You’d think that slacking and professional football would not coexist: How could a professional athlete possibly be lazy? He has to put his head down and work in training, follow a fitness and nutrition regime, and give it all on matchday.
However, in the history of football, we’ve witnessed famous footballers who were deservedly accused of being lazy. It is worth adding that the athletes on this list picked their lazy moments but stepped up when it counted, most of the time. Let’s look at these exceptional talents that defied the work rate expectations of a professional footballer.
Emmanuel Adebayor: The Cake-Loving Striker
Many Arsenal fans undoubtedly remember Emmanuel Adebayor, who plied his trade for Arsenal. Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Tottenham are among the top European clubs. The forward was considered talented with an eye for the goal but also attracted the wrong kind of attention for his laziness.
There were stories of the Togolese forward having a weakness for cake and coffee. His tendency to speak unfilteredly while disregarding authority often rubbed managers and his teammates the wrong way.
Scandals and clashes followed him to every club, but he still managed to deliver brilliant performances.
Arsene Wenger remained patient with him for a while, taking advantage of Adebayor’s brilliance on the pitch when it mattered. For Adebayor, the fuel behind his performances seemed to be the money he made so he could be relied upon to deliver even with his laidback approach.
Antonio Cassano: Talent Squandered
The Italian striker Antonio Cassano was a rising star set for big things. However, his temper and aversion to training held him back from what he could have achieved in his career.
The Italian striker would fake injuries to avoid certain drills in training and once refused to be subbed on because he felt it was too late in the game to be asked to play. Still, elite teams like Real Madrid and AC Milan took a chance on him due to the potential. However, varied approaches failed to get the best out of him.
Later on, he would admit that laziness played a key part in preventing him from reaching his true potential, saying, “I could’ve been playing on another planet, but I had this issue that I didn’t like training, and I wanted to eat the way I felt like at the time, and I ruined myself.”
Speaking on his potential, Cassano said, “If I’d had another head on my shoulders, I could’ve been playing on Mars. I’d be like Lionel Messi, Neymar, and a few others. ”
Nwankwo Kanu: An African Legend’s Secret
Surprisingly, the celebrated Nigerian forward Nwankwo Kanu makes it to this list with accusations of laziness following him throughout his career. Despite leading his team to an Olympic gold medal, winning multiple African Player of the Year Awards, and collecting trophies, Kanu faced accusations of underperformance when compared to his ability.
Critics claimed Kanu could not be called a hard worker, but the fans differed because the Nigerian forward offered them entertainment using excellent technique. In one Portsmouth game, it was said that he covered less distance than the goalkeeper.
However, given that Kanu received a heart disease diagnosis at the height of his career, it is understandable why he chose his moments and used a different approach to impact the game.
Romario: Party Animal & Genius
Brazilian legend Romario loved the nightlife, and was a nightmare for his managers and teammates. Skipping training and disappearing the night before crucial games to attend parties were part of the package.
He famously dismissed the accusations, saying. “Romário doesn’t train.…” Yes, he does, just not at nine in the morning. The presidents knew. Whether they told the coaches, well, that wasn’t my problem.” His effortless scoring ability made disregarding the missed sessions and erratic sleep schedule easy.
To Romario, however, the focus was on what he would deliver on the pitch, “People say I didn’t practice. Yes, I did, just in a different way. Other players might make 70 sprints or run seven kilometres. I took 70 shots at goal. I did a training that was specific to what I was doing on the pitch.”
The Bottomline
These exceptional football players defied the expectations and charted their journey as professionals, proving that sometimes, a lack of work ethic cannot hold back immense talent. The question of how many more accomplishments they could have garnered had they slightly improved their work ethic will always remain unanswered.
