Zidane, Eusebio, Adams: Footballers Whose Names Are Also Song Titles | The Knowledge

“I person conscionable heard CMAT’s opus Vincent Kompany because I americium cool, young and relevant,” writes nan cool, young and applicable Will Unwin. “I was wondering if immoderate different player’s sanction is nan title of a song, beyond simply being referred to?”

In this property of streaming, location are galore songs online whose titles are nan names of footballers, but a fewer 100 listens present and location doesn’t make them peculiarly noteworthy. So we person coiled backmost a spot to a clip erstwhile songs were much commonly created successful studios, not bedrooms.

Resident euphony anorak John Brewin had a number of suggestions: “Joe Strummer, nan precocious erstwhile Clash frontman, made a 1999 medium pinch his Mescaleros band, and nan lead-off way from Rock Art and nan X-Ray Style was titled Tony Adams.”

Strummer, a Chelsea fan, had this to say: “No 1 successful this state roseate up erstwhile he was denied nan England armband, while he was winning his ain conflict against alcoholism. People mightiness ideate footy is mundane, sometimes mundane worldly are important. We request group for illustration Tony Adams.”

Tony Adams: besides a opus title. Photograph: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Another proposal is Stan Bowles, a 2005 azygous from nan Others, a set whose interests and inspirations were shared pinch The Libertines. So overmuch so, nan opus was really a tribute to Pete Doherty, a famed QPR fan. “Like Stan, Peter’s very dedicated to QPR, and has an abundance of accomplishment and talent, but conscionable for illustration Stan he had a passion for getting intoxicated – and successful truth still does,” said Others’ leader Dominic Masters. The pursuing lyric “we′d talk for days successful a room disconnected Cambridge Heath Road, smoking bony successful your backroom” is presumed not to mention to nan maverick erstwhile England guardant and bookmakers’ friend.

Two much suggestions from John: successful 1999, Mogwai, nan mostly instrumental post-rock combo, did a opus called Hugh Dallas, paying tribute to nan famed Scottish referee pinch immoderate rare, breathy singing. “Is nan ray truthful bad, were we truthful bad today?” Mogwai are Celtic fans, Dallas’s officiating having gained immoderate notoriety among Hoops supporters. One much for luck? Eusebio by Louis Philippe pinch Dean Broderick. Louis Philippe happens to beryllium nan philharmonic change ego of French shot writer, Guardian contributor and Football Weekly regular, Philippe Auclair.

Mogwai besides recorded nan soundtrack for nan documentary Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, though nary of nan opus titles referenced nan player’s name. Photograph: Steve Gullick

Florian Camphausen writes: “In 1983, nan British husband-and-wife duo Alan & Denise (that’s Alan Whittle and his woman Denise) bubbled into nan German charts astatine No 43 pinch Rummenigge, a quirky synth-pop ode to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s ‘sexy knees’. Their follow-up, Beckenbauer, Beckenbauer (1986), sank into obscurity. Perhaps because it dulled things down, trading thigh-high tributes for specified ‘sex appeal’.”

How astir (Roberto) Baggio by nan self-confessed integrative fan, Miles Kane, nan Wirral autochthonal who supported Manchester United successful his youth but past changed his allegiance to Liverpool.

“Adam Pastel, a vocalist from California, dropped Trinity Rodman earlier this year, titled aft nan USWNT and Washington Spirit forward,” croons Kyle Hill. “He really performed nan opus astatine half-time of nan Spirit’s play opener backmost successful April, which gets utilized heavy successful nan euphony video. It, uh, wasn’t a awesome performance. From either Adam Pastel aliases nan Spirit.”

Mark Gibbings-Jones takes america to Japan. “Where amended to commencement than nan Shibuya-kei scene? Specifically nan activity of genre-straddling solo creator Yukari Fresh, whose 1999 medium New Year’s Fresh included songs named Paul Scholes and Michael Owen, nan second throwing successful a sample of Barry Davies’ commentary for bully measure. Her fascination pinch nan England squad of nan era didn’t extremity location – 2003’s Scholesy’s Stamp is simply a winsome ballad astir nan midfield schemer, 1998’s David is astir … you tin astir apt guess, while 2002’s ‘Macca astatine nan Old Wembley’ is astir Steve McManaman alternatively than Paul McCartney.”

And finally, Australian funk set Vaudeville Smash collaborated pinch commentator Les Murray successful 2014 for their opus Zinedine Zidane. It was ne'er going to fuss nan Grammys, but nan video’s worthy a watch.

We’re judge location are galore much worthy additions. If you person one, you cognize wherever to nonstop it.

An away-day to remember

“I’m savouring a veritable feast of Luxo-British shot successful nan Conference League: Differdange v The New Saints, followed by Strassen v Dundee United,” writes Martin Davies. “Both games will return spot astatine Differdange’s stadium. Have 2 British teams played European ties successful nan aforesaid stadium wrong 48 hours of each different before?”

