Category: Sports

Manchester City is one of the top clubs in England and became the most successful starting in the early 2010s thanks to five titles in a decade. Man City had a long history before then, too, with some of the top players in the world finding a home with the club.

Of the many players that have worn the Manchester City kit, which ones helped to bolster the club’s prestige the most? Let’s take a look at the top five, with many of them unsurprisingly being more recent players. Before we start the list, some of the more notable players who just missed the cut include Joe Corrigan, Mike Doyle, Bert Trautmann, Kevin De Bruyne, Peter Doherty, and Mike Summerbee.

Alan Oakes

Alan Oakes was born in the midst of World War II and focused on playing football in the years that followed as a child. In 1958 he became part of Manchester City’s youth program and made his professional debut the following year. Oakes became a mainstay for Man City and was part of the roster for 17 years before spending the bulk of his remaining playing career with Chester into the 1980s.

From his midfield position, Oakes was able to net more than two dozen goals during his Manchester City career. In 1975 he was named the club’s player of the year and he won several team titles to boot. This includes the European Winners’ Cup, the First Division title, an FA Cup, and a pair of Charity Shields.

Vincent Kompany

The first of three non-English-born players on the list is Vincent Kompany, who was born in Uccle, Belgium, and spent his early career in his home country. Kompany played for both Anderlecht and Hamburger SV prior to 2008 when he joined Manchester City and would play for the club for more than a decade. He returned to Anderlecht for his final year between 2019-2020.

The center-back wasn’t a prolific goalscorer from his position, but was still able to net nearly 20 goals during his Man City career. Thanks to Kompany’s performance, Man City won four Premier League titles during his tenure, as well as two FA Cups, two Community Shields, and a whopping four EFL Cups. In 2022, Kompany was named to the Premier League Hall of Fame, a decade after winning the league’s Player of the Season.

David Silva

Spanish native David Silva was brought into the professional ranks by Valencia where he spent all of the 2000s. When the 2010s started, he joined Manchester City and stayed for the entire decade before heading to Real Sociedad. Silva sits just outside of the top 10 for all-time matches played with Manchester City with 390.

Silva, even as a midfielder, scored more than five dozen goals for Manchester City in his career. Man City won the Premier League four times with David Silva, as well as the EFL Cup five times. He was named the 2016-17 Manchester City Player of the Season and the one-time EPL Player of the Month also helped the club win the FA Cup twice.

Colin Bell

Born in Hesleden, England, Colin Bell made his professional debut with Bury and was with the club for three years. He then joined Manchester City in 1966 and remained on the roster for 13 years before playing five matches at the end of his career with the San Jose Earthquakes in the United States. Bell ranks fifth in Man City history with 493 matches in total.

Bell is also in the top five for all-time goals scored with 153, putting him at number four on the list. With Bell, Manchester City won the First Division once, the UEFA Winners’ Cup once, and the FA Cup once. He was the club’s top scorer in four different years, and Bell was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Sergio Aguero

The top player on the list is Sergio Aguero, the Argentinian who began his European career playing for Atletico Madrid from 2006 to 2011. He then joined Manchester City, playing with the club for a decade before wrapping up his career in 2021 with Barcelona. While Aguero may not have had as many matches as some of the players on the list, he certainly had a massive impact.

Aguero ranks first all-time in goals with 260, putting him more than 80 ahead of anybody else. Aguero helped propel Man City to five Premier League titles and the 2019 FA Cup. During that time, Aguero won the Premier League Golden Boot and was the player of the month several times. In 2022, Aguero was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Arsenal has a rich history as one of the most prestigious clubs in English football. No other club has won as many FA Cups, and they also have a long list of league titles that put them in the top three in the country for major trophies won. Of course, you can’t find that type of success without having a lot of great talent.

With that said, there are a lot of players in Arsenal’s history to pick from when narrowing it down to the best of the best. Still, we were able to cut it down to just the top five players. Before we begin the list, some of the players who just missed the cut (but are still great) include Patrick Vieira, Liam Brady, David Seaman, Pat Jennings, Charlie George, and David O’Leary.

Robert Pires

The first player on the list hails from France as Robert Pires was born in Reims where he started his youth career. After joining the Metz program in 1992, he made his professional debut with the team the following year and remained there for another five. After a two-year stint in Marseille, Pires made his way to Arsenal, where he made over 190 appearances between 2000 and 2006.

Pires was able to help Arsenal win the Premier League twice in three seasons during the early 2000s, as well as the FA Cup in 2003 and 2005. Pires was the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2001-02, as well, and part of the 100 greatest footballs ever by none other than Pele.

Ian Wright

Though better known these days as a television analyst, Ian Wright enjoyed a fine career as a player from 1985 to 2000. Wright got his start with Greenwich Borough before making his way to Crystal Palace for six years, scoring 90 goals in the process. Wright then joined Arsenal in 1991, sticking around for the majority of the decade before wrapping up his career with four short stints around the United Kingdom.

Wright helped propel Arsenal to the Premier League title in 1998, and the club also won the FA Cup twice during his tenure to go along with the 1993 Football League Cup and 1994 European Cup Winners’ Cup. Wright is second all-time in scoring for Arsenal with 185 goals, putting him seven ahead of Cliff Bastin.

Tony Adams

It can be quite rare for a big-time footballer to spend their entire career with one club, but that’s just what Tony Adams did. At the start of the 1980s, Adams joined Arsenal’s youth program, and three years later he was called up to the senior squad. Adams was just one year shy of two decades of service with Arsenal, making over 500 appearances in the process. After retiring in 2002, Adams became a manager for the likes of Wycombe Wanderers and Portsmouth.

Arsenal won four top league titles with Adams, two of which were in the First Division while the other two came in the Premier League. Adams’s squads also won the FA Cup three times and the Football League Cup twice. Adams had 672 appearances, which is second all-time in club history behind only David O’Leary.

Dennis Bergkamp

The only Dutchman on the list is Dennis Bergkamp, who our number one star said was the best footballer that he’s ever played with. Bergkamp made his professional debut in 1986 with Ajax where he became a legend with the club, then spent more than 50 matches with Inter Milan in the mid-1990s. In 1995, Bergkamp had a second legendary run, this time with Arsenal for over a decade.

With Bergkamp, Arsenal won the Premier League three times between 1998 and 2004 while adding another four FA Cup titles. Bergkamp finished in the top three of Ballon d’Or voting twice and scored 87 times during his Arsenal career. In 2021, he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Thierry Henry

It should come as no surprise that the number one player in Arsenal’s history is Thierry Henry, who at one point was considered among the best players in the world. Henry’s professional career began with Monaco, and he then spent a brief stint with Juventus before spending eight years with Arsenal, his longest tenure as a player.

Surprisingly, Arsenal never won the UEFA Champions League with Henry, but they came very close. They did still win the Premier League and FA Cup twice while Henry set several club records. No other player has come close to scoring as many goals as Henry, as his 228 is more than 40 ahead of second place. What makes it more impressive is that Henry still finished more than 100 matches short of appearing in the top 10 of most appearances.

While Real Madrid may have the most La Liga titles in history, FC Barcelona is right at the top in terms of prestige. Barca has fans all over the world thanks to the many elite players who have been part of the club’s rosters over the years. Out of those roughly 1,000 men who have suited up for Barca, which ones are the best?

Though it’s not easy to pick just five, we felt that these men were truly the best in Barcelona’s prestigious history. Before we start the list, some of the men who just missed the cut include Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Ronaldinho, Johan Cruyff, and Cesar Rodriguez.

Sergio Busquets

The first player on the list spent his youth career with several different organizations, but in 2005 he joined Barcelona as a teenager. Two years later, Sergio Busquets made his professional debut and would remain part of the club for many, many years to come. Busquets crossed over 700 appearances in 2022 and moved into third on the all-time list for Barcelona.

Busquets was part of more than a dozen La Liga and Copa del Rey title winners, and he helped Barcelona win the UEFA Champions League three times. Busquets has won the Bravo Award, La Liga’s Breakthrough Player Award, and several other honours throughout his long and illustrious career. Playing mainly defense, Busquets hasn’t netted many goals but does have over 10 total.

Luis Suarez

One of just two non-Spaniards on the list, Luis Suarez hails from Uruguay and played for several professional teams before making his way to Barcelona. Suarez made 110 appearances each for Ajax and Liverpool, joining Barca in 2014 where he would remain for six years. During that time, Suarez became one of the club’s most prominent all-time scorers.

Suarez needed just 283 matches to score 198 goals, the third-most in club history. Suarez won four La Liga and Copa del Rey titles during his tenure with Barcelona, as well as to Spanish Super Cups and a UEFA Champions League title. The four-time La Liga Player of the Month left in 2020 to join Atletico Madrid before heading to Nacional and Gremio.

Andres Iniesta

At just 13 years old, Andres Iniesta joined the Barcelona youth program and made his professional debut in 2001. The following year, he joined the top Barca squad, and he would be part of the club for 16 more years. Iniesta played in more matches for Barcelona than all but three men, making 679 total appearances. As a midfielder, he wasn’t a perennial goal-scorer but made a huge difference on the pitch.

