Football features

THEY just didn’t want to hang up their boots.
These 11 footballing stars were initially happy to retire, but performed a sensational u-turn when they were either needed to play, or simply missed the action.

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Arjen Robben is the latest star to come out of retirementCredit: Getty Images – Getty

From a Manchester United legend to one of the Premier League’s all-time greatest goalies, SunSport gives you the definitive names of players who came out of retirement to relive their glory days.
PETR CECH
The Chelsea legend was last seen pulling on the Arsenal keeper’s jersey in 2019, hanging up his gloves after four years at the Emirates at the end of the 2018-19 season.
But it was with the Blues he was a cult hero, winning four Premier League titles in 11 years, which is why he returned to Stamford Bridge last year to take up a new role as technical and performance advisor.
In 2020, Cech, now 38, was added to Chelsea’s Premier League squad as an emergency goalkeeper.

Should Edouard Mendy or Kepa Arrizabalaga get injured, Cech will be in line for a call-up.

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Petr Cech works with Chelsea No1 Edouard Mendy, who he could deputise forCredit: Getty Images – Getty
PAUL SCHOLES
Six months after he quit Old Trafford, Scholes decided he should pull on the Red Devils jersey once again in 2012.
It was a no-brainer for the midfield dynamo, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side having an injury crisis in the middle of the park having to play Phil Jones and Fabio Silva as a pair.
Incredibly, no one knew he was returning when he was named on the bench for the Manchester derby, not even his team-mates who would’ve been shocked to see his shirt hanging up in the dressing room.

United finished runners-up to their noisy neighbours that season, with Scholes playing 21 games.
He returned the following year to help United win back the Premier League, and retired again – this time for good.

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Scholes retired for a second time after helping United win back the titleCredit: Getty Images – Getty
JOHAN CRUYFF
The Dutch master returned to the game out of a sense of necessity.
Cruyff was 31, but was skint after an investment that was supposed to set him up for life after football went wrong.
“I had lost millions in pig-farming and that was the reason I decided to become a footballer again,” he revealed.
He returned the same year he retired – 1978 – with the Los Angeles Aztecs for an admitted pay day.
Cruyff later returned to Holland and was successful with both Ajax and Feyenoord, before finally giving up the game in 1984.

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Johan Cruyff signs for Los Angeles AztecsCredit: Getty – Contributor
ARJEN ROBBEN
Another flying Dutch winger, former Chelsea star Robben is the most recent addition to the list.
And his reason is more sentimental.
Robben has just signed on a free transfer for boyhood club FC Groningen, and will play for them from next season at the age of 36.
“I was 12 when I started playing in FC Groningen’s youth academy,” he said in a video on the club’s Twitter site.
“I made my home debut against Feyenoord when I was 16. After two years I made a transfer to PSV Eindhoven. After a wonderful adventure of 18 years, we’re coming home.”

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Robben has rejoined boyhood club FC GroningenCredit: Getty Images – Getty
JENS LEHMANN
After leaving the Gunners in 2008, the legendary German goalie was back for a second stint between the sticks for Arsenal in 2011 – a year after he put away his gloves.
Initially he was signed as a back-up to Manuel Almunia, after Arsene Wenger’s team suffered with injuries.
At 42, Lehmann was called upon for a game against Blackpool, after Almunia got injured in the warm-up.
His team were victorious – winning 3-1. But you can bet the competitive Jens would’ve been furious he didn’t keep a clean sheet.

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Jens Lehmann appears for Arsenal against Blackpool age 42Credit: Action Images – Reuters
ROBBIE ROGERS
After he was released by Leeds at the age of just 25, Rogers wasn’t sure if his future belonged in the game.
He then bravely came out as gay, revealing he felt like a coward for not doing it sooner.
In 2013, Rogers joined MLS giants Los Angeles Galaxy to become the first openly gay American athlete to play in a major sport.
Four years later, he announced his retirement because of persistent injuries.

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Robbie Rogers became the first openly gay American sports starCredit: Getty Images – Getty
CARLOS ROA
Still one of the most bizarre moments in football EVER.
Roa was an outstanding goalkeeper for the Argentinian national team, as well as La Liga giants.
He starred for the Argies in the 1998 World Cup, and reached the final of the Copa Del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup, as well as won the Spanish Supercup.
But he believed that the world was going to end in 2000, so wouldn’t renew his contract beyond then.
When it didn’t, he came back with his tail between his legs because he still had a contract to fulfil.

