Rating the six players with the most Champions League hat-tricks

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski joined an exclusive list of players on Tuesday night, scoring four times against Red Star Belgrade to become just the sixth player in history to score three or more Champions League hat-tricks.

Lewandowski’s fine form has seen him score 10 times already in this season’s group stage, but how does the prolific Pole compare to the players with the most Champions League trebles?

Here are  six players with the most Champions League hat-tricks, according to iSports API data.



Mario Gomez – 3 hat-tricks

The veteran forwards three hat-tricks all came during a successful and trophy-laden four-year spell at Bayern Munich, in which Gomez helped the club to seven honours including the 2013 Champions League.

Gomez’ first treble came in a 4-0  group stage thrashing of CFR Cluj in November 2010, before repeating the feat almost a year to the day the following season in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Napoli at the Allianz Arena.

The German got his third hat-trick during a 7-0 humiliation of Basel in the last-16 in 2012, helping himself to a four goal haul as Bayern recovered from a 1-0 first leg defeat to set a new record for biggest ever knock-out stage victory.

A regular goal scorer at Champions League level, Gomez has scored 26 goals in 44 appearances in the tournament for Stuttgart and Bayern, recorded by iSports API.

Luiz Adriano – 3 hat-tricks

Perhaps a surprising name on this list, the Brazilian was for some time Shakhtar Donetsk’s go-to man as the Ukrainian side looked to make an impression on Europe’s biggest stage, netting his first Champions League treble in a 5-2 group stage victory over FC Nordsjælland in 2012.

Adriano gained notoriety two years later however, becoming the first player in history to score hat-tricks in back-to-back games, a feat since matched by only Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bate Borisov were the forward’s victims on both occasions, being thrashed by an aggregate score of 12-0 over two group stage fixtures, whilst the first of those meetings saw Adriano become just the second player in the tournament’s history to score five times in a single fixture.

The former AC Milan and Spartak Moscow forward can be proud of his records, however, his lack of impact at the business end of the tournament counts against him in our rankings.

Filippo Inzaghi – 3 hat-tricks

An iconic penalty-box poacher of European football, Inzaghi would enjoy a stellar career at the likes of Juventus and AC Milan. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Raul have scored more than Inzaghi’s 70 goals in European club competition, with 46 of those strikes coming at Champions League level.

That total is boosted by a record of three hat-tricks, the first coming in 4-1 victory against Dynamo Kiev for Juventus in 1998 before also netting a treble for the Turin side in an entertaining 4-4 draw with Hamburg two years later, according to iSports API.

The Italian’s greatest success on the European stage would come with Milan, however, twice lifting the trophy which included scoring a match-winning brace in the 2007 final against Liverpool in Athens.

Inzaghi scored a third Champions League hat-trick prior to that, hitting a treble in a 4-0 away victory at Deportivo La Coruna. A prolific scorer on football’s biggest stage and a two-time Champions League winner, Inzaghi scores highly in our ratings.

Robert Lewandowski – 3 hat-tricks

The latest player to join this list courtesy of a four-goal haul against Red Star Belgrade, the Bayern Munich forward is arguably enjoying the finest form of his career at present.

The Polish international has long been recognised as one of the great forwards in the world game, having hit 63 goals in just 85 Champions League appearances during spells at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern.

It would be Lewandowski’s first treble that would truly announce himself as a superstar, producing one of the great individual Champions League displays to hit four goals against Real Madrid in the 2013 semi-finals.

Lewandowski’s performance would help Dortmund advance to a final meeting with Bundesliga rivals Bayern, ultimately ending in defeat in agonising fashion at Wembley.

Since making the switch to Munich his incredible goalscoring exploits have continued, the 31-year-old hitting his second treble against Dinamo Zagreb in 2015 before his one-man demolition of Red Star.

His latest showing saw him score four times in just 14 minutes, Lewandowski joining Lionel Messi as only the second player to score four or more Champions League goals in two different matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 8 hat-tricks

Holding the joint record for most Champions League hat-tricks is Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, with perhaps no player in history having thrived quite as much on European club football’s biggest stage.

The most prolific goalscorer in the history of the competition, Ronaldo became the first player in the Champions League era to win the trophy five times, also becoming the only player to score in three separate finals.