Iniesta, during the peak of his career, was one of the top players in the world as he finished in the top three of the Ballon d’Or voting twice. Barcelona won La Liga nine times with Iniesta on the roster, as well as four UEFA Champions League titles. He was named La Liga’s Best Midfielder five times in addition to his many other individual accomplishments.

Xavi

Born Xavier Hernandez Creus in Terrassa, Spain, those around the world came to know him simply as Xavi. Like Iniesta, Xavi was one of the greatest midfielders in European history and spent most of his career playing for Barcelona. After more than a decade with the youth program, Xavi was part of the B-squad in the late 1990s before making his top squad debut in 1998.

Xavi is second in Barcelona’s history in matches played with 779, and he helped Barca lift the La Liga title eight times. Xavi also won the Copa del Rey three times and took home four EUFA Champions League titles. As an individual, he was named the La Liga Midfielder of the Year three times and was the Spanish Player of the Year overall in 2005.

Lionel Messi

Of course, the top spot on the list goes to the second non-Spaniard on the list, and that’s Argentina native Lionel Messi. Considered perhaps the greatest football player of all time, it only makes sense that he’s the top player in Barcelona’s history. In 2000, Messi joined Barca’s youth program and was promoted to the top squad in 2004. He spent 17 years on the roster until joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Messi holds just about every Barcelona record, including match appearances and goals. Messi netted 672 goals during his Barca career, putting him 440 ahead of anybody else. With Messi, Barcelona won La Liga 10 times while he won the Ballon d’Or for the world’s top player a whopping seven times. In fact, there are many more accomplishments for Messi, but it would take a long time to mention them all.

When you’re talking about the most prestigious clubs in English football, Manchester United has to be the first one that comes to mind. No club has won as many league titles in England, FA Cups, or Community Shields as Man U, and they have also won several honours throughout all of Europe. Along the way, Man U has also had some of the best players in the world.

The list of players to make at least one appearance for Manchester United is incredibly long, but we were able to narrow it down to the five men who were truly the best in club history. Before we start the list, some of the Red Devils who just missed the cut include David Beckham, Roy Keane, Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville, Bryan Robson, and Eric Cantona.

Wayne Rooney

Those who are on the younger side may think that Wayne Rooney started his career with Manchester United, but he actually came through the Everton youth program. He then made his professional debut with the club in 2002, making 67 appearances between then and 2004. Sir Alex Ferguson saw the 18-year-old’s potential and convinced Man U to sign him to a massive contract.

The deal ended up paying massive dividends for Man U as Rooney became a club legend. In total, Rooney had 559 appearances, the sixth-most in club history. Rooney also netted 253 goals, which is the most ever for a Manchester United player. With Rooney, Man U won the English Premier League five times and he won a long list of individual titles before heading back to Everton in 2017, and ultimately the United States.

George Best

From 1974 until 1983, Belfast native George Best played for 10 different professional teams, but never made more than 60 appearances. However, in the 11 years leading up to that, he was one of the best players in Manchester United’s history. Best made his senior club debut in 1963 and during the height of his career won the Ballon d’Or as the world’s top football player.

Best netted 179 goals with Manchester United, putting him in a tie for fifth all-time in club history. He was able to accomplish that in just 470 matches, giving him a better goals-per-game average than many of the others who are in the top 10. Best helped Man U win the First Division twice, as well as the 1968 European Cup, leading to his English Football Hall of Fame induction in 2002.

Bobby Charlton

For the entirety of George Best’s career with Manchester United, he was teammates with Bobby Charlton. Charlton had started his career many years before, coming up through the Man U youth program in the mid-1950s and making his senior club debut in 1956. Charlton spent 17 years with Manchester United, and his 758 appearances are second all-time.

Charlton is also second in goals, just four behind Wayne Rooney with 249. Charlton’s Man U clubs won the First Division three times, as well as an FA Cup and two Charity Shields. As for his individual accomplishments, Charlton won the Ballon d’Or in 1966, finishing as the runner-up the following two years, including second to George Best. In 1966, Charlton led England to a World Cup victory.

Paul Scholes

Everyone on the list to this point had spent several years playing for clubs outside of Manchester United, but that’s not the case for our top two. The first is midfielder Paul Scholes, who came up through the youth program and played with Manchester United from 1993 to 2013. During his 20 years, Scholes made 718 appearances, putting him third all-time.

