You definitely don’t want your faves to be among the unluckiest players in football. It can seem like famous players have everything perfectly set. Seeing their many goals, trophies, big pay, and fancy lifestyles, you might say, “Wow, they’re really lucky players.“
Unluckiest players in football
Yet, luck doesn’t always favor them. Sometimes, footballers find themselves dealing with a lot of bad luck. In this Article, we discuss some of these players who have faced a long stretch of unfortunate moments in the game.
1. Aguero
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Aguero stood at a crossroads, faced with a big decision that could shape his football journey. On one side, fancier clubs wanted him, but he chose Manchester City. City wasn’t super famous then; it was just okay. But when rich folks took over, things changed.
With new owners came a fresh plan. Aguero liked it and wanted in. He had a dream of winning a special trophy, the UEFA Champions League, with City. He talked about it a lot, making his wish clear. Sadly, when he left City, that dream didn’t come true. It felt empty.
He moved to Barcelona after that. But his heart and chest gave him trouble, making him stop playing. What hurts more? City got a treble and Argentina won the World Cup after he retired. He tried hard, but trophies didn’t come much, for club or country. Tough luck followed him, like a shadow.
2. Harry Kane
Another unlucky striker goes by the name of Harry Kane. You see, Kane didn’t grab any trophies during his time at Spurs. And oh boy, the near-misses in the quest for the Champions League victory? They’re worth a talk.
Bad luck shadowed him while he was wearing the England jersey too. Remember that time he missed the penalty against France in the World Cup? Ouch. The pain doesn’t stop there – think about the Euro final loss to Italy.
Now, as if that wasn’t enough, Kane’s luck took a hit at his new club Bayern as well. The DFL Super Cup final? Yep, lost that too. Tough luck just seems to follow him around.
3. Marco Reus
Speaking of a stroke of bad luck, Marco Reus shares a similar fate. There’s no doubt about Reus’ football skills, but the sad truth is, injuries have taken their toll on him, making him a prime example of missed opportunities in today’s game.
He even had to skip the entire 2014 World Cup due to injury. Imagine that, missing out on such a big event, and not able to get that winning World Cup medal.
And just when everyone was hoping he’d finally lift the much-desired Bundesliga trophy while wearing Dortmund’s jersey last season, all those hopes got crushed in the final moments of the very last Bundesliga matchday. It’s like fate has played a hard hand against him.
4. Cancelo
Let’s talk about Cancelo, who could’ve savored the taste of a Champions League victory if not for a clash with Pep Guardiola.
You see, Pep wasn’t pleased with his attitude. So, in the middle of the season, he was loaned out to Bayern. And guess what? Fate played its hand – it was Bayern facing City in the Champions League, and well, Bayern lost. What makes it even more twisty is that City ended up grabbing the Champions League trophy.
So, Cancelo might’ve been on the victorious side, but tough luck followed him. He got eliminated by the very team he had left just three months ago. And that very same team, the one he bid farewell to, went on to conquer everything that season. Irony sure knows how to play its tricks.
5. Kalidou Koulibaly
Elsewhere, in the world of Serie A, Kalidou Koulibaly stood out as a player envied by many. Strong and smart, he was among the best in Italy and beyond. He arrived in 2014 at Napoli, becoming effective quickly. He aimed to win a league title coming close but missing out. He left for £33 million at Stamford Bridge, but it didn’t go well, and he lasted only a year.
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Leaving Napoli, where he was respected, halted his dream of a league title. Yet, Napoli won it just after he left. Now, after a year in the Premier League, he’s in the Saudi League. Tough luck follows him.
6. Hakan Calhanoglu
Next on the list of unluckiest players is Hakan Calhanoglu. In 2021, he played for AC Milan, but that year, their rivals Inter Milan won the league. The following summer, Calhanoglu joined Inter Milan as a free agent, hoping for a Serie A victory. Sadly, it was AC Milan, his former team, that clinched the title, triumphing over his new club. As Milan celebrated, Ibrahimovic even mocked Calhanoglu, sparking insults from the crowd.
During that season, Inter was leading the derby against AC Milan 1-0 but lost 2-1. This match seemed to change the course. Picture this: you move to your city rivals to win the league, but your previous club ends up winning by beating your team, even after you led in the first half.
7. Raheem Sterling
Before he joined Chelsea, Sterling had his eyes on the prize. Chelsea had reached many finals lately, and Sterling thought he was stepping into a winning journey. Sadly, things didn’t go as planned. He didn’t foresee Chelsea’s tough season or City’s success in the next one. This time around, Chelsea didn’t qualify for any European tournaments.
On top of that, Sterling faced his own challenges. He played 38 times across various competitions for Chelsea but struggled with persistent hamstring issues, which led him to miss the final two England squads of the season.
8. Mauro Icardi
It all started in February 2019 when Nara, his agent, became a headache for Inter. She aimed to secure him a new contract amid transfer rumors, even criticizing his team and coaches. Unfortunately, his goal drought in Serie A made things worse.
In the end, he left for PSG, struggling to shine under Mbappe’s shadow. Meanwhile, Inter won the Scudetto after his departure. Now, he’s in the Turkish league, playing for Galatasaray. He tarnished his Inter legacy, clashed with Ultras, and couldn’t make a mark in the national team.
9. Coutinho
When Coutinho departed Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018, it seemed like a win-win move. He could chase his dreams alongside Messi and Suarez while Barcelona gained a skilled successor to Iniesta. The records show La Liga titles, Copa del Rey, and a Champions League during his Barca years, but the truth is different.
Notably, that Champions League win was with Bayern Munich on loan. He joined mid-season for both league titles, and his role was modest. In his 106 Barca appearances, only 70 were starts. Despite 28 goals, he never stepped into Iniesta’s shoes. Despite his hefty price tag, his Camp Nou time ended as a stunning failure.
Contrarily, Liverpool’s funds led to crucial arrivals like Van Dijk and Alisson, pivotal to their European, World, and Premier League triumphs. Coutinho left Liverpool as they peaked and joined Barca as they declined. Unlucky indeed.
10. Marc Cucurella
Lastly, Moving from Brighton to the London Blues seemed like a step up for Marc Cucurella, but maybe luck didn’t favor him as expected. His season was marked by average performances and injuries, not to mention Chelsea’s managerial instability. Meanwhile, Brighton shone, securing a remarkable 6th place finish in the league and showing strength this season as well.