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Carlos Roa returned to Mallorca with his family after quitting football thinking the world was going to endCredit: EPA
STEPHEN CARR
When the former Spurs full-back was released by Newcastle in 2008, he had had enough of chasing wingers up and down the park.
With no takers wanting him as a free agent, Carr decided to call it a day.
A year later, he returned to the Premier League with Birmingham City.
In 2011, he captained the side to a famous League Cup final victory over Arsenal.

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Stephen Carr celebrates winning the League Cup against ArsenalCredit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun
ROGER MILLA
The Cameroon legend is best remembered for his star turn at the 1990 World Cup, where he couldn’t stop scoring, not to mention that brilliant dance celebration at the corner flag for every goal.
However, a year before Milla had decided he wasn’t fit for purpose and moved to the Indian Ocean island of Reunion.
It wasn’t until Cameroon’s president Paul Biya pleaded with him to return that he came back at 38.
He then returned four years later to become the oldest player to appear at the World Cup, a record which was beaten by Faryd Mondragon.

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Roger Milla was a star at Italia ’90Credit: Bongarts – Getty
LANDON DONOVAN
Recognised as the greatest player to ever play for the States, Donovan had initially left the LA Galaxy in 2014 as a champion.
But in 2016, he was asked to return to MLS action because of an injury crisis by the Galaxy.
Ironically enough, Donovan was working as a pundit on his former club’s game where they suffered three injuries during the match.
However, he couldn’t repeat his past success and the club ended up without a trophy and Donovan retired again.

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Landon Donovan returned to LA Galaxy in 2016 after an injury crisisCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
MARC OVERMARS
Although he had lost that electric pace that made him such a threat in the past, Overmars wasn’t going to give up the ghost of playing.
After a brilliant career at Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona, he retired in 2004.

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Four years after retiring Overmars came back with Go Ahead EaglesCredit: Rex Features
Then he starred in a testimonial for Jaap Stam some four years later, and was offered a route back into football.
He initially declined, believing his best days were past him.
However, he had a a change of heart when Go Ahead Eagles, his first ever club, offered him a deal.
He played 24 games in one season before finally retiring for good.

Arjen Robben makes sensational return to boyhood club FC Groningen More

LAST Tuesday Neymar scored a hat trick to carry Brazil to a 4-2 win away to Peru in a tense World Cup qualifier.
It also meant that he has overtaken Ronaldo in Brazil’s list of all time top goalscorers.

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Neymar’s hat trick saw him overtake Ronaldo as Brazil’s second highest goalscorerCredit: EPA

Only Pele stands in front of him – and with 64 senior goals to Pele’s 77, it would seem only a matter of time before Neymar becomes the top marksman of the most successful team in the history of international football.
And yet still the questions remain.
FRIENDLY FIRE
That match a week ago was a crunch World Cup qualifier – the only meeting in the opening two rounds of the South American campaign of two teams who both made it through to Russia 2018. These were clearly important goals.
But so many of Neymar’s strikes for his country have come in less pressurised circumstances.

Of his 64 Brazil goals, 42 were scored in friendlies. This high proportion, though, is hardly his fault.
So many of his goals have come in friendlies because so many of his games – 66 of 102 caps – have been friendlies.
BAD LUCK IN TOURNAMENTS
Neymar has been part of the Brazil side since the first game after the 2010 World Cup.

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Neymar’s 2014 World Cup campaign was brought short by injuryCredit: Getty – Contributor

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While in Russia 2018 Neymar was easing his way back into fitness after a long lay offCredit: AFP
As hosts of the next tournament they did not have to go through the qualifying process, and so for the first few years of his international career there was little else but friendlies.

He missed the last two versions of the Copa America. In 2016 Brazil decided they would rather have him for the Olympic tournament, and injury forced him out of last year’s competition.
His 2014 World Cup campaign was, of course, brought short by injury, and in Russia 2018 he was easing his way back from a lengthy lay off, and, histrionics aside, played at least as well as could have been expected.
All this means that the second top scorer in Brazil’s history still has plenty to do if he is to be considered one of the all time greats.
It is clearly a fabulous achievement to have netted more times than the likes of Ronaldo, Zico and Romario.
LEAVING A LEGACY
But so much of Neymar’s legacy will be determined but what his does just over two years from now in Qatar.