Scholes, despite his position, is in the top 10 of all-time goal scorers for Man U with 155. Thanks to Scholes, Manchester United was able to win the Premier League title 11 times, as well as two UEFA Champions League titles and a FIFA Club World Cup. In 2022, Scholes was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, 14 years after being inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Ryan Giggs

The top player on the list started his youth career with Manchester City, but joined the crosstown rivals in 1987, then made his senior debut in 1990. Ryan Giggs remained part of the roster until 2014. Giggs holds the record for most appearances in Manchester United history with 963, putting him more than 200 ahead of anybody else.

Giggs scored 168 goals during that time, and his Manchester United squads won the Premier League a whopping 13 times. Giggs also won the FA Cup four times, a pair of UEFA Champions League titles and he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame with nearly a decade still left in his career.

All sports are susceptible to some major upsets, and football is no exception. Though it’s rarer as the better team tends to come out on top, there have been a handful of matches (or perhaps overall seasons) in which the team that was given no chance pulled off the impossible and wound up coming out victorious.

Let’s go through the long history of the sport and take a look at some of the upsets that left the world stunned. There were a lot of upsets to choose from, but these five were in front of worldwide audiences and featured some of the biggest longshot odds in sportsbook history.

North Korea vs. Italy (1966 World Cup)

England played host to the World Cup in 1966 and would end up winning the entire tournament, but not before some events took place. All of Africa boycotted the event, Czechoslovakia didn’t qualify after finishing second in the previous World Cup, and the championship trophy was stolen but recovered by a dog. There was also one of the biggest upsets in football history, which took place during the group stage.

North Korea has qualified for two World Cup events. 2010 in South Africa, and the 1966 event in which they drew a group with Chile, the Soviet Union, and Italy. The massive underdogs were expected to get swept and lost the opening match 3-0 to the Soviets. After drawing with Chile (1-1), the North Koreans kept Italy out of the knockout stage, defeating them 1-0. North Korea took their place but lost 5-3 to Portugal in the quarterfinals.

Leicester City (2015-16 EPL Season)

2016 was a strange year overall between Brexit, Harambe, Syria, and Donald Trump, but things were just as wild in the sports world. In Major League Baseball, the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series title in 108 years while Leicester City pulled off the greatest underdog story in English football history. At 5,000-to-1, nobody thought they could win the EPL.

Leicester City started strong, lost just one of its first 17 matches, and started winning more than they drew. Many thought it was simply a ‘cute’ story midway through the season, but the second half was even stronger for Leicester City. The club dropped just one more match en route to 81 points, putting them 10 ahead of runner-up Arsenal. 

Greece vs. Portugal (Euro 2004)

Like Leicester City, almost nobody gave Greece a chance during the Euro 2004, especially with host Portugal being one of the favorites. Greece was placed into the same group as Portugal, as well as heavyweights Spain and Russia. Greece had a stunning upset of Portugal (2-1) to kick off the tournament, then drew 1-1 with Spain before dropping a 1-2 decision to Russia.

Greece still advanced and the surprises kept coming. The country defeated France 1-0 in the quarterfinals, then had another 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the semis. In a rematch with Portugal, the 1-0 trend would continue with Greece coming out on top once again and clinching the 2004 Euro title.

Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina (2022 World Cup)

Essentially what everyone will remember about the 2022 World Cup was that it was in Qatar and Lionel Messi won his first World Cup with Argentina. However, Argentina’s run for the World Cup title didn’t go off without a hitch. During the group stages, the club had its struggles with one of the event’s biggest underdogs in the form of Saudi Arabia.

In the group’s opening match in Lusail, Argentina got off to a 1-0 advantage thanks to a Messi penalty kick, but the Saudis netted the next two in the 48th and 53rd minutes. Saudi Arabia held on for the 2-1 victory in what would be their only win of the tournament, as well as Argentina’s only match that didn’t end with them winning.

USA vs. England (1950 World Cup)

Heading into the 1950 World Cup, England was one of the favorites to win the entire event while the United States mostly sent players who took on football as a hobby instead of a job. When the two met up in the group stages, England was expected to dominate the Americans, but it wasn’t to be. England failed to score while Joseph Gaetjens netted the lone goal, giving the US a 1-0 victory.

England still had a chance to advance out of the group stage, but were demoralized after what they thought would be an easy victory and dropped another 1-0 decision to Spain. As for the Americans, their other two matches ended in 3-1 and 5-2 defeated to Spain and Chile, respectively.

There are certain countries where professional football simply means more, and Italy is one of them. Italy is home to some of the most prestigious pro clubs, and among the most successful is Associazione Sportiva Roma, though most simply refer to them as Roma. The club has a long and storied history, and throughout it, there have been some players who have been considered among the best that the club has ever had.