Ronaldo’s feats include scoring back-to-back hat-tricks against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in the knockout stages as Real Madrid would win the second of three consecutive titles in 2017, remarkably netting two trebles within the space of 14 days in the latter stages of the tournament.

Ronaldo would score seven hat-tricks during his spell in the Spanish capital before adding an eighth during his debut season at Juventus, the five-times Ballon d’Or winner having scored an incredible 127 goals in 167 appearances in the Champions League, as per iSports API.

His move to Juventus was confirmed with the hope Ronaldo could inspire the Turin side to an elusive Champions League title, few would back against the forward delivering.

Lionel Messi – 8 hat-tricks

Level with Ronaldo is generational rival Lionel Messi, the duo having vied for the position of world’s best player for over a decade.

The Barcelona star has lifted the trophy on four occasions with the Catalan side, scoring 113 Champions League goals in just 139 appearances during a glittering career at the Camp Nou.

Those goals include eight hat-tricks, memorably dismantling Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal with a four-goal haul in a quarter-final in 2010 for his first Champions League treble, before becoming the first player in the competition’s history to score five times in a single fixture against Bayer Leverkusen two years later.

The first of those performances led to former Arsenal boss Wenger describing Messi as the greatest player he had ever seen, and who are we to argue with that assessment?

For more information, please click iSportsAPI.com.

Rating the 10 managers to have won the Premier League title

Only 10 managers have tasted the ultimate success since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, owing largely to the serial success of a certain Scot at Old Trafford.

Remarkably no English manager is yet to win the country’s top flight since the formation of the Premier League, Howard Wilkinson at Leeds the last Englishman to have seen his side crowned champions in the season prior to the competition’s inaugural campaign.

That said, several coaching greats have plied their trade in English football in the years since, and we’ve decided to rate each of the exclusive eight title-winning managers.

Here is the Football Faithful‘s rating of the eight managers to win the Premier League, according to iSports API.

Sir Alex Ferguson

The Manchester United great would guide the club to the league title in the Premier League’s first-ever season, ending the club’s long title drought before overseeing two decades of domestic dominance.

During his 26-year dynasty at the club he would win 36 trophies, including a record-breaking 13 Premier League titles as he evolved his winning machine at Old Trafford.

Ferguson once famously said his greatest challenge was knocking arch-rivals Liverpool ‘off their f****** perch’, a promise he made good on as he eclipsed their 18 title landmark before retiring following United’s 20th league success in 2013.

From the iconic hairdryer to the manipulative mind games, they simply don’t make them like Fergie anymore, arguably the greatest manager in the history of the game.

Rating: 10/10

Kenny Dalglish

The first side to challenge the dominance of Manchester United were Blackburn Rovers, who backed by Jack Walker’s millions began an ambitious project to conquer English football.

Guided by former Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish and propelled by the goals of Alan Shearer, Blackburn would deliver the ultimate success following a tantalising title race that would go down to the final day.

Dalglish had guided the club to promotion to the top flight and on to a Premier League title triumph, but his switch to a Director of Football position coincided with the club’s decline.

He would later enjoy less successful spells at Newcastle and Liverpool, though remains one of a select few managers to have won titles with two different English clubs, having won the old Division One three times in his first spell with Liverpool pre-Premier League.

Rating: 5/10

Arsene Wenger

An unknown upon his arrival at Highbury from Japanese football, Arsene Wenger would go on to become a revolutionary figure in the history of the Premier League.

The Frenchman would help end Arsenal’s famed drinking culture and introduced innovative sports science methods, whilst his ability to unearth unheralded gems from foreign soils helped him develop a formidable side in North London.

His early years would see him twice win a league and FA Cup double, before embarking on one of the most memorable campaigns in the history of English football by guiding Arsenal to an unbeaten season in 2003/04, becoming the first side in 115 years to complete a season without defeat.

Wenger would spend an incredible 26 years at the club, though his latter years were hindered financially by the club’s move to the Emirates Stadium and saw Arsenal endure a nine-year trophy drought, as per iSports API.

New challenges following billionaire takeovers of Chelsea and Manchester City also made silverware more difficult to obtain, though Wenger undoubtedly produced one of the Premier League’s great teams in the early 2000’s.

