The changing fortunes of football’s top players

As the sun sets in South Africa, this summer’s World Cup has answered many questions about the world’s top footballers whilst raising some about others.

Modern players, especially the superstars of the game, have given rise to a new phenomenon: the fad footballer. Some of these galacticos of the game have had or will enjoy tremendous longevity. Others will fizzle out as their star wanes.

Lifestyle changes mean that players can now persevere into their mid-thirties. However the developing pace of the game has resulted in the window signifying the peak of a career getting ever smaller given the ferocious intensity of the sport.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas stepped into the Everton and Arsenal first teams at the tender ages of 16 and 17 respectively.

Rooney is still only 24 and perhaps yet to enter his full peak with manager Sir Alex Ferguson predicting this will be by the time of the next World Cup in 2014.

At least fans of Manchester United and England will be hoping is best years are still ahead of him. Team-mate Michael Owen, 30, has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, with a general feeling that perhaps he peaked too early.

The fact is, football is a fleeting career and fans as much as clubs are always on the look-out for next ‘big thing’.

For some players, the expectation is almost too much. Remember Bruno Cheyrou’s ill-fated time at Liverpool having joined aged 24? He was touted as the next Zinedine Zidane, an impossible feat to live up to. All geniuses like Zidane are not just blessed with creativity but individuality too so attempting to replicate them is ultimately futile.

What of Freddy Adu, the ‘next Pele’ and big star to ignite U.S soccer? The American was perhaps one of the first internet video stars as home footage of him at just 13 bamboozling opponents was just emerging.

Alas, he now plays for Benfica having made his debut for D.C United at 15. Adu could perhaps take advice from compatriot Landon Donovan on how to develop into a true star.

Of course, as the old adage goes, form is temporary and class is permanent. It is a great footballing paradox that signing for Real Madrid, the club that has actively collected and harboured galacticos has recently had a stifling effect on star players.

Dynamic Dutch duo Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben were unfavoured and floundered during their stint in Madrid a few years ago.

Both moved onto pastures new and re-invented themselves, Sneijder at Inter Milan and Robben at Bayern Munich.  Both reached last season’s Champions League final and the recent World Cup final, playing a huge role in their teams’ successes.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka had moved in the other direction to the Bernabeu and have so far failed to reach the dizzy heights they scaled at Manchester United and AC Milan. The Madrid Effect can harm the fad footballer’s form if not enhance their marketing prowess.

In an age where youth is beauty, there are encouraging examples of hope for late developers. Chelsea’s Didier Drogba was a relative unknown, playing for Le Mans in France’s Ligue 2. His eventual move to Marseille and subsequent performances in the UEFA Cup, including a semi-final where he ran Newcastle United ragged, attracted the attention of the London club who signed him at the ripe old age of 26.

So-called stars can come and go, flitting in and out of the public’s consciousness. Everyone loves a resurgence too. Think Ronaldo at the 2002 World Cup after a troubled few years, Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup before his shocking sending-off and latterly something of a comeback from Ronaldinho, written off as a has-been.

Whoever the next flavour of the month is to replace Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, fortunes will change. The greatest players can adapt to poor form and circumstance whilst there are some whose art will carry romantic brevity, unable to be sustained over a long period. Fad footballers come and go but the best will linger for a while yet.

By William Geldart

July 14, 2010