The hard player: Nolberto Solano
Born on 12 December 1974 in Callao, Peru, Nolberto Solano – known as ‘Nobby’ – is a Peruvian footballer turned manager. He first made his mark at Sporting Cristal with 59 goals in 144 matches, before crossing the Atlantic to settle in the Premier League. Newcastle United became his spiritual home: two spells with the Magpies totalling 233 appearances and 38 goals in the first stint, then 81 matches and 10 goals on his return. In between, he spent time at Aston Villa (52 matches, 9 goals) and Deportivo Municipal (42 matches, 7 goals).
With the national team, Solano is a genuine institution: 95 caps and 20 goals for Peru, a record that places him among the most capped players in Blanquirroja history. After hanging up his boots, he moved into management. A career as solid as it was understated – which perhaps explains why only 26% of players managed to identify him today.
Discovering Le Roi des Footix? Identify 3 football players a day, climb the leaderboard, become the Roi des Footix.
PlayThe medium player: David Trezeguet
Born on 15 October 1977 in Rouen, David Trezeguet grew up in Argentina before being spotted by AS Monaco, where he completed his training and made his professional debut. At Monaco, he clocked 125 matches and 62 goals, winning the French title in 1997. Despite holding dual French-Argentine nationality, he chose to represent France – a decision that would make history.
It was in the blue shirt that ‘Trezegol’ etched his name for good: World Cup winner in 1998, European champion in 2000 with a golden goal in the final. He played three World Cups and ended his international career with 34 goals for France, the seventh highest scorer in Les Bleus history. In 2000, he joined Juventus for a decade-long stint: 320 matches, 171 goals, the club’s fourth all-time top scorer and highest-scoring foreign player. One shadow remains: his missed penalty in the 2006 World Cup final that handed Italy victory. After Turin came Hércules in Spain (31 matches, 12 goals), then River Plate (38 matches, 17 goals) and Newell’s Old Boys (30 matches, 9 goals) in Argentina, before hanging up his boots in 2015.
The easy player: Jude Bellingham
Born on 29 June 2003 in Stourbridge, Jude Bellingham began his professional career at Birmingham City – 44 appearances and 4 goals – before crossing over to Borussia Dortmund for around 25 million euros. At Dortmund, he quickly became an undisputed starter: 132 matches, 24 goals, and a Champions League milestone as the second youngest player ever to score in the knockout rounds. In May 2023, he walked away from the Bundesliga with the Player of the Season award.
Real Madrid moved fast. Announced on 7 June 2023, Bellingham scored on his first Liga start. He followed that up with a brace in his very first Clásico against Barcelona, and in December 2023 claimed the Golden Boy award as the best under-21 player in Europe. His Real Madrid tally stands at 135 matches and 44 goals. A full England international since 2020, he climbed every rung of the youth setup before stepping into the senior spotlight.