Most Famous Friendships in Football

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Friendships are important for football players as well and can motivate each other to better performance. Usually the best friends play at the same club or come from the same country. But sometimes players from different backgrounds can befriend each other. In the most famous friendships in football we can find the biggest players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who made best friends at their clubs. 

Friends can be a big help to even the best football players to fit into a team and perform according to their talents. They can even persuade each other to join a team like Paul Pogba did with Romelu Lukaku. It doesn’t always work out, but their friendship might survive the Belgian’s departure. Just like the friendship between Messi, Suarez and Neymar did after their different paths from Barcelona. But strong connections can be built in the national teams as well, especially if the team is successful in a big tournament. Like in the Spanish team which won the world cup in 2010 or in the 1998 World Cup winner Brazilian team where we can also find examples for great friendships. 

Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku has one of the most famous friendships in football

Some people might find it interesting but French Paul Pogba and Belgian Romelu Lukaku have been great friends for a long time now. Even before Lukaku joined Manchester United in 2017, