One Club Men…..five of the best

With Robin Van Persie declaring yesterday that he won't be putting pen to paper on a new contract and would leave Arsenal in pursuit of silverware elsewhere,I wondered if the term 'loyalty' still exists in the dictionary of football.One club men are a rare commodity in modern day football.A very few of the superstars these days spend their entire career at a single club.The lure of more money elsewhere and the crave for immediate success leads these so called superstars to change clubs much too often.One club men are the ultimate examples of loyalty and faithfulness.They are the players who are the heart and soul of the club and are loved by the fans more than anyone else.

STEVEN GERRARD(liverpool fc)

Steven Gerrard : Liverpool through and through

"Mr.Liverpool" is undoubtedly one of the first names that come to one's mind when they think of one-club men.Born in Whiston,Liverpool,Gerrard is Liverpool through and through.He even had trials with Manchester United,which he claims was a move to pressurize Liverpool to offer him a youth contract.A born leader,Gerrard is famous for his boundless energy,long range strikes and extraordinary vision.His drive and passion for the club endears him to the Kopites.Despite this,it hasn't been smooth sailing all these years.He was heavily courted by Jose Mourinho and Chelsea in 2004-05 but Gerrard stayed on as Liverpool won the Champions League that year.Over the years,Chelsea,Real Madrid,Inter Milan all wanted his elusive signature but Gerrard stayed on and as of now,has more than 500 caps for his boyhood club.


RYAN GIGGS(manchester united fc) 

Ryan Giggs : A great servant

 A great servant for his club,Ryan Giggs is the epitome of a one club man having spent all his professional career at Manchester United.At the ripe old age of 38,Giggs still woos the Stretford End faithful with his tireless running,mazy runs and articulate flamboyance and flair.Born in Cardiff,Giggs started his footballing journey at the Manchester City School of Excellence but his talent was obvious for all to see and Alex Ferguson quickly snapped him up and the rest,as we all know,is history.He was a part of the famous FA Youth Cup winning Class of '92.Giggs holds a plethora of records at United and has played and scored in each and every Premiership season till date.He is a firm fan favourite and is arguably Manchester United's greatest ever player.


IKER CASILLAS(real madrid cf)

Iker Casillas : Captain Fantastic

There are very few who come out of the Real Madrid youth system and become modern day greats.Iker Casillas is one of them.Known as San Iker or Saint Iker,Casillas came through the ranks at Real Madrid and established himself as top dog between the sticks in the early noughties.Arguably the greatest goalkeeper of his generation,Casillas has been the only constant in the expensively assembled Real Madrid sides of the last 10 years.From the Galacticos of the Figos,Zidanes and Beckhams through the Calderon era of Robben and Sneijder to the present day Ronaldos and Kakas,Casillas has seen it all.Branded as one of the most complete goalkeepers in the world due to his ability on the ball,Casillas is the highest capped goalkeeper in Real Madrid history.


XAVI(fc barcelona)

Xavi : A true legend

 A product of the famous La Masia academy of FC Barcelona,Xavier Hernandez or Xavi has seen it and done it all at Barcelona.Barca born and bred,Xavi joined La Masia at the tender age of 11 and hasn't looked back ever since.Hailed as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever graced the football pitch,Xavi's game is based on his pin point passing,vision and his ability to find space.His technical prowess and extraordinary creativity make him the ultimate playmaker.Xavi's CV is littered with silverware and at 32 years old,he doesn't look like stopping any time soon.He is the player with the most appearances in the red and blue of Barcelona and is a firm favourite of the Boixos Nois.

PAUL SCHOLES(manchester united fc) 
 

Paul Scholes : Unsung Hero

A player who lives and breathes Manchester United,Paul Scholes.United from top to bottom,Scholes is one of the heavyweights of his generation.Praised by peers and coaches for his vision,passing and goal scoring abilities,Scholes is 3rd on the list of all time appearances for Manchester United.Scholes was one of "Fergie's Fledglings",a group of academy graduates who did exceptionally well in the youth competitions and were the core of United's several title winning sides.Scholes played an integral part of United's treble winning season of 99 although he missed the Champions League final through suspension.Like Giggs,Scholes enthralls the United faithful and even came back from retirement last season to help steady a fragile midfield.He is best known for his passing range,long shots and dirty tackles.


Other honourable mentions : Jamie Carragher,Francesco Totti,Carles Puyol,Ledley King and Leo Messi.

P.S. Only players who are actively playing have been considered.