Footballers aren’t all bad – here are ten players that almost everybody loves…
Earlier today, Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was forced to apologise for his post on social media which provoked claims of racism and anti-Semitism. It seems some people will never learn… The ever-controversial Italian, claimed he was attempting to mix anti-racism with humour – according to Sky Sports reports.
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Thankfully, not every footballer is knee-deep in off the field scandals. Here are ten players that almost everybody loves, and are truly the ‘Anti-Balotelli’:
10) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Football fans always appreciate hard work, and the miniature footballer has been an ever-present for both club and country over the last decade, completing an excellent career with last summer’s World Cup triumph. The ultimate professional.
9) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
There will be a fair few Premier League fans who are sick of seeing him scoring, but the Argentina star simply doesn’t give off the same sense of arrogance that many well-performing players often do. He works hard and plays fair, earning the respect of any football purist.
8) Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
Considered by many as the best goalkeeper on the planet, but what truly makes him likeable is that people love to watch him. The sweeper keeper is as entertaining as he is talented, and gives people a thrill by coming hurtling 30 yards out of his goal to head the ball clear.
7) Jimmy Bullard (Retired)
An entertainer and a personality, but not anywhere near as aggressive as many players that have been dubbed with similar tags. Has always treated football as a game, and always looked like he was loving what he was doing, as emphasised by his infamous parody of the Phil Brown team-talk.
6) Frank Lampard (Manchester City)
Universally loved by Chelsea fans, but begrudgingly respected by almost everyone else. There is little to dislike about a player that has kept his name clean in comparison to the likes of former teammates John Terry and Ashley Cole. The ultimate respect he showed his former club when scoring for Manchester City summed up his personality.
5) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
An iconic player whose unwaveringly consistent performances have won him many friends over the years. Pirlo proved against England at this summer’s World Cup that he can still be unplayable on his day, and his casual style of play make him brilliant to watch.
4) David Beckham (Retired)
Who would have thought David Beckham would be on this list back in the late 1990’s. If there was ever a case of someone growing up, it was this. After leaving Manchester United, Beckham became the ultimate professional, and his unwavering dedication and love for England was, and is, frustratingly rare these days.
3) Ronaldinho (Queretaro)
The great entertainer, a player who looked like he treated professional football like a playground, as if he was still having a kick about with his mates. The last great emphasiser of the Samba-style Brazilian stars made so famous, he was always a pleasure to watch.
2) Zinedine Zidane (Retired)
Not many players could get away with head-butting a fellow professional in a World Cup final. One of the best players of his generation, if not of all time, Zidane regularly dissected teams with his ultimate combination of skill and footballing genius.
1) Kaka (Orlando City / São Paulo)
Universally considered one of the nicest players in world football, Kaka always played the game fairly and, at his prime, was also brilliant to watch. Like Ronaldinho, he was one of the stars of Brazil’s last great generation of players in the early 2000’s, and thrived during his first spell at AC Milan.
SEE ALSO: The Best Liverpool goals.