Football is a constant motion of being consistently successful and standing up to be
counted when it matters the most. But considering human nature, it is impossible to be at the same
level every week and cases of complacency are usually evaluated by millions of observing eyes.
Over time, maligned players do get the chance to make detractors eat their words.
It has become such that 'proving the doubters wrong' is one of the key motivators in the sport,
just alongside netting against a former club. For starters, Romelu Lukaku is making a big-money
return to Chelsea after leaving for Inter Milan two years ago to enjoy a new lease of
life following a difficult spell at Manchester United. Although he had scored 42 times in 96
matches for the Red Devils, Lukaku’s relationship with the club had deteriorated over his weight
and the team’s performances. An exceptionally brilliant spell in Italy followed as Lukaku’s
improved showings and clinical goalscoring pushed them to a first Scudetto in 11 years.
The Belgian benefitted from changing clubs and he was able to prove his doubters wrong
to become one of Europe’s deadliest players. So how about others and how did they do it?
We will be taking you through a list of players who proved their initial doubters wrong. Please be
sure to click subscribe as well as the bell icon next to it so you never miss out on our content.
First up on our list of critic-slayers is a Slavic legend.
Luka Modric The Croatian signed a five-year contract with
Real Madrid for £30million as a promising player from Tottenham. Here was a player in search of the
next step and hoping to lift silverware. Little did he know he was in for a ride.
Modric initially struggled to get going due to a lack of pre-season training because of
his ongoing transfer negotiations. He was consistently kept out of the lineup as
Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil were preferred in Jose Mourinho’s midfield roles.
Consequently he was voted worst signing of the season on Spanish newspaper Marca at the end
of the year. But by March, Modrić came on as a substitute in the decisive Champions
League knockout tie against ten-man Manchester United at Old Trafford,
he equalized with a long-range shot and played a key role in the rest of the match as Madrid
advanced to the quarter-finals 3–2 on aggregate. This match () is often seen as the turning point
in the midfielder’s career in Real Madrid. Modrić was instrumental when Real Madrid
won a third successive Champions League title in 2018. He was now regarded as
the best midfielder in Europe and it was no surprise when it emerged Modrić's Real
Madrid jersey was the most sought after at the club after Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus.
Due to his continued efficiency for Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup,
Modric received the Golden Ball then added the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award and
The Best FIFA Men's Player Award. But winning the Ballon d'Or was a peculiar feat, as it marked the
first time since 2007 that the award was won by someone else NOT Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
Modric remains one of Los Blancos’ most important players at 36 and has now won
16 titles in the Spanish capital. Not bad for a former worst signing of the year.
Our next player did have a brighter start than Modric did at his new club.
Jorginho The midfielder sealed a £50 million
move to Chelsea in 2018 when he was signed the same day as Maurizio Sarri, his coach at Napoli.
His arrival had clearly been one of the conditions to appoint the Italian manager.
Jorginho immediately troubled the Premier League passing records when he completed
158 passes in only his third game, which was a record for a Chelsea player in a single
match and the second all-time in the league. However, genuine doubts were raised about his
physical ability and credentials to play as the deepest midfielder
while N’golo Kante moved to a more forward position. Chelsea’s one-dimensional play and
Sarri’s persistence in his approach made Jorginho the scapegoat. Notwithstanding, his individual
performances would stabilize as an intense first season ended with Europa League glory.
Jorginho’s importance was made clear in his second campaign when his tactical awareness,
vision and experience came under the spotlight. The comeback story would be complete for Jorginho
when he lifted the Champions League in 2021, as an ever-present in that incredible run,
no less. The Brazil-born Regista had established himself as an integral member of the Italy squad
and performed another key role in the Azzurri’s successful run at Euro 2020.
The 29-year-old would cap off a fantastic tournament by registering the most interceptions
in Euros history (25), breaking Marcel Desailly's 25-year-old record of 24 in a single tournament.
He was also included in the team of the tournament as he covered the most ground of any player,
made the joint-most recoveries and completed the second most passes of any player.
What a sweet journey it has been to prove his doubters wrong,
as Jorginho is now one of the first names on the team sheet and one of the most important
midfielders in European football at the moment. Third on our list is another Euro 2020
success story. Raheem Sterling
When England disappointingly crashed out of Euro 2016 to Iceland, the media found a scapegoat in
Raheem Sterling who was an easy target for his money-spinning move to Manchester City.
The winger’s lack of end product mirrored the struggles in his first season as the
most expensive English footballer at the time. Sterling’s game visibly improved and
matured when Pep Guardiola joined the club. He went on to help Man City win back-to-back
Premier League titles in the 2018 and 2019. He was also named in the Premier League Team
of the Year and won the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.
However, it is proven yearly that football has a short memory.
And Sterling’s quality was called into question again after a lukewarm season by his recent
high standards due to Guardiola’s preference for a false nine system.
He had lost his place as an untouchable in the team and there were calls for him to be dropped.
Most footballers prefer to do their talking on the pitch, and the City forward was eager to
do so once again. Sterling was England’s shock hero in Euro 2020 as his three goals and one
assist were mightily important on the way to the final as England struggled for a lack of
attacking spark in the opening matches. Par for the course, Sterling would
have ended up winning the player of the tournament if England had won the final.
Moving on to number four, let's tell you about one of Liverpool’s well-known ‘flops’
Danny Ings At the end of a goal-laden spell at Burnley,
the striker was expected to take a step up in his career and completed a move to Liverpool in 2015.
After making his England debut, Ings returned to a new manager at club level and suffered
an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his first training session under Jürgen Klopp.
It ruled him out for the remainder of the season. However, Ings sustained damage to
his other knee only a few months into his return and was out again for 11 months.
The striker understandably became a forgotten man and made just 14 Premier
League appearances in three years for the Reds. A loan move to Southampton in 2018, which was made
permanent a year later, kickstarted his career. His excellent form coincided with the Saints
dramatic turnaround. 22 Premier League goals and 25 in all competitions meant Ings finished the
2019-20 season as joint-second in the Premier League Golden Boot race with Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang and one goal behind Jamie Vardy. Injuries have derailed most of his career
progress, but Ings continues to prove his goal scoring prowess when fit
and has deservingly earned a shock £25 million move to Aston Villa where he is expected to kick
on with an improving Premier League side. The last player on our list is a well-told
redemption story. Mohammed Salah
How Mo Salah immersed himself in English football folklore for his time at Liverpool
makes for good reading. But how aware are you of his previous stint in the Premier League?
What makes this story even more special is his first spell with Chelsea which failed to inspire
and saw him move to the Serie A with Fiorentina to secure game time and fulfill his potential.
Salah enjoyed a little more game time in Florence, scoring six goals. He then moved on to Roma where
he scored 34 goals in 83 games and mesmerized everyone with his blistering pace, finishing
ability and overall quality on the pitch. After his goals helped Roma to a second-placed
finish and a club record points-tally in 2017, Salah returned to England in a then club-record
£36.9 million to Liverpool and the rest as we know it, is history.
The forward has been stunning for the Reds ever since and refined his game as a prime goalscorer
with 44 goals in all competitions in his first season, making him Liverpool's second-highest
goalscorer in a single season, behind Ian Rush. Salah would then become the Premier League's
all-time goalscorer for a 38-game season with 32. He has won the Premier League and Champions League
titles at Anfield while Salah has become one of the best players in the world with
consecutive Premier League Golden Boots alongside several individual awards and recognitions.
And that is what we have for you concerning players who proved their
doubters wrong. You can offer suggestions for our next video in the comments section. Also leave a
like or click the subscribe button to be sure to never miss any videos from us. Bye for now.