Myths and Legends 1.0

As a devout football fan, it is always a sad day when my heroes retire from the game. They seem to be indestructible, but we all know in the back of our minds that the day will come for even the most ageless of idols to hang up their boots. Similarly, loyalty and decade long consistency must eventually come to an end, and club legends gracefully, or even abruptly, pass into club folklore, moving to obscure new horizons for one last blaze of glory. It hurts when reality kicks in, and one realises that football is finite.

              Nike: The Mission - the best football advert? Check out Batistuta's below!

It is just this reality check that makes it all the more sweet when the unthinkable occurs, and players triumphantly return to the limelight, and perform, for however briefly, once more for an adoring crowd. We have seen players come out of retirement to help their ailing club; players, who have such a love of the game, continue plying their trade in far off leagues, or even divisions far below the prying eyes of Sky Sports cameras; we have even seen legends take up new sports, and succeed even further.  It warms the cockles of my heart to such an extent, that I feel it necessary to chronicle their exploits as and when they happen – when the Footballing Gods redeliver such opulent figures of our childhood.

1.      Edgar Davids

 

The bespeckled Dutch terrier has jumped into the papers recently, as he geared up for another bash at lower league English football, this time with League 2 side, Barnet. After coming out of retirement in 2010 to briefly turn out for Crystal Palace, we can now see him, at the age of 39, haring around the Underhill Stadium in North London, ensuring that the ‘Pitbull’s’ legacy continues in the form of bumps and bruises to bewildered Football League players.

Most recently, Davids inspired his new side to a resounding 4-0 win over Northampton. He played the 90 minutes, and even made himself captain for the game. Davids was named man-of-the-match.

 

Speaking after the game, he said, “I feel the man-of-the-match belongs to the whole group because it was a team effort.

'We saw that they really had a lot of energy and I’m proud of them because the tactical things we worked on all week they executed them."

Did you know: Edgar Davids wears his trademark protective glasses on the pitch, as he suffers from glaucoma.

And...Davids vs dump truck...wish it was real!

2.      Alessandro Del Piero

 

Juventus through and through, the Italian maestro brought his 19-year association with the ‘Old Lady’ to an end this year, when he joined Australian A-League outfit, Sydney Fc. The 37-year-old signed a two year deal with the club, making him the highest paid player in the league.

Speaking about his last game and leaving his beloved Juventus, Del Piero said, "The fans went above and beyond that day, no one had actually told me that I would never play for Juve again, but I knew that was the case. I saw the board go up with my number on it and asked myself: 'Do I really have to say goodbye? Do I have to leave the stadium for the last time?'

"I bowed to all four stands and waved to my family. I wanted to take it all in but I remembered where I was and told myself: 'Ale, get off, it's over'. But the fans made me come back out on to the pitch. I did two laps of honour and they threw hundreds of scarves at me. I saw people crying. I suppose it went well, but goodbyes always leave a bitter taste in the mouth."

A true genius of the game, Del Piero has continued to delight, scoring twice in his first three games – with one a wonderful free kick.

Did you know: When Juventus were relegated to Serie B in the Italian match fixing scandal in 2006, Del Piero was one of their high-profile players that stayed with the ‘Old Lady’ to help win immediate promotion. On his decision to stay, he said, “A true gentleman never leaves his Lady”

And...even though I cant speak Italian, these advert outtakes with Totti are brilliant.
 

3.  Gabriel Batistuta

 

‘Batigol’ was one of those players with a shot like a bolt of lightning. Goalkeepers risked losing an arm if they attempted to get near one of Batistuta’s pile-drivers! Retiring in 2005 after breaking the record for most goals scored in a season in the Qatar league (he ended his time there with 25 goals in 21 games, aged 36), Fiorentina legend Batistuta was last seen on the sporting scene in 2009, trying his hand at polo! Procuring his own polo club, it seemed as if his insatiable hunger for success would never leave.

It was short lived however, realising that his great talent lay with the football. "I was awful!” he said after his first polo match,  “The important thing is I'm learning and I'm having fun, but you cannot change who you are, and I want to do things well even if I'm not a professional."

Did you know: Batistuta currently runs his own construction company in Argentina and works as technical secretary to Argentine club, Colon.

And...this advert is hilarious!

Pictures: bleacherreport.net, backpagelead.com.au, thefootballproject.net
Links: BBC Sport, Wikipedia
Videos: youtube - owned individually