The hard player: Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
90 goals in 187 matches at PSV Eindhoven: Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink left his mark – on minds and nets alike – in the Eredivisie. He had already proved his worth at FC Twente with 64 goals in 160 matches, establishing himself as a reliable scorer in Dutch football.
He also wore the colours of Celtic FC (34 goals in 80 matches) and Hull City (3 goals in 31 matches), before a second spell at PSV (2 goals in 18 matches). With the Dutch national team, he earned 27 caps and scored 5 goals. A solid career spanning the Eredivisie and Scotland – and one that only 43% of Roi des Footix players managed to identify.
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PlayThe medium player: Daniele De Rossi
616 matches, 63 goals with AS Roma: Daniele De Rossi wore only one club shirt his entire career, and that says everything. An Italian defensive midfielder who never strayed from the Giallorossi colours, he made his first steps with Italy’s under-19 side (3 caps) before spending his entire club career in the Italian capital.
At a time when mega-transfers and jersey-swapping became the norm, De Rossi stayed put at AS Roma. 616 matches, 63 goals: a loyalty that stands apart from the rest.
The easy player: Gabriel Batistuta
203 goals in 331 matches with Fiorentina: Gabriel Batistuta carved his name in stone on Italian football. Before landing in Italy, he came through Newell’s Old Boys (11 goals in 29 matches) and River Plate (4 goals in 21 matches), then Boca Juniors (19 goals in 40 matches) – a fine Argentine tour before conquering Europe.
With the Argentine national team, Batistuta scored 56 goals in 77 matches, one of the most formidable records in Albiceleste history. After his spell at AS Roma – 33 goals in 87 matches – he wrapped up a striker’s career like few others.