Rating: 8.5/10

Jose Mourinho

From the moment Jose Mourinho declared himself as ‘The Special One’ at his unveiling as Chelsea manager, the Premier League sat up and took notice.

The charismatic Portuguese coach arrived at Stamford Bridge after guiding underdogs Porto to Champions League glory, and backed by Roman Abramovich’s millions turned Chelsea into a force in English football.

His first season saw Chelsea end a 50 year wait for a league title, remarkably conceding just 15 goals in the process, before back-to-back titles were secured the following year. However, as has been the way for much of Mourinho’s career, his spell was short, sweet and then a little sour and he departed in surprise circumstances in 2007.

Successful spells in Italy and Spain followed before a return to Chelsea, where he again guided the West London club to the league title. After leaving Stamford Bridge for a second time he would join rivals Manchester United, though despite League Cup and Europa League success a runners-up finish would be as good as it got at Old Trafford, Mourinho famously declaring their second-placed finish as amongst his greatest achievements.

Undoubtedly a brilliant manager who often gains the full respect and admiration of his players, however, Mourinho’s magic often fades a little too fast.

Rating: 8.5/10

Carlo Ancelotti

Few managers in European football possess a CV as impressive as that of Carlo Ancelotti, who has won league titles in four countries and lifted three Champions League trophies during an illustrious career in charge of some of the continent’s leading sides.

It was no surprise then that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich turned to the serial winner to take charge following unsuccessful spells under Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari, and the Italian certainly delivered instant results.

Ancelotti’s debut season began with the club winning the Community Shield, before he guided Chelsea to the club’s first ever domestic double, becoming the first team in the Premier League era to score over 100 goals as his attacking side pipped Manchester United to the title.

The following year, however, saw Chelsea finish without silverware and Abramovich’s trigger-happy nature was once again evident, sacking Ancelotti at the end of the 2010/11 campaign despite him boasting the third best win percentage in Premier League history, according to iSports API.

Rating: 7/10

Roberto Mancini

The second of four Italian’s to have lifted the Premier League title, Roberto Mancini will be an ever-popular figure at Manchester City after guiding the club to their first silverware since their billionaire takeover in 2008.

Sheikh Mansour’s takeover of the club catapulted City into the elite of English football, and Mancini was the winner who oversaw their transition to regular contenders for the game’s biggest prizes.

Having ended the longest trophy drought in the club’s history the previous season, Mancini would lead City to the Premier League title in the most dramatic conclusion to a season in history in 2011/12.

Needing to win to pip rivals Manchester United to the title, City trailed at home to QPR in stoppage-time before scoring twice late on to snatch the title on goal difference, Sergio Aguero immortalising himself in Premier League history with an iconic late winner.

He would, however, fail to build on that success and was sacked at the end of the following season, though his place in the club’s history is assured.

Rating: 6/10 

Manuel Pellegrini 

The first and so far only non-European manager to win the Premier League title, Manuel Pellegrini was the second Manchester City manager to see his side crowned champions of England in 2013/14.

The former Real Madrid boss saw his side pip a Luis Suarez-inspired Liverpool to the title, Steven Gerrard’s now infamous slip handing City the title initiative and a flawless end of season run delivered the club’s second Premier League title.

Pellegrini would spend three unassuming years in charge at the Etihad and whilst always a likeable character, was never truly regarded as the man to take the club to the next level as they sought Champions League success.

Ushered out of the door and replaced by Pep Guardiola, he is currently in charge of West Ham where he has overseen an indifferent beginning to his time at the London Stadium.

Rating: 5/10

Claudio Ranieri

Perhaps the hardest of the eight managers to rate, given his relatively mediocre Premier League career was crowned with arguably the biggest anomaly in the history of English football.

The former Chelsea boss was appointed as Leicester City manager in 2015, a decision which was questioned by many given the Italian’s relevant lack of success in recent roles.

With Leicester having performed a miraculous recovery to escape relegation the previous season many anticipated another season of struggle despite the new coach at the helm, though what followed will live long in the memory for football fans worldwide.

A strong start to the season saw Leicester build momentum, momentum which would not slow as Ranieri guided his team of underdogs to an unthinkable title triumph, the Foxes being crowned champions for the first time in their 132-year history despite being odds of 5000-1 at the season began.

