The hard player: Marcus Bent
Marcus Bent, a striker born in Hammersmith, London, is the kind of player you come across in a matchday programme without looking twice. He sharpened his game at Brentford FC (91 matches, 13 goals), before two productive spells at Sheffield United (54 matches, 24 goals) and Ipswich Town (70 matches, 23 goals) proved he could deliver when given the chance.
He then moved on to Charlton Athletic (52 matches, 5 goals) and Everton FC (66 matches, 8 goals), two Premier League stops that confirmed his ability to hold his own in England’s top flight. A long, quiet career with no international caps: exactly the kind of path that makes him a tough one to identify.
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PlayThe medium player: Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira, a defensive midfielder born in Dakar, imposed himself on European football with rare authority. He came through at AS Cannes (61 matches, 4 goals) before truly making his mark at Arsenal: 405 matches and 32 goals for the Gunners, a towering physical and technical presence at the heart of the English game.
His career then took him to Juventus (42 matches, 5 goals), Inter Milan (91 matches, 9 goals) and Manchester City (46 matches, 6 goals). A trans-European journey for a French international whose name remains etched in the history of early 2000s midfield football.
The easy player: Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos, a central defender born in Camas, Spain, built one of the most remarkable careers of his generation. He started out at Sevilla FC, playing 50 matches and scoring 3 goals, before heading to Real Madrid where he racked up 671 appearances and 101 goals: a staggering return for a man whose job is to stop others from scoring.
After Real Madrid, he joined Paris Saint-Germain (58 matches, 6 goals), then returned to Sevilla (37 matches, 7 goals) before wrapping up his career at CF Monterrey in Mexico (34 matches, 8 goals). A journey across three continents that shows he always played the game on his own terms.