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Neymar’s legacy will be determined by what happens in the next two years of his careerCredit: AFP or licensors
Some of this also applies to his club career. True, Neymar won the Champions League in style with Barcelona. But it was Lionel Messi’s team.
And since Neymar struck out on his own, he has to live with the limitations of the choice that he made.
Paris Saint Germain are so dominant in France that some of his achievements there carry the weight of international friendlies.
It is all about the knockout stages of the Champions League, in the last few months of the season. Except that this time Neymar and company may well be tested a little earlier than usual.
Their Champions League group looks very interesting. True, Basaksehir of Turkey will be feeling their way in the competition.
But the wonderfully coached Red Bull Leipzig will be full of confidence after their splendid exploits in the last campaign – and also had a close look at PSG in August when they lost to them in the semi final in August.
And then there is Manchester United – not what they were, perhaps, but still much more of a threat than the teams PSG regularly brush aside in the French league.
Paris Saint Germain came close to a first Champions League win before losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

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Next up in Neymar’s sights are Manchester United in the Champions LeagueCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

Their campaign emphasised the questions that are still hanging over Neymar – he was both brilliant and brittle, coming up with flashes of genius but collapsing under pressure in the final when the Germans took the lead.
For both club and country, then, the jury is still out on Neymar – with no definitive decision until the next World Cup and the next couple of versions of the Champions League.
But today’s game against United gives him an opportunity to start winning over some of the jurors.

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BEFORE last Friday, the senior international career of Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz was limited to ten minutes off the bench in a low key friendly against South Korea last November.
Suddenly, he looks important to Brazil’s cause as they set out on the road to Qatar in the quest to win their first World Cup in twenty years.

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Douglas Luiz, right, was outstanding against Bolivia and became Brazil’s unlikely heroCredit: Reuters

There was a place going in the Brazilian midfield. Arthur, who has just moved from Barcelona to Juventus, was left out of the squad for the opening two rounds of qualifiers.
He had been a fixture in the post-Russia 2018 side. Coach Tite had a look at Allan, now of Everton, but he fell from favour.
Someone new would have to come in for Friday’s game at home to Bolivia in Sao Paulo.
The front runner appeared to be Bruno Guimaraes of Lyon, who captained Brazil’s Under-23 side earlier this year.

But as the week wore on it became clear that Douglas Luiz would get the nod. And during the game it also became clear that he has a vital role to play.
BEATEN JUST ONCE
In Tite’s four year reign as Brazil coach, he has only been beaten once in a competitive game – but it was the big one, the World Cup quarter final against Belgium when the team were ambushed early and crashed out of the competition 2-1.
Tite has spent plenty of time mulling over that defeat. One clear conclusion was that the team were too open down the left flank.
For all his attacking flair, Marcelo has never been a solid defensive full back. And ahead of him, Neymar was not going to do a great deal of defending.

Marcelo has not played for Brazil since. Tite’s idea straight after the World Cup was to go with a different style of full back, creating from deep and holding the defensive line rather than acting as wingers.

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The inclusion of another defensive midfielder in Luiz freed up Neymar to play a more expansive roleCredit: Getty Images – Getty
In the coach’s words, he was aiming for Manchester City full backs instead of Liverpool ones.
And so the left back position became a fight between Alex Sandro of Juventus and the former Chelsea veteran Filipe Luis.
But that was not a success – and along came Renan Lodi of Atletico Madrid, emerging as an attacking left back of genuine quality.
There was another advantage in having Renan Lodi charge down the wing. It freed Neymar to move away from the left touchline, allowing him to wander inside and probe for weaknesses.
But if Tite was to return to an attacking left back, he had to balance out his side with the inclusion of an extra defensive midfielder to cover the space left behind – and this is where Douglas Luiz came in.
BATTERED BOLIVIA
And he did a thoroughly proficient job in the 5-0 win over Bolivia. Allowances have to be made, though, for the weakness of the opposition.
Bolivia were ludicrously outgunned, and the game, especially in the first half, was little more than attack against defence.
Just before the first goal in the 15th minute Brazil had exchanged 118 passes against Bolivia’s three.

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Luiz now faces the game of his life against PeruCredit: Getty – Pool
Douglas Luiz protected the space behind Lodi – three of the five goals came from breaks down the left – and kept the team ticking over with crisp passing.
But other matches – indeed all the other 17 rounds of the qualification campaign – will be harder.

Starting with Tuesday’s visit to Peru. In all the games in the first two rounds, Peru against Brazil is the only meeting between teams who both qualified for Russia 2018.
Peruvian morale is high after a creditable 2-2 draw away to Paraguay on Thursday – the other four away sides in the opening round all lost.
Assuming that Brazil field the same team, then Douglas Luiz is in for the most important 90 minutes of his life in Lima.

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