Their success would not transfer to the following season, however, and Ranieri was sacked, later being appointed at Fulham but lasting less than four months after winning just three of his 17 games in charge.

Ranieri’s managerial career in the Premier League may be entirely forgettable, but for one unforgettable season, though that’s enough for a solid score from us.

Rating: 7/10

Antonio Conte

Another Chelsea manager who brought instant rewards, only to be swiftly shown the door as things began to take a turn for the worse.

Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2016 having previously guided Juventus to three Serie A titles, and would deliver Chelsea the ultimate success in his maiden campaign in charge.

The Italian’s title-winning season was notable for a defining mid-season change in tactics, switching to his preferred 3-5-2 formation following a humbling defeat at Arsenal which proved the catalyst for a 13-game winning streak, as per iSports API.

Conte would become the first manager in history to win three consecutive Premier League Manager of the Month awards, securing the title with two games to spare and setting a new record for most wins in a season in the process.

Despite FA Cup success the following year the club the wheels had already begun to come off for the fiery Italian, and he was sacked amid unrest in the dressing room in July 2018.

Rating: 6/10

Pep Guardiola

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager arrived in English football with a reputation as one of the greatest coaches of his generation, with the Manchester City hierarchy convinced the Spaniard was the right man to finally deliver Champions League success.

Whilst that is yet to happen in Guardiola’s first three seasons at the Etihad, there can be no denying that the current City boss has left an everlasting mark on the Premier League.

His first season saw the club finish third as he acclimatised to the demands of the English game, though having identified his side’s weaknesses, he would strengthen to form arguably the best team the division has ever seen.

That second campaign would see City romp to the Premier League title, breaking a whole host of records including most wins, most goals, biggest winning margin and becoming the first side in history to reach 100 points.

They would follow that up with another similarly impressive campaign, pushed all the way by Liverpool but delivering back-to-back titles and a huge 98 point haul. That title was joined by FA Cup and League Cup success, making City the first side ever to complete English football’s domestic treble.

Aside from the extensive silverware Guardiola has implemented innovative and attractive football, his City side a relentless winning machine in what is often regarded as the most competitive league in world football.

Rating: 9/10

For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com.

Five of the most iconic football kits of all-time

As all fans know, a football shirt is more than just a shirt. The plainest kit can become a vessel for euphoric emotion when worn by a winning side, while even the most lavishly designed shirt can’t cover up the disappointment of a dismal defeat.

That’s why the combination of a classic shirt and a truly exceptional team feels so special to football fanatics – when you find a truly iconic kit, just looking at it can summon up memories of winning goals and incredible skills, and wearing it is like putting on a piece of sporting history.

With this in mind, the team from ​iSports API​ have put together a rundown of five of the most iconic football kits of all time, digging into what they have come to represent for fans all over the world – and why they will never be forgotten.

Liverpool FC – 1982

As any Reds fan will tell you, Liverpool FC are a club with more than their fair share of historic moments to choose from, and an equally generous selection of iconic kits to pick out. However, few are more instantly memorable than the instantly recognisable pinstriped design they sported during their glory days in the 1980s.

Emblazoned with the distinctive Crown Paints logo, this striking shirt conjures instant memories of the Red Machine in full effect, with players like Ian Rush, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Graeme Souness and King Kenny Dalglish driving the side to First Division and European Cup glory, as per iSportsAPI football data.

Although the white pinstripes on the famous red would only last for a few years, from 1982 to 1985, it has become so associated with success at Anfield that the side has revived the look for the 2019-20 season – and Scousers everywhere will be hoping that they prove to be a lucky omen as they compete once again for a long-overdue league title!

Brazil – 1970

This list is all about picking out legendary kits worn by legendary players – so how can we leave out the one worn by the man who perhaps remains football’s most enduring icon?

To be fair, there are endless reasons why the Brazil side who competed in this classic yellow-and-green kit at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico ended up as superstars of the sport. From the attacking talents of players like Jairzinho, Rivelino and captain Carlos Alberto, to their defeat of reigning champions England, there was much to remember about the side who earned Brazil the right to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy for good.

But even so, it’s hard to see this shirt without thinking of one name – Pelé. For this was the World Cup that Edson Arantes do Nascimento cemented his reputation as maybe the greatest player of them all, being named player of the tournament and becoming the only man ever to win the World Cup three times.