Raymond Simpson tin connection not conscionable different illustration pinch British teams, but 1 that besides involves Dundee United – and a overmuch shorter clip window. “Both america and Rangers played a lucifer successful nan aforesaid stadium on nan aforesaid day backmost successful 1983,” Raymond notes.

Jim McLean’s Tangerines faced Maltese outfit Hamrun astatine nan Ta Qali Stadium successful nan European Cup first information connected 14 September 1983, winning their first limb 3-0. Remarkably, their crippled kicked disconnected astatine 4.45pm pinch Rangers’ Cup Winners’ Cup necktie against Valletta starting astatine 3pm, meaning they were efficaciously back-to-back.

The double-header went up contempt protests from Malta’s Uefa Cup representatives, Rabat Ajax, and concerns astir imaginable problem betwixt nan 2 sets of distant fans. Dundee United won 6-0 connected aggregate and went each nan measurement to nan semi-finals, while Rangers won 8-0 successful Malta (and a sobering 18-0 connected aggregate) but mislaid to Porto successful nan adjacent round.

Knowledge archive

“Watching nan new, breathtaking Chelsea hit Birmingham past weekend, I sewage to reasoning astir each nan fuss we had 2 years agone erstwhile location were only 19 goals connected nan first play of nan Premiership/Premier League,” wrote Ken Whannel successful August 2007. “What has been nan champion opening play successful nan history of nan English apical formation successful position of goals-per-game scored?”

For nan victor you person to spell each nan measurement backmost to nan Football League’s third-ever play successful 1890-91, erstwhile only 10 of nan league’s 12 teams played successful nan first information of matches, combining for an awesome 29 goals (5.8 per game). Of course, those figures were somewhat skewed by Derby County’s 8-5 triumph complete Blackburn, but each squad scored astatine slightest once, pinch Accrington’s 1-1 tie pinch Burnley nan lowest-scoring fixture. As destiny would person it Derby were nan only squad not to people successful nan second-most breathtaking opening day, going down 1-0 astatine Preston 3 seasons later arsenic nan league’s 16 teams mixed for 38 goals (4.75 per game).

Since nan Premiership/Premier League began nan highest goals-per-game ratio connected week 1 has been a alternatively little spectacular 3.6, achieved successful 2003-04 erstwhile Blackburn’s 5-1 triumph complete Wolves contributed 1 sixth of nan weekend’s 36 strikes. The highest tally of goals (rather than goals-per-game) for an English top-flight opening weekend, meanwhile, came successful 1926-27, erstwhile 22 teams mixed for 52 goals (4.73 per game).

Can you help?

“I’ve now seen Crystal Palace assistance 4 different trophies astatine Wembley (Zenith Data Systems Cup, Championship playoff trophy, FA Cup, Community Shield),” writes Toby Kinder. “Manchester United and Liverpool ne'er managed nan ZDS, but person some won nan European Cup there, arsenic good arsenic each nan home trophies, truthful are astir apt connected 4 too. Can immoderate different nine hit that?”

“Just watching Southampton v Wrexham and successful nan 72nd infinitesimal 4 players pinch nan first sanction Ryan came connected aliases near nan section connected some teams,” originates Ryan from Dortmund. “Ryan Longman for Ryan Barnett, Ryan Hardie for Josh Windass (all Wrexham) and Saints’ Ryan Manning coming connected for Welington. Are location different examples of nan aforesaid names coming connected astir nan aforesaid time?”

“My uncle and I precocious watched Will Still (32) and Fabian Hürzeler (32) do conflict successful pre-season,” notes Joe Strawson. “Both younger than me, and pinch a mixed property younger than my uncle, are location examples of managers pinch a little mixed property facing each other?”

Only 64 years combined. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images/Reuters

“Curtis Jones completed 53 retired of 53 passes successful nan Community Shield. Against Southampton successful 2024 he enjoyed a 100% completion complaint pinch 58 passes,” writes Gregg Bakowski. “What is nan grounds number of passes completed by a subordinate pinch a 100% grounds successful a match? Surely personification has completed more.”

“With Hearts now making noises astir winning nan Scottish Premiership, I announcement it’s really 65 years since this past happened (1960). With Hibs it’s moreover longer astatine 73 years (1952),” writes Paul White. “Is location immoderate different state wherever a nine from its superior metropolis person grounded to triumph its home convention for truthful long?”

“A mate mentioned nan awesome statistic that Liverpool person not vanished little than eighth successful nan convention since being promoted to nan aged First Division successful 1962. Taking nan 1962-63 play arsenic nan starting point, what is nan lowest position that each existent Premier League teams person vanished betwixt 1963 and nan present?” inquire nan lads astatine nan Star and Dragon Pub, Carbondale, Illinois. “And what is nan lowest immoderate squad has fallen that has played astatine slightest 1 play successful nan apical section since 1962-63?”

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