Most loyal football players: Loyalty in professional sports is a dying concept nowadays as a player can go from kissing the badge of his club today to demanding a transfer the very next. There are very few players who actually seem to have the potential to become this generation’s Gerrard or Giggs. Let’s take a look at 10 such players in the modern game.
1. Trent Alexander Arnold
Starting off strong, we have Trent Alexander Arnold who rose up from the Liverpool academy to lift every major trophy available and now serves as vice captain at only 24. The Scouser joined the club at the age of six and, after primarily playing in midfield while progressing through the ranks, has redefined the role of a right-back by becoming a creative fulcrum within Jürgen Klopp’s team.
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He is now considered the blueprint of what a modern day full back should be and is on his way to becoming not only a Liverpool but also Premier League legend. It already feels like a foregone conclusion that he will be a Red until he retires and plenty of Liverpool fans would be very happy about that.
2. Phil Foden
Phil Foden has been at Manchester City all his life. Most future players growing up in the city of Manchester would go the glamorous route and join the red half but Foden was the first of a growing breed who decided to join the sky blue half. He has looked like a real player ever since he made his debut in 2017 and has progressed from there into one of the most lethal players in the league.
With the ability to play almost everywhere on the frontline, he has become a player Guardiola can easily rely on. His best campaign came during COVID where he netted 16 times and provided 10 assists. Having already raised every trophy available to him, including the elusive Champions League last season, it’s fair to say Foden won’t be leaving Manchester anytime soon.
3. Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka is a true product of the Arsenal academy. After training and playing with the club as part of the pre-academy, he signed his first official forms with the club on May 5, 2010, aged eight, joining the youngest age group at Hale End, the under-nines.
He would go on to make his debut for Arsenal as a teenager and scored his first goal later on in a Europa League game against Eintracht Frankfurt. What he did next would show everyone just the kind of player he really is. He took the shirt from that game back to the Arsenal academy he was in during his younger years and presented it to them as a gift.
The shirt is now on display at the entry hall of the academy for all to see what hard work brings. He has gone on to become one of the best players in the league and Arsenal’s star man at just 22. It’s not crazy to think he’ll be there all his life.
4. Reece James
Reece James product of the Chelsea academy and ever since making his debut in 2019, he has been considered one of the best full backs in the league. His appointment as captain at the start of the season came as a surprise to many but speaks volumes on his stature at Chelsea and their belief in home grown talent.
He doesn’t shy away from letting everyone know where his loyalties lie as he felt the need to flat out reject the notion of a random tweet suggesting he should join Arsenal and we have no doubt he would do the same to any other club. Look no further than Real Madrid who also wanted him but gave up the chase as James has no intention of ever leaving his boyhood club.
5. Gavi
Gavi may come as a shock to some given how young he still is. At only 19 he is already a starring fixture for Barcelona and Spain in midfield and has been touted as the future for both. The only saving grace for Barcelona during a period of financial stability was the ever-present academy, ‘La Masia’ which has produced some of their greatest ever players and is still key to their success today with the likes of Araujo, Balde and Gavi from there.
He won the Kopa trophy in 2022, an award by France football given to the best-performing player under the age of 21 and alongside Pedri, they form a midfield to rival any others. Despite receiving multiple offers in a time of crisis for the Blaugrana, Gavi stayed put and will be there for many more years.
6. Mathys Tel
With six goals and three assists in all competitions, Tel is playing a crucial role in Thomas Tuchel’s side when called upon from the sidelines. He takes it a step further as he is averaging a goal contribution every 53 minutes, leading to many calls for the Frenchman to already be in the starting 11.
Despite interest from multiple clubs to go on loan, Tel only remained focused on Bayern even though he was not guaranteed any playing time. Furthermore, even though Real Madrid also wanted to sign him from Rennes in 2022, he chose Munich over them as it had always been his dream. Bayern would end up paying a fee close to €28.5 million for the 17-year-old Mathys Tel in 2022 and if you know anything about Bayern, they don’t spend that kind of money on just anyone. Safe to say Munich plan on keeping him around for a very long time.
7. Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller holds cult status among Bayern München fans as much for his legendary wisecracks as for his knack for the unorthodox. An academy graduate, Müller embodies Bayern’s ‘Mia san Mia’ (We are who we are) ethos. Sharing a last name with Bayern’s all time top scorer also doesn’t hurt. He ranks third on that list and has truly lived up to every Bayern fan’s expectation of him.
His popularity also stems from his grounded persona as he prefers charity and simple life to fast cars and jewelry. At 34, his football days seem to quickly be coming to an end but the one club man will surely never be forgotten among the Munich faithful.
8. Marco Reus
Born in Dortmund, Germany, Reus has been the embodiment of the yellow and black club in every way. His legacy extends beyond his individual achievements and has left an unforgettable mark on Dortmund, becoming a fan favorite and a symbol of the club’s resurgence.
During his heyday, many big clubs came calling for the German midfielder such as Madrid and Bayern Munich, but he decided to stick with BVB, a true testament to his commitment. Now at the latter stages of his career, he holds cult status at Dortmund and many hope to see the day he retires at the Signal Iduna Park in front of a packed house.
9. Lautaro Martinez
We move to the Serie A now with Inter Milan’s talisman Lautaro Martinez. He has become one of the most wanted and promising strikers since his breakout in the 2019/20 season. He has only grown from there to become a league and world cup winner while many of Europe’s top clubs are after him. Barcelona almost signed him as per some reliable reports but when his release clause expired in June 2020 (which was around 120 million euros), he ultimately stayed at Inter and became an even better player.
At 26, he is now in the prime of his career and Inter will be looking forward to keeping hold of him for many more years.
10. Jarrod Bowen
Lastly we go back to where we began this list, the Premier League with West Ham’s very own Jarrod Bowen. The Championship forward was a last-minute signing in January 2020 by David Moyes for an initial fee of £23m to fill a much-needed role.
His journey to stardom reads more like a classic football fairytale. From an inauspicious beginning at Hereford, cutting through the rigors of Hull, and finally illuminating the lights of London Stadium, he’s now firmly settled into West Ham. The plot thickened recently, as the 26-year-old star inked a seven-year commitment with the Hammers, firmly warding off the admiring glances from heavyweights like Liverpool and Newcastle. He seems to be settled in for the long haul, something all West Ham fans will be happy about.
Do you know any other loyal players of the modern generation?
Let us know in the comments.