What could be more iconic than that?

Barcelona – 1974

You couldn’t have a list of the most iconic football kits of all time without at least one entry from the legendary FC Barcelona, purveyors of the greatest red-and-blue kits of all time (with apologies to Crystal Palace fans).

The incredible purity of that classic striped kit is such that the Catalan club were able to maintain a tradition of keeping the shirt free of commercial sponsorship for 111 years, creating a real sense of timelessness around their aesthetic, according to iSports API.

With so many iconic Barca kits to choose from, we’ve gone for the edition worn by their 1973-74 side. Why? Because this was the shirt worn by the indelible Johan Cruyff in the year that he led the Blaugrana to their first La Liga title since 1960, thrashing bitter rivals Real Madrid 5–0 at the Santiago Bernabéu and being named European Footballer of the Year along the way, that’s why!

Argentina – 1986

The blue-and-white stripes of the Argentina national side are difficult to ignore in any conversation about iconic kits – especially those worn by Diego Armando Maradona, one of Pelé’s few rivals for the title of football’s greatest icon.

Even so, it’s hard to think of a football shirt with so many specific memories attached as the kit worn during Argentina’s 1986 World Cup campaign in Mexico, during which Maradona created some unforgettable moments – both good and bad! – as he practically single-handedly hauled Argentina to the title

Although the 3-2 final victory over West Germany was a hugely memorable encounter, the tournament will always be best known for Argentina’s intense 2-1 victory over England in the quarter-final – during which Maradona first scored the infamous “Hand of God” handball goal, before following it four minutes later with a virtuoso solo effort that became known as the “Goal of the Century”. That’s a lot of legacy for one player and one shirt to hold!

England – 1966

Perhaps it’s true that England’s unassuming red long-sleeved kits from 1966 don’t have the same cultural weight worldwide as many of these others – but for those born and raised with stories of Gordon Banks, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore, there is no shirt that means more.

For generations of England fans, the kit worn by the national team’s only World Cup-winning team has become both a promise and a curse. It’s a constant reminder of the 50-plus years of despair and disappointment that fans have felt as England have fallen short in every subsequent tournament – but it’s also a beacon, a symbol of what’s possible, and how much it would mean if history were to repeat itself.

That’s why generations of England fans will continue to revere and wear this shirt for years to come, even if their fathers weren’t even alive during that 4-2 final victory over West Germany in 1966 – because it’s come to represent everything they hope for, as per iSports API.

And if that’s not the true meaning of the word “iconic”, we don’t know what is!

For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com.

Five of the best all Premier League Champions League games

Sure, we already have the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and even the Charity Shield but there’s something about All-Premier-League games in the Champions League that really get the juices flowing.

With that in mind, we thought we might as well take a walk down memory lane and revisit some of the best ever All Premier League Champions League games!



Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea 2005

Funny enough, Liverpool and Chelsea actually feature heavily in this list and this game at Anfield was an absolute doozie!

Liverpool fans will often talk about the atmosphere at their ground on “Big European Nights” and never was that more true than in this game when the home crowd, hassled and harangued Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team while also driving their side on.

Luis Garcia scored the goal that would go on to be known as the “ghost goal” that settled the game and helped Liverpool to a first final in twenty years and the rest, as they say, is history…

Manchester Utd 1-1 Chelsea 2008

Another tough one for Chelsea to take here as Manchester United won the Champions League final having being brought the distance.

Ronaldo gave the Reds the lead before Frank Lampard equalised and when John Terry placed the ball down to score what would have been the winning penalty it looked as though they would finally get their hands on the iconic trophy.

A slip. some tears and another missed penalty from Anelka later and Sir Alex Ferguson had his second Champions League title.

Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United 2009

Manchester United went into this Champions league semi-final looking to make their way to a second final in a row having won the competition the year before. Arsenal meanwhile were hunting a first European title having lost in the final in 2006.

The problem for Arsenal was that this was a Manchester United side that featured Cristiano Ronaldo just as he was establishing himself as one of the best in the world. Two goals from the Portuguese superstar, including one long range free-kick, saw United ease past their league rivals.

