10) Alessandro Del Piero to Inter
A couple of years ago Goal.com broke the news that
Inter had signed Del Piero. Unsurprisingly, the website was flooded
with comments from terrified Bianconeri fans who couldn’t believe
their club legend of almost two decades had joined the enemy. Those
who read the story properly realised that it wasn’t Alessandro
moving to Inter, but a 14-year-old unrelated Treviso youngster
called Jago Del Piero. As one reader stated: “I almost had a heart
attack.” And that is exactly what would happen to some Juve
supporters were the real Del Boy to transfer to San Siro.
9) Giovanni Trapattoni to France
Without doubt the most controversial moment of 2009 was the ‘Hand
of Henry’ - the most infamous World Cup handball of all time after
Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ in 1986. Ireland’s World Cup playoff
against France was delicately balanced as the tie moved into extra
time in Paris, with the score 1-1 on aggregate.
Then, France striker Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball in the
run-up to William Gallas' decisive equaliser on the night, but it
was not seen by the referee or his assistants.
The goal stood and the Irish went out, causing a furore after the
game. The FAI later made a request to FIFA that the game be
replayed, but FIFA turned them down. Henry was lambasted, and even
unsuccessfully offered a replay himself after FIFA had made their
decision. The FAI asked to be admitted as the 33rd nation in South
Africa. Unsurprisingly this was turned down too. Ireland coach
Giovanni Trapattoni was understandably distraught, now picture him
on the French bench in the future…
8) Pele to Boca Juniors
Just as Francesco Totti is Roma, and Franz Beckenbauer is Bayern
Munich, Diego Armando Maradona is Boca Juniors. Now picture the
look on Dieguito’s face if his eternal nemesis Pele was appointed
as a coach, director or – even worse – a player for the Buenos
Aires giants. The two South American greats have endured a
tumultuous relationship for many years, both fighting over the
title of ‘world’s greatest ever player’.
Pele has accused Maradona of being a bad role model to young
children, while the Argentine claims that the Brazilian “debuted
with a lad” and is part of FIFA’s “devil” politics. Neapolitan
chants of Pele È Meglio 'E Maradona would send the Napoli legend
over the edge.
7) Diego Maradona to River Plate
This transfer is about as unlikely as Maradona playing for Santos,
or coaching Brazil or England. Diego’s love for Boca Juniors is
well known, as is his socialist support for the working man. With
River Plate’s upper-class origins, stomaching any kind of
involvement with Los Millionarios would be tougher for Maradona
than being told he was becoming Chairman of America’s Federal
Reserve.
6) Sol Campbell to Arsenal
Actually, it did happen. But it should have been impossible.
The most controversial transfer in Premier League history saw
Campbell move across North London to join Arsene Wenger's Arsenal
from bitter foes Tottenham Hotspur. Promises from the then England
international that he would never make the switch and
recriminations at the loss of £20 million in Spurs' coffers see
emotions run high to this day.
Hate-filled chants followed Campbell even during his time at
Portsmouth, with several Spurs fans being arrested for the content
of their vile terrace anthems. But, Campbell’s five years at
Arsenal were a huge success on the pitch as he won two Premier
Leagues and three FA Cups. He moved back last season to the Gunners
for a short 14-game spell. Now we can say that a future return to
White Hart Lane as a Spurs player is impossible.
5) Byron Moreno to Italian Football
Federation
Italy were eliminated from the 2002 World Cup in the last 16 by
co-hosts South Korea following former Perugia star Ahn Jung-Hwan’s
extra time golden goal.
However, this all happened after one of the most infamous matches
in World Cup history. Trapattoni’s men had a perfectly good golden
goal disallowed by Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno, had Francesco
Totti sent-off for diving when replays showed that he had only lost
his footing, while South Korea were awarded a questionable penalty
and continually went unpunished for foul play. After the match
Italy declared that there had been a conspiracy against them,
claims that were given strength by the fact that not only had they
had four perfectly fair goals disallowed in their two previous
matches against Croatia and Mexico, but by the refereeing errors
that saw Korea eliminate Spain in the next round.
Moreno would be the villainous symbol of 2002. Later that year he
received a 20 match ban, after he played an extra 13 minutes of
stoppage time during a match between Deportiva Universita de Quito
and Barcelona Sporting Club. During this time Deportiva scored
twice to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 victory. After retuning from
his suspension, Moreno was suspended again after controversially
sending off three players in one match.
He retired from officiating shortly after, and remains an infamous
symbol in Italy. But what if Moreno was invited to work for the
FIGC?
4) Xavi and Carles Puyol to Real Madrid
The Catalonians are very proud of their autonomy, and never does
this become more vivid than when Barcelona clash with Real Madrid
in El Clasico. From the two rival regions of Catalonia and Castile,
Barcelona vs Real Madrid can be so political that it is seen by
some as a re-enactment of the Spanish Civil War.
Were one of the many homegrown stars such as Xavi, Carles Puyol or
Josep Guardiola to leave Barca for Real Madrid, it would be
regarded as an epic act of betrayal.
3) Massimo Moratti to Juventus
The Calciopoli scandal of 2006 is shrouded in great mystery, and it
could be many years until the full truth is revealed in the public
domain. Interisti claim that Juventus got what they deserved, in
being stripped of two Scudetti and relegated to Serie B, after
years of apparent favouritism from referees during Luciano Moggi’s
tenure. Juventini are unanimous in their belief that Calciopoli was
one big conspiracy, as the Bianconeri were never found guilty of
match-fixing and the justice system used to bring them down was
infested with conflicts of interest.
According to tifosi, the conspiracy was masterminded by Inter
president Massimo Moratti, who used his connections with then
Telecom Italia chairman Tronchetti Provera and then FIGC
commissioner Guido Rossi – both major Inter shareholders - to
manipulate evidence and down Juventus. If Moratti were to ever
leave Inter and become club president of Juve, there would be war
in Turin!
2) Wayne Bridge To Chelsea
Bridge may have been contracted to Chelsea for six years between
2003 and 2009, but the chances of him ever returning to Stamford
Bridge are about as slim as brainwashed environmentalist
ignoramuses – fresh off the coldest winter in 30 years - actually
waking up and realising that global warming is not man-made, but a
scam to tax the public more. John Terry’s affair with Bridge’s
ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel, which rocked English football
prior to the World Cup, means the pair can never be team-mates
again.
1) Francesco Totti to Lazio
As individual symbols go, there is probably not a player in world
football who signifies his club more emphatically than Totti does
Roma. As a football commentator once said, in reference to an
English television channel that was only watched for its softcore
movies, “Roma are like Channel 5, without the Totti they are
nothing”. Born and bred in the Italian capital and a hardcore fan
since the day he was born, Totti is the top scorer and appearance
maker in the Giallorossi’s history. He has had numerous run-ins
with city rivals Lazio, infamously making a thumbs-down gesture
last season to mock the Biancocelesti’s relegation worries. Can you
imagine ‘Er Pupone’ in a Lazio shirt?