Top 10 Footballing Georges

Chris Wright

26th, April 2011

5 Comments

By Chris Wright

With a nod to the St. George’s Day that has passed us all by last Friday, Pies presents a run-through of our top ten footballing Georges.

In no particular order…

1. George Best

Probably the most prominent George ever to have taken up the sport, so let’s get him out of the way up top. The late Best was so intrinsically cool in his pomp that he could still somehow manage to make a ridiculously over-sized souvenir sombrero look vaguely passable…

2. Georgi Kinkladze

‘Kinky’ set the Premier League alight during his first two seasons at Manchester City, winning the club’s Player of the Year award (not seen here) twice on the bounce by virtue of his meandering dribbling and his keen eye for the spectacular. Can now be seen starring in Little Britain alongside that bald chap that currently manages Reading.

3. George Graham

Former happy-go-lucky midfielder for Arsenal and Manchester United, famed for his sunny disposition and his zesty repartee. Despite being born and bred in Scotland, Graham spent his entire playing career south of the border before jetting off to California for one-last paycheck in 1978…

4. George Cohen

Cohen is credited with revolutionising the role of the full-back with his over-lapping raids as part of England’s World Cup winning ensemble. Seen here (centre) being banned from swapping shirts with an Argentinian ‘animal’ by England manager Alf Ramsey, who had just overseen his side take a famously brutal bruising in the 1966 World Cup quarter-final…

5. Jorge Campos

Legendarily diminutive Mexican keeper, famous for designing his own kits…

6. Finidi George

Despite having the teenie-tiniest of heads, Finidi eventually became one of the most technically gifted players to ever pull on a Ipswich Town shirt (who were managed by another footballing George – George Burley – at the time) before retiring to become a director at former club Real Betis. He also appeared at two World Cups with Nigeria and won the Champions League with Ajax back in 1995…

7. George Boateng

A rather underrated midfield hassler (not sure if that’s a real word, but it’ll do), capped by Holland a few times and definitely one of those players you’d rather play alongside than against. Now 35, Boateng is winding down his career in Greece with Skoda Xanthi…

8. Charlie George

Legendary Arsenal striker/pop star hybrid, famed for his love of fags, birds and nags. Once released a single entitled ‘Love Song to My Lady’ then complained because the promo shots had him looking like ‘shirt-lifter’…

9. Georghe Hagi

Hagi, a gruff and sporadic genius that flourished during the last great blush of the true ‘No.10-style’ playmakers, was in possession of one of the sweetest left foots in the business throughout most of the mid-to-late 90s…

10. George Weah

We can only imagine how utterly terrifying it must have been for defenders playing against Weah in his prime – i,e. before his loan stints at Chelsea. The ‘Big Librarian’ (Ron Atkinson©) was powerful, direct, incisive and lightning quick with the ball at his feet – an ungodly prospect for any opposing centre-half. If memory serves, he also ran for president of Liberia a couple of years ago…

Top 10 Footballing Patricks

Top 10 Footballing Garys

Top 10 Footballing Alans

Top 10 Footballing Brians

Top 10 Footballing Stanleys

Posted in Featured, Top 10s & lists

Share this article: Email

5 Comments

  1. Conor O'Riordan says:

    That AC Milan kit on George Weah is sweet.

  2. Soccer Professional says:

    Wow…

    How can you have this article and omit a couple of the all time greats?!

    1. Georgios Samaras: A truly great footballer. Will go down in history for great success in British soccer and a Greek legend.

    2. Fricson George: One of the greatest Ecuadorian and South American soccer players ever, having spent long successful spells at Barcelona and Santos, writing himself into both clubs’ history books as one of their all-time greats.

  3. dynamozebra says:

    Yay! No slideshow!

  4. scotspur says:

    @SP
    SAMARAS?! hahaha you must be joking, this isnt a Greasiest Haired Georges list

  5. Kevin Barry says:

    Shame on you for omitting George Eastham OBE, especially hen you have had to make up the list of 10 using “misspelt” George’s!!!!

Leave a Reply to Kevin Barry