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool 2009

A Steven Gerrard-less Liverpool were given little chance of overturning a 3-1 deficit from the first-leg when they travelled to Stamford Bridge to face a star-studded Chelsea in 2009. However, Chelsea hearts were soon in their mouths after a cheeky free-kick from Fabio Aurelio and a Xabi Alonso penalty saw the Reds move into a two-nil lead within 28 minutes.

Chelsea seemed to have regained control via a sensationally struck thunderbastard from Brazilian centre-back Alex and goals from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

However, Liverpool’s world-class duo of Dirk Kuyt and Lucas hit back in the 81st and 82nd minute to set up a blockbuster finish, only for Lampard to kill off Rafa Benitez’s side hopes of another famous comeback with a fine strike in the last minute. A truly classic game of football.

Man City 4-3 Spurs 2019

Man City went into the game trailing Spurs 1-0 from the first leg, and well, words just can’t do what happened next justice.

For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com.

Each top six clubs youngest ever Premier League goalscorer

The opening months of the new season have been positive for the division’s best young talent, with a series of exciting prospects having been handed their opportunities at the league’s leading sides.

New Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has shown his faith in the club’s best academy graduates, the likes of Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham having taken their chance to shine at Stamford Bridge.

Elsewhere, Unai Emery has phased in some of Arsenal’s brightest talents, whilst European champions Liverpool’s only summer business was a pair of talented teenagers in Harvey Elliot and Sepp van den Berg, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is committed to blooding Man United’s most recent batch of academy starlets.

With youngsters enjoying somewhat of a starring role in English football at present, we’ve decided to look back at some talented teenagers who etched their place into history.

Here are each of the top six clubs youngest ever Premier League goalscorers, accordiong to iSports API.

Arsenal: Cesc Fàbregas – 17 years, 114 days

The most successful player on this list, the Spanish midfielder has enjoyed a glittering career including spells at Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea.

Having emerged at Arsenal following the club’s famed unbeaten season in 2004, Fabregas would eventually step in to the huge void left by the departure of iconic midfield general Patrick Vieira. Having become the club’s youngest ever player following his debut as a 16-year-old in 2003, he would register his first Premier League strike in a comfortable 3-0 win over Blackburn in August 2004.

He would leave in 2011 and enjoy trophy-laden spells at Barcelona and later Chelsea, whilst honours also came on the international stage as he won the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.

The youngest player to feature on this list, he remains the fourth youngest goalscorer in Premier League history behind only James Vaughan, James Milner and Wayne Rooney.

Chelsea: Mikael Forssell – 17 years, 342 days

The Finnish forward failed to make the grade at Stamford Bridge, struggling amidst competition from the likes of Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Gianfranco Zola, though his name remains in the record books of the West London side courtesy of a strike against Nottingham Forest in 1999.

A seven year spell at Chelsea would wield just 33 league appearances, however, Forssell spending time on loan at the likes of Crystal Palace, Borussia Monchengladbach and Birmingham City before joining the latter on a permanent basis in 2005.

He would form a decent career over spells in England, Germany and his native Finland, whilst he also scored 29 goals in 87 caps for his national side, as per iSports API.

Liverpool: Michael Owen – 17 years, 144 days

Arguably one of the most exciting teenage talents to emerge in Premier League history, former Liverpool forward Owen announced his arrival at the top level with a debut goal against Wimbledon in May 1997.

Possessing blistering pace and ruthless finishing ability, Owen would go on to win back-to-back Golden Boots in each of his first two full seasons, establishing himself in the England team and announcing himself to the world with that goal against Argentina.

A Ballon d’Or would come in 2001 as he became just the fourth Englishman to win the award, after helping Liverpool to a treble of cup successes. A career of two halves, injuries blighted his later years and he became a shadow of his former player.

Perhaps more recognisable now for his often dull and uninspiring punditry work to a younger audience, it should be remembered that Owen was once one of the true Premier League wonderkids.

Manchester City: Micah Richards – 18 years 101 days
Like Owen, another career that promised so much in its infancy but faded into obscurity. Still the youngest ever defender to debut for England, Richards was tipped for a huge future following his emergence at Manchester City.

The powerful defender scored his first goal for the club with a late, late equaliser in an FA Cup tie against Aston Villa, before repeating the trick in the Premier League against Everton with virtually the last kick of the game.

