but for sure not more likeable.
Agree he was ace. I was very jealous of my Arsenal supporting mate. When Martial signed I thought we might have our very own version of Thierry but that didn’t turn out so well….
It was Drogba for me. Selfless, decisive and capable of brilliance.
I will never forget that goal where he rolled Carragher on the edge of the box and absolutely hammered it.
He was everything I thought a proper 9 should be. I live in South America and took a 3 hour flight up to see him play against Japan at the World Cup.
He came off the bench and changed the game. It was a very cool “outside United” moment for me as a fan.
I will never forget that goal where he rolled Carragher on the edge of the box and absolutely hammered it.
He was everything I thought a proper 9 should be. I live in South America and took a 3 hour flight up to see him play against Japan at the World Cup.
He came off the bench and changed the game. It was a very cool “outside United” moment for me as a fan.
Same, he used to score against us all the time but I could never dislike him for some reason. He just personified cool for me. The biggest mistake I made was admitting this openly in school where 90% of mates were Arsenal fans. I could never run Drogba prop after thatAgree he was ace. I was very jealous of my Arsenal supporting mate. When Martial signed I thought we might have our very own version of Thierry but that didn’t turn out so well….
Not sure the Irish folks on here would agree
Dennis Bergkamp would be my choice, great player and he had a bit of Roy Keane in him as well
Are you Norwegian by any chance OP?
Nope. Indonesian
He's nothing fancy, you don't even know how he scores those goal he just did by doing the basics to perfection
It used to be Silva and Mata.
Relentless goal scoring, you just described RVN, did people find RVN boring to watch? There is no doubting Haaland's footballing pedigree, amazingly gifted striker.
I dont disagree. Im a Norwegian and adore the fact that we have such a good Norwegian
He was a little boring as world class strikers go tbh, but I think a fair bit more entertaining than Haaland. He played with loads of intensity and was never shy about getting involved in the buildup.
In hindsight, I can't believe that Arsenal actually had 7 seasons of Henry and Bergkamp together. What an amazing pairing.
Exactly!
Haaland actually presses like a dog. Can’t say I have stats to back it up but I’d say he runs/sprints more and covers more ground comfortably.
Haaland is the perfect modern footballer, in that he's ruthlessly efficient and hard working without anything resembling a spark of inspiration or mercurial magic.
My all-time favourite non United players never played for our rivals. Gazza (Spurs) Maldini (Milan) and Batistuta (Fiorentina).
Have to admit would've loved to have seen Vieira at United when there were rumours rumbling around him possibly leaving Arsenal in 2001.
Have to admit would've loved to have seen Vieira at United when there were rumours rumbling around him possibly leaving Arsenal in 2001.
Bergkamp was world class. I remember the papers were all over Juninho to replace Eric in '97. I personally wanted Bergkamp (or Batistuta). Fergie was interested in Bergkamp and made an inquiry. David Dein was having none of it though.