Whether it be because they exhibited strong leadership, were able to net a ton of goals, or played tremendous defense, some Roma players are held in higher regard than the rest. Let’s take a look at the five best AS Roma players of all time and explain what it was that made them so legendary.

Roberto Pruzzo

A man who was known for scoring goals seemingly at will during the prime of his career, only one man scored more goals for Roma in the club’s history, but Pruzzo also played in hundreds of fewer matches. Pruzzo began his career with Genoa and was placed onto their senior squad in 1973. After five years, Pruzzo made his way to Roma where he made 315 appearances and scored 138 goals.

Pruzzo was the top scorer in Serie A in three different years and led Roma to the European Cup Finals. Thanks to his scoring efforts, Roma won the Coppa Italia four times during Pruzzo’s decade-long tenure. He wrapped up his professional career with one season with Fiorentina, but he will always be remembered mostly for his terrific play with Roma.

Giuseppe Giannini

Midfielder Giuseppe Giannini was bound to be a Roma legend from the time he was young. Giannini was born and raised in Rome, beginning his youth career with Almas Roma. All of the large Italian clubs wanted Giannini, but it was AS Roma that landed him in 1980 when he was just 16 years old. The following year, Giannini made his senior debut and would spend 15 years with Roma.

Giannini made 437 total appearances with Roma, scoring 75 goals and spending many of his years as the squad’s captain. Giannini’s Roma teams won the Coppa Italia three times and the Serie A championship once. In 1996, Giannini’s Roma career finally came to an end as he spent brief tenures with Sturm Graz, Napoli, and Lecce before retiring in 1999.

Bruno Conti

There were a couple of times when Bruno Conti was sent out on loan to Genoa, but other than that, he only played professionally for Roma. Conti was born in Nettuno in 1955, and after turning 18 he made his debut with Roma’s senior team where he became a staple for nearly two decades. With just over 400 in total, Conti ranks seventh on the list of most appearances in club history.

Conti was a fantastic winger during his professional career, helping Roma to win the Coppa Italia five times and the UEFA Cup Finals. Conti donned the number seven uniform, and the Hall of Famer was dubbed “The Mayor of Rome” thanks to his long tenure with Roma. Even after retiring from play, Conti stuck around the club and became the head of youth development, paving the way for Roma’s future.

Daniele De Rossi

Just like Bruno Conti, Daniele De Rossi became a legend with Roma who played for nearly 20 years with the club. De Rossi was born in Rome in 1983, joining the Roma youth squad in 2000. The following year, he made his professional debut and stuck around until 2020 when he wrapped up his playing days with five games as a member of Boca Juniors.

De Rossi made more appearances than all but the number one player on the list, netting 63 goals in that time. The former Serie A Footballer of the Year helped Roma reach new heights during the 2010s, including a deep run in the Champions League. With De Rossi, Roma won a pair of Coppa Italia while he also won the 2006 World Cup.

Francesco Totti

Just about every major record that there is in Roma history is held by Francesco Totti, and that’s probably never going to change. Totti has 170 more appearances than anyone else while having more than twice as many goals. Unlike the other members of the list, Totti never played for a professional team that wasn’t Roma, either.

Totti made his Roma debut in 1993 after bouncing around several youth teams, and his tenure lasted all the way into 2017. Totti had a long list of achievements throughout his career, winning a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia, a World Cup, and five Serie A Footballer of the Year titles.

The sport of tennis is steeped in tradition, and it’s unlikely that some of the major aspects of the sport will change. However, people have said that before, but the Open Era has proven that major change in tennis is possible. Currently, there are four grand slam tournaments that bring in the most revenue and viewership each year with the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon.

While a fifth major wouldn’t make it a “grand slam” per se, the name could change to add a fifth major. While it’s not the most likely scenario, where could a fifth major be held? Here are the five countries which would be the most likely to host a hypothetical fifth major.

Canada

North America has a rich tradition and history with tennis, but people tend to think of the United States first. Canada would be one of the top choices for a fifth tennis major, especially as the nation hosts one of the oldest popular tournaments in the world, the Canadian Open. The tournament began play in 1881 and splits time between Montreal and Toronto. The Canadian Open is one of the ATP Tour Masters 1000, so it wouldn’t be a hard sell.

Even if a new fifth major wasn’t held in either of the two big cities, there are still plenty of places in Canada that have the capability of hosting such an event. Cities like Vancouver and Ottawa come to mind, though there is just one drawback: the weather. Ideally, a Canadian grand slam would have to be played between May and August. This would clash with some of the events like Wimbledon and the US Open.