The oldest player to score on this list, Richards goal and subsequent exuberant celebration came in October 2006, just three months after he was legally allowed to purchase his first pint.

Two Premier League titles at the Etihad would prove the highlight of his career, before he retired aged just 31 at Aston Villa, having failed to make an appearance for three years following a series of serious injury problems.

Manchester United: Federico Macheda – 17 years, 226 days

Perhaps the most memorable goal on this list, teenage forward Macheda made his impact at Old Trafford in stunning fashion back in 2009.

Manchester United were in the midst of a tense title race with arch-rivals Liverpool and having come from behind to level with Aston Villa, Ferguson turned to 17-year-old Macheda as one last throw of the dice.

The debutant would win the contest in stoppage time in spectacular fashion, turning in the box before curling home brilliantly to seal a vital win. He would repeat the trick with a goal at Sunderland the following week, wins that would prove crucial as United finished four points clear of their Merseyside rivals.

His United career would fizzle out and he currently plays for Panathanaikos after spells at the likes of Cardiff and Novara, according to iSports API, though his contribution will be forever remembered.

Tottenham: Andy Turner – 17 years, 166 days

Following on from perhaps the most memorable goal, we have most certainly the least.

Former Republic of Ireland U21 international Andy Turner would make just 20 league appearances for Tottenham, though remains their youngest ever Premier League goalscorer after scoring as a 17-year-old in the league’s inaugural campaign.

His goal would see him become newly formed top-flights youngest goalscorer, the winger firing home an injury-time winner against Everton in September 1992.

After falling out with manager Ossie Ardiles he would enjoy a nomadic career, taking in spells at a huge 23 clubs including the likes of Portsmouth, Rotherham and non-league sides Northwich Victoria, Cinderford Town and Banbury United.

For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com.

Jose Mourinho – 10 of his best Quotes

Jose Mourinho is not a man to mince his words. He’s not too short on self confidence either and ever since he arrived in England to manage Chelsea in 2004 he has been a source of some of the all time great managerial quotes.

Some big himself up, others tear down his opponents and some are just plain weird but more often than not they are pure gold.

So with Mourinho heading back to the Premier League to take over at Tottenham Hotspur, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the best quotes by the former Manchester United and Chelsea boss.

What he said…

“I have a problem, which is I’m getting better at everything related to my job since I started.” – Modest as always.

“Some clubs are treated as devils, some are treated as angels. I don’t think we are so ugly that we should be seen as the devil and I don’t think Arsene Wenger and David Dein are so beautiful that they should be viewed as angels.” – A thinly-veiled dig at Arsenal

“Please do not call me arrogant because what I say is true. I’m European champion. I’m not one out of the bottle, I think I’m a special one.” – THE iconic Jose line.

“Fear is not a word in my football dictionary.” – You can’t be afraid when you’re behind a bus.

“If he is right and I am afraid of failure it is because I didn’t fail many times. Eight years without silverware, that’s failure! He’s a specialist in failure. If I do that in Chelsea, eight years, I leave and don’t come back.” – Another classic dig at Wenger.

“The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs – no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket, you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem.” – We told you some of them were weird.

“If I wanted to have an easy job…I would have stayed at Porto – beautiful blue chair, the UEFA Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me.” – There’s that modesty again.

“[Luke Shaw] had a good performance but it was his body with my brain. He was in front of me and I was making every decision for him.” – Never get on Jose’s bad side.

“I think the lady needs to occupy her time, and if she takes care of her husband’s diet she will have less time to speak about me.” – A double dig at the Benitez’s.

“When you enjoy what you do, you don’t lose your hair, and Guardiola is bald. He doesn’t enjoy football.” – We’re not so sure Jose, he seems to be enjoying things now!

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Five of the Premier League’s most notorious divers ever

The most recent debate over diving reminded us of some of its worst proponents in the Premier League era.

There was a bit of a stir created by Pep Guardiola this week when, after both Manchester City and Liverpool had completed dramatic late comebacks against Southampton and Aston Villa respectively, he suggested that Sadio Mane had won vital points for the league leaders through diving.

“Sometimes it is diving, sometimes it is this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute,” the Catalan said of their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, although he never directly referenced the Senegalese.

