Bobby Charlton
England's record goalscorer puffed away on a cigarette at half-time
in the World Cup final. His brother Jack and striker Jimmy Greaves
were also smokers while 1966 captain Bobby Moore fronted an ad
campaign to drop in at your local pub.
And England still wonder why they haven't won the tournament
since. Someone tell Wayne Rooney to smuggle his Bensons along with
his flip-flops past Don Fabio pronto.
Johan Cruyff
The Dutch master was a 20-a-day man during his playing career and
continued to light up on the Barca bench until he had a double
heart bypass in 1991. After his surgery Cruyff literally kicked the
habit for a TV anti-smoking campaign where he juggled a pack of
ciggies with trademark skill. Check out his, erm, box control
here.
Rumors that he boycotted the World Cup in 1978 because Argentina
coach César Luis Menotti wouldn't share his ciggies have yet to be
denied.
Socrates
A star performer in Brazil's brilliant 1982 side, the bearded ace
puffed his way through two packs a day and continued to light up
after quitting the game. Now a medical doctor and member of the
Workers' Party he suggested in a masters thesis that football
should be reduced to nine a side to improve skill levels. In other
words, so Brazil would win all the time.
Gianluca Vialli
If you grow up in a 60-room 15th century castle you feel like you
can get away with pretty much anything. Vialli famously lit up on
the bench after being substituted during Italia '90 and kept
smoking away when he managed Chelsea at the start of decade. Quite
how he got past the ID checks wearing his schoolboy jumper is
anybody's guess.
Robert Prosinecki
Talented beyond doubt, he played for Barcelona and Real Madrid
while concealing a habit rumored to be 50-a-day at its peak.
Starred at France '98 alongside another smoker Slaven Bilic,
he cut to 20 a day when he joined Portsmouth in 2001.
Was all set to form a smoking superteam with Paul Merson before
Harry Redknapp perhaps wisely sold him after one season.
Preben Elkjaer
The great Dane sparkled during Mexico '86 and remains an icon in
Verona where he played a key role in their only Scudetto title.
Amazed coaches with his fitness levels while continuing to smoke at
half-time and according to Danish legend, smoked during a penalty
shoot out, flicking his fag away just before burying his spot kick
home.
Now prefers restrained fare as a Champions League pundit on
Danish TV.
Zinedine Zidane
After making a fool of Ronaldinho during Germany '06 the hero
in Les Bleus' 1998 World Cup glory prepared for France's
semi-final with Portugal by puffing on a ciggie. Perhaps the
nicotine had caused amnesia as Zizou had fronted an anti-smoking
campaign four years earlier. Merde!
Osvaldo Ardiles
Inspired by their chain-smoking manager César Luis Menotti, Ardiles
was a solid 40-a-day man during the Argentineans' home triumph in
1978. At least that's according to his former Spurs team-mate Glenn
Hoddle, who revealed this nugget when defending Paul Gascoigne's
smoking habit prior to France '98.
"It didn't bother Ossie and it doesn't bother me," said the then
coach.
Something did bother Hod as he soon dropped Gazza from the World
Cup squad and England were home before the postcards.
Trifon Ivanov
Bulgaria's hairy defender loved a Davidoff before kick-off,
half-time and, er, anytime at all. The dead ball specialist wasn't
the only member of Bulgaria's squad who enjoyed the good life as
the team were spotted in public drinking and smoking in their run
to the semi-finals at USA '94.
After being beaten by Italy in the semi-finals the Bulgarians
lost interest and got trashed off the pitch before doing the same
on it against Sweden in the third place play off.
Fabien Barthez
Les Blues' victorious squad from 1998 boasted at least three
smokers with Zidane, Franck Lebeouf and Fabien Barthez between the
sticks.
Enraged Southampton's then-manager Gordon Strachan by leaving
several cigarette butts stubbed out in the health conscious
manager's office after he was taken off injured while playing for
Manchester United in 2003. After making the discovery Strachan
quipped the balded one must have been taken off for a smoker's
cough!
Barthez was recently quoted as charging €70 a minute for his
goalkeeping coaching services which should pay for his habit quite
nicely. Cough, cough...