Italy

Italy is another one of the countries which has an ATP Masters 1000 tournament but no grand slam event. Rome is host to the annual Italian Open, which has been played since 1930. That’s not the only city that has hosted significant ATP events, either, as Turin has hosted the ATP Finals. Either city would be a fantastic candidate for a tennis major.

Both cities have also shown that they’re capable of holding events that are even much larger than a tennis major, with Turin hosting a Winter Olympics in its past while Rome has hosted a Summer Olympics. The infrastructure is there, and Pala Alpitour in Turin is already the sixth-largest tennis venue in the world. It was initially designed for the Winter Olympics but was repurposed and selected to be the ATP Finals host on a lengthy contract.

Netherlands

There have been some top-notch tennis players to come from the Netherlands including Tom Okker, Kea Bouman, and Betty Stove. However, the country doesn’t have one of the grand slam events and doesn’t even have one of the ATP Masters 1000. In fact, they’ve never hosted one while countries like Germany and Sweden used to.

So what is it about the Netherlands that makes it a prime destination for a tennis major? For starters, the country is well-suited to have hundreds of thousands of visitors at any time, and the facilities are already there. The Netherlands is home to Rotterdam Ahoy, which is the fifth-largest tennis venue in the world. The nation holds ATP 250 and 500 tournaments, but it’s time for a step up.

China

Returning to countries that are hosting the largest non-major tournaments, China is home to the newest entry of the ATP Masters 1000 in the form of the Shanghai Masters. The event was first held in 2009 and is located at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena. Though COVID-19 travel restrictions put the Shanghai Masters on hiatus, it was clear that the ATP saw a future in China.

Even without Shanghai, there are plenty of places to host a grand slam event in China, especially after all of the infrastructure built for the multiple Olympics the country has held in the 21st century. National Tennis Stadium in Beijing is one of the 10 largest tennis venues in the entire world and has been home to the China Open since 2011.

Spain

The final country on the list is another one that has an ATP Masters 1000 but no major. The Madrid Open is newer than all Masters besides the Shanghai event, with the Madrid Open starting in 2002. Spain has a rich tennis history that makes it a perfect spot for a major, and the country already hosts several other ATP tournaments.

Spain’s largest tennis venue doesn’t quite stack up to some of the others, but the home of the Madrid Masters still seats 12,500 people. Spain has regions that don’t get awfully cold, either, allowing the country to be flexible with dates if a fifth major was added.

In the world of professional tennis, there are a lot of matches that end in straight sets as the most elite players in the world are head and shoulders above much of the competition that they face. When you get toward the finals of each tournament, though, players are more evenly matched and it can make for some legendary matches.

Throughout the history of the Women’s Tennis Association, some matches have been replayed over and over on television because they were so amazing. Let’s take a look at the five best matches in WTA history (in no particular order), who came out on top in those matches, and how it impacted the sport of tennis for years to come.

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Francesca Schiavone (2011-Australian Open)

Svetlana Kuznetsova had cruised into the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open as the 23rd seed, winning her first three matches in straight sets. Italian player Francesca Schiavone, on the other hand, needed three lengthy matches as the sixth seed. The two would square off with a trip to the semifinals on the line, with Schiavone taking the first set 6-4 while Kuznetsova won the second 6-1.

The third and final set would be an epic showdown, pushing the match to a time of 4 hours and 44 minutes, making it the longest women’s singles match in grand slam history. The two competitors were clearly exhausted by the end, but Schiavone was able to hold out for just a bit longer, winning the set 16-14. She then went on to win the first set in the quarterfinals against Caroline Wozniacki before losing in three sets.

Venus Williams vs. Lindsay Davenport (2005-Wimbledon)

Venus Williams had almost zero trouble with the competition at the 2005 Wimbledon Championships, winning all of her matches in two sets leading up to the finals. Lindsay Davenport had two of her matches reach a third set, but it never seemed that she was in any true danger of losing. Davenport was the number one player in the world at the time while Venus was ranked 14th.

Davenport got an early jump on Williams, winning the first set 6-4, but a tiebreaker win in the second set allowed Williams to force a third set. The two women went into extended games in the final set, with Williams winning 9-7. Williams had been on the brink multiple times but finished the nearly 3-hour-long match with a victory.

Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova (1985-French Open)

One of the greatest rivalries in women’s tennis history was between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, with the two facing off many times throughout their illustrious careers. Some of those clashes occurred with the pair being ranked as the top two players in the world, and the 1985 French Open was no exception. Neither woman had dropped a set by the time they reached the finals against each other.

