The UK’s GiveMeSports has released its list of the top 11 soccer stars in the world who chose loyalty over money.
The reason for this sudden announcement is Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min made global headlines when he turned down a huge offer from Saudi Arabia.
Heung-min was offered €30 million ($42.1 billion) a year by Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad, but he didn’t even think twice about it. He made it clear that he wasn’t going to go to China, referencing Ki Sung-yong’s quote, “The captain of the Korean national team doesn’t go to China.”
Son has been compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and many others who have been tempted by Saudi Arabia’s money. During a pre-season press conference in Australia, Son reiterated his rejection of Saudi Arabia. ‘Give Me Sports’ also wrote an article praising Son Heung-min.
The publication listed the top 11 players who prioritize loyalty over big money. Heung-min received a huge offer from Saudi Arabia, but he turned it down. There are a lot of big names heading to Saudi Arabia, but Heung-min is not one of them. He said he still has work to do in the English Premier League (EPL).”
“So who are the players who rejected money and stayed with the team out of loyalty, just like Son, and here are their top 11.”
The formation is 4-4-2. The team is representative of the team the player played for in his prime, a team he stuck with instead of being tempted by money.
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) is the goalkeeper. The back four was Javier Sanetti (Inter Milan), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), and Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich).
The midfield is Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), and Pavel Nedved (Juventus), while the back four is Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) and Alan Shearer (Newcastle).
The emphasis was once again on Son Heung-min. “As mentioned earlier, Saudi Arabia’s interest was immediately rejected by Son Heung-min. Heung-min would have made a ton of money if he went to the Middle East, but he chose to stay in the EPL. He will prove it.”
As for Shearer, the EPL’s all-time leading scorer (260 goals), “Shearer is famous for turning down opportunities that would have guaranteed him a championship. Shearer was approached by Manchester United and could have earned more money. Alex Ferguson himself made the offer. But Shearer didn’t go, and Shearer says he doesn’t regret that choice.” 메이저사이트
As for Liverpool legend Gerrard, “He was constantly approached by Jose Mourinho. Chelsea wanted him, Real Madrid wanted him, Mourinho wanted him. They were all attractive offers, but Gerrard remained at Liverpool and believes that one UEFA Champions League title is worth more than multiple titles with different clubs.”
He also talked about Barcelona legend Xavi. “When Pep Guardiola took over as Bayern Munich manager, he wanted Xavi and offered a huge transfer fee, but Xavi was loyal to Barcelona,” the publication emphasized.