Curated playlist
Association football people awarded knighthoods
- Didier DeschampsDidier Deschamps is one of only three men to win the World Cup as both player and manager.
- Kylian MbappéKylian Mbappé's famous arms-folded celebration was invented by his little brother.
- Zinedine ZidaneZinedine Zidane scored two headers from corners in the 1998 World Cup Final. France beat Brazil 3-0 in Paris.
- PeléAt 17, Pelé passed out on the field after scoring twice in the 1958 World Cup final. His teammate Garrincha revived him.
- Salvatore SchillaciSalvatore Schillaci, known to Italians as Totò, ended the 1990 World Cup ranked above Lothar Matthäus and Diego Maradona as the best player of the tournament. Almost nobody saw that coming. He was a striker from a poor family in Palermo,…
- Arsène WengerArsène Wenger led Arsenal through a whole league season without a defeat in 2003-04.
- Gianluigi BuffonGianluigi Buffon reached three Champions League finals and lost all three. The Italian goalkeeper never won the trophy.
- Michel PlatiniMichel Platini scored nine goals in five matches at the 1984 European Championship. That record stood for 37 years.
- Fabien BarthezGoalkeeper Fabien Barthez once refused to defend a penalty until an official forced him back into goal.
- Paul PogbaManchester United paid a then-record €105 million for footballer Paul Pogba in 2016.