Evert won the first set 6-3 while Navratilova won a lengthy tiebreaker to take the second set 7-6. Evert was able to beat her rival in the third set, winning 7-5. The two embraced after their epic match, with Navratilova saying “We brought out the best in each other.”

Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf (1992-French Open)

In another case of the world’s top two players going at it with a grand slam championship on the line, Monica Seles and Steffi Graff were both in their prime when 1992 came around and battled for the French Open title. Seles came in as the top-ranked player while Graf was hot on her heels. In the semifinals, both women would need three sets, and they’d need even more than the standard for their finals match.

Seles took the first set 6-2 while Graf answered back with a 6-3 win. The deciding set went on for a long time as neither one wanted to be the person that cracked first. Eventually, a worn-out Seles got the best of Graf, winning the set 10-8. “It couldn’t have been a better final,” Seles said, claiming it was the most emotional match she has played.

Maria Sharapova vs. Serena Williams (2005-Australian Open)

The second of just two matches on the list that aren’t grand slam finals came in 2005, but a trip to the finals was on the line when fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova was taking on seventh-ranked Serena Williams at the Australian Open. Williams was coming off of an easy win, defeating second-ranked Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 6-2, while Sharapova had been in a battle with Svetlana Kuznetsova.

It appeared that Sharapova was locked in after the first set as she cruised to a 6-2 win. In the second set, however, Williams came back from a 5-4 deficit and won 7-5. The final set was an epic showdown of two women at the top of their game, with Williams prevailing 8-6 after fighting off three break points. She’d go on to win the title over top-ranked Lindsay Davenport.

Chelsea F.C. was founded at the start of the 20th century, and over the years became one of the most popular teams in Europe. Even though they’ve had to contend with some clubs who are seen as more “prestigious”, Chelsea has held its own and has become a staple at the top of the standings in the English Premier League.

To make its surge in popularity and years of success possible, Chelsea has had to have a lot of great players. Which ones stand out as the best, though? Here are our picks for the five best players in Chelsea history. Before we start the list, here are some notable Chelsea players who just missed the cut: Peter Osgood, Ron Harris, George Hilsdon, Peter Cech, and Peter Bonetti.

Didier Drogba

One of just two members of the list to not be born in England, Didier Drogba hails from the Ivory Coast and made his way to France to begin his professional football career. Drogba made his senior debut with Le Mans in 1998, and over the following few years played for Guingamp and Marseille. Then, in 2004, Droga moved to Chelsea and became a staple, having one long stint with the club and one brief one.

Drogba holds the Chelsea record for most EPL goals in one season (29) while also holding a slew of other season-long scoring achievements. He ranks fourth on the all-time scoring list for Chelsea with 164 goals, doing so in just 381 appearances. 36 of those goals came in European competition.

Bobby Tambling

There were a lot of English clubs that wanted to acquire the talents of Bobby Tambling during the mid-1950s, but it was Chelsea that landed him. After two years of playing youth football, Tambling was promoted to the senior squad and spent more than a decade playing for Chelsea up until 1970. He spent the 1970s playing for several different teams, including Cork Celtic and Waterford.

Tambling is just one of two people to record more than 200 goals for Chelsea, collecting a total of 202. He didn’t need many appearances to do it, either, as he scored that much in just 370 matches. Tambling holds the Chelsea record for most league goals, and he helped the squad win the Football League Cup in the 1964-65 season.

Gianfranco Zola

Like Didier Drogba, Gianfranco Zola made a lot of other stops before playing for Chelsea as he was born outside of England. The Italian native made his professional debut in 1984 with Nuorese before spending time with Torres, Napoli, and Parma. Finally, in 1996, Zola became part of Chelsea’s squad and spent the next seven years in London before wrapping up his career with Cagliari.

Zola won the 1996-97 Football Writers’ Association Football of the Year honors and was named the squad’s Player of the Year twice. Though he was never part of a Premier League-winning team with Chelsea, Zola did take home two FA Cups and the 1998 EUFA Cup Winners’ Cup. In 2006, Zola was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

John Terry

John Terry started his youth football career with West Ham United, but in 1995 moved to Chelsea. Three years later, he was promoted to the senior squad where he spent almost a full two decades on the roster (outside of a brief loan to Nottingham Forest). Terry played his final match with Chelsea in 2017 before a brief run with Aston Villa to end his playing career.

For many who grew up watching Terry, it was hard to even picture him wearing another kit. He had more appearances for Chelsea than all but two men (Ron Harris and Peter Bonetti), and also won the 2004-05 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award. Thanks to Terry, Chelsea was able to win five Premier League titles.