A verbal catfight ensued, in which Jurgen Klopp highlighted City’s propensity for cynical fouling to stop opposition attacks, before Guardiola tried to set the record straight by saying that he wasn’t trying to insinuate Mane was a diver.

It would be churlish to argue that Liverpool and Mane are the only ones in the Premier League trying to con referees by going down suspiciously easily under a challenge, because it’s become regrettably common in the modern game.

From a player’s perspective though, sometimes you have to make the decision for the referee and make the most of it, otherwise you won’t get the foul called. Some are worse than others however, to an almost embarrassing degree.

Five of the biggest divers in Premier League history, according to iSports API.

Dele Alli

It happens often enough that it’s fair game to label Dele Alli a serial diver rather than someone who just takes a tumble every now and again, as most players do nowadays.

That was such a spectacular dive by Dele Alli. He got more air on that than most skaters do going up ramps.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has made such a habit of it that his own manager has called him out on it in the past – not that it’s stopped him.

“He needs to learn,” Mauricio Pochettino warned the midfielder after a particularly dramatic dive against Huddersfield in 2017. “This type of action doesn’t help him, doesn’t help the team and doesn’t help football. We have talked in the last few years about fair play and being honest.”

Because it seems to have been taken down AGAIN... heres Dele Alli’s shameful dive earlier on! I know it wasn’t given, but surely he’s got to be punished for persistent diving? It’s every game now!

Luis Suarez

You would think that great footballers would have less reason to dive – they have more than enough ability to create goal scoring opportunities for themselves, why bother cheating?

Luis Suarez is the greatest example of this. Few players have been so talented and yet so willing to cheat their way to victory simultaneously (Diego Maradona, maybe?). His finest moment came after scoring a legitimate goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby, after which he raced to the sideline and flopped like a fish in front of the Everton bench in response to then Toffees boss David Moyes’ complaints about his fondness for a dive.

The Uruguayan has almost elevated diving to an artform, as illustrated by the one he took during Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Lyon in the Champions League knockout stages last season. He simultaneously fouls the defender and wins the penalty at the same time, thereby taking shithousery to a new plane.

Ashley Young

Another player warned by his own manager about diving, Ashley Young’s reputation certainly precedes him when it comes to the act of leaping. So much so that he’s probably lost the benefit of the doubt from referees when it comes to actual fouls.

We could pick out numerous examples of the Manchester Unitedwinger going down too easily, but this clip is the best instructional guide from a veteran you can possibly find. Young cleverly knocks the ball away so there’s no possibility of the challenger cleanly winning the ball, before initiating contact by sticking his leg out, then finally falls over.

The former Aston Villa man doesn’t dive as much as he used to, but that’s likely has more to do with the fact that he doesn’t have the legs to take on defenders anymore.



Arjen Robben

A world-class player in his day with a world-class ability to hit the deck when the exact moment calls for it. In the same way Arjen Robben became renowned for cutting in off the right before shooting at goal, he gained an extraordinary reputation for diving throughout his career.

The Dutchman did it in the Premier League with Chelsea, in the Champions League with Bayern Munich (much to the chagrin of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger), and for his national team on the biggest stage possible, ensuring the Netherlands’ progress in the 2014 World Cup.

The winger dived with such regularity that there was such a thing as a ‘textbook’ Robben dive. They didn’t always look the most convincing, but more often than not he won fouls in dangerous areas that gave his team an excellent chance of scoring.



Cristiano Ronaldo

Before the Ballon d’Or awards, before all of the broken records, and before establishing himself as the second-best footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo was all sizzle and no steak. A fancy dan baller with no end product. TV pundit and former Millwall player Eamon Dunphy famously dubbed him a “cod” and a “disgrace to the game”, predicting he wouldn’t become a great player.

The Portuguese winger eventually proved them all wrong, but in his early years at Man United he was notorious for diving at every available opportunity. This was in the mid-2000’s when it wasn’t quite as common as it later became, so Ronaldo inevitably became the poster boy for those pesky foreigners who infected the English game with such a despicable deed.

Ronaldo kept it up long after he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid and his national team, more often than not making a fool of himself rather than win fouls or get opposition players sent off.

Dishonourable Mentions: Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Robert Pires, David N’Gog, Robinho, Jurgen Klinsmann, Morten Gamst Pedersen, El Hadji Diouf, David Ginola, Nani.

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