🛠️ For May Day: football history's greatest grafters | OneFootball

As football fans, we love the greatest artists of our sport. We adore the best dribblers, the most brilliant playmakers, and the deadliest goalscorers.

But especially on Labor Day, it’s worth taking a look at the players without whom a team simply wouldn’t function: the workhorses.

Throughout football history, almost every top team had players who covered massive distances, closed down gaps, and weren’t too proud to put an opponent on the floor when needed.

For that reason, we want to pay tribute to a few players who have made themselves unforgettable through their relentless will and effort.

Gennaro Gattuso

When asked about true warriors, many fans will probably think immediately of the 1.77m ball-winner — whether in Italy’s azure blue shirt or AC Milan’s black-and-red kit. And rightly so! Gennaro Gattuso played with a level of fearlessness and no-compromise intensity rarely seen in a midfielder before him.

N'Golo Kanté

The Frenchman can rightfully be described as the very epitome of the modern tireless runner. At just 1.68m, the 2018 World Cup winner is another nine centimeters shorter than the also not exactly tall Gattuso.

Park Ji-sung

Park Ji-sung also stands just 1.75m tall. The South Korean, affectionately nicknamed “Three-Lungs Park” by Man United fans, was Sir Alex Ferguson’s go-to man for the dirty work and gave superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney the freedom to shine.

Jordan Henderson

Jordan Henderson did the same at arch-rivals Liverpool. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané were celebrated for the major titles won under Jürgen Klopp, but as captain and tireless runner, Henderson was almost just as important.

Claude Makélélé

📸 MEHDI FEDOUACH - 2006 AFP

Claude Makélélé was so influential that a position was even named after him: the “Makélélé role” describes the modern, deep-lying defensive midfielder who focuses almost exclusively on breaking up opposition attacks. 

Bastian Schweinsteiger

By comparison, Bastian Schweinsteiger had much more pronounced strengths in attack. But “Schweini” could also dig in and fight. His performance in the 2014 World Cup final remains unforgettable, when, bleeding, he helped ensure that Germany now wears four stars on its chest.

Grame Souness

Grame Souness is far less well known in this part of the world. But in the 1980s, the Scot won an impressive five league titles with Liverpool. At the time, Souness was the captain and something of an “anti-showman.” He much preferred to physically overpower his opponents.

This list, of course, makes no claim to be complete. Can you think of any other iconic workers from football history? Let us know in the comments!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 FRANCK FIFE - 2007 AFP