Frank Lampard

Just like John Terry, Frank Lampard began his youth career with West Ham, but he also started his professional career with the squad. After spending six years on their squad, Lampard was moved to Chelsea where he spent 13 years. He then wrapped up his career with stints in Manchester City and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Lampard even spent time as Chelsea’s manager from 2019 to 2021.

Obviously, Chelsea supporters remember Lampard more for his play on the pitch. Nobody has scored more goals in Chelsea history than Lampard, putting up 211 in 648 appearances. Bobby Tambling is the only other player to achieve more than 200. Lampard won three Premier League titles with Chelsea and was the 2005 Footballer of the Year in England. In 2021, he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Nebraska is one of the most prestigious college football programs in the country, and is considered by many to be one of the “blue bloods” along with the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, etc. This was especially true for certain eras of Nebraska football when the program was regularly contending for a national championship, though there have been some eras in which the Cornhuskers have struggled.

Throughout it all, Nebraska has had over 30 head coaches in the program’s history, with an obviously large range of success. Which of these coaches ranks among the best in the program’s history, though? Here are our picks, in order, for the top five. Before we start the list, some of the coaches who just missed the cut include Jumbo Stiehm, Walter Booth, Ernest Bearg, and Ernest Bearg.

Dana Bible

In 1929, Dana Bible was named the 15th head coach in Nebraska football history and had a long track record when he joined the Cornhuskers. Bible had been at Mississippi College and LSU for one season each in the 1910s before joining Texas A&M for more than a decade. Bible coached Nebraska from 1929 to 1936 and didn’t have a single losing season in his tenure. His worst season came in 1930, with Nebraska still finishing 4-3-2.

Bible finished his eight-year tenure in Nebraska with a record of 50 wins, 15 losses, and seven ties. His .743 winning percentage is the seventh-best in Nebraska history, and fourth-best for coaches that had at least 70 games under their belt. Bible won six Big Six titles and lost just three conference games. He wrapped up his coaching career with 10 seasons leading the Texas Longhorns.

Frank Solich

Taking over head coaching duties for a certain someone who will be mentioned later was never going to be an easy gig. After the 1997 National Championship season, the Cornhuskers were looking for a new coach for the first time since 1972. Instead of hiring an outside candidate, the Cornhuskers promoted running backs coach Frank Solich, and he held the job for six seasons.

Solich struggled toward the end of his tenure and was put on the hot seat after a 7-7 season in 2002. However, that was the only time he had more than four losses and had an overall impressive record. Solich coached the Cornhuskers to a bowl game (or was at least eligible) in all six seasons, winning the Fiesta and Alamo Bowls. He was fired after 2003 despite having a 58-19 record, then coached Ohio for 16 seasons. 

Bo Pelini

Bo Pelini was the defensive coordinator when Frank Solich was fired and took over as interim head coach for the 2003 Alamo Bowl, winning in his first game. Pelini then became an assistant coach for Oklahoma and LSU for four seasons before the Nebraska head coaching job became vacant once again. This time, Pelini was hired on a full-time basis. While he had success, it wasn’t enough for many Huskers fans.

Pelini lost exactly four games in each of his first six seasons and was fired after the 2014 regular season when he finished 9-3, avoiding a potential fourth loss again with no bowl game. Pelini, despite his critics, had a strong winning percentage and a record of 67-27, including four bowl wins.

Bob Devaney

Nebraska was a bit of a middling program for the first 70 years of the program’s history outside of a 1921 national championship, but that all changed in 1962. Michigan native Bob Devaney had been an assistant at Michigan State during the mid-1950s before being hired as the Wyoming head coach for five seasons.

Nebraska hired Devaney after he went 35-10-5 with the Cowboys, and it ended up being a home run hire. Devaney coached for 11 seasons with the Cornhuskers, and he lost just 20 games while winning 101. Devaney won six bowl games, including three consecutive Orange Bowls at the end of his tenure, winning back-to-back national titles in 1970 and 1971.

Tom Osborne

Of course, there’s no coach that really comes close to matching the success of Tom Osborne. Osborne had the unenviable task of following Devaney, and had served as an assistant with Nebraska for nine years before being named the head coach. Osborne got off to a good start, going 9-2-1 in his first year with a Cotton Bowl win.

Osborne’s Cornhuskers made a bowl game in all 25 of his seasons as head coach and were ranked outside of the top 15 at the end of the season just once (24th). Overall, Osborne had a record of 255-49-3, winning 13 conference championships and three national titles, including his final season (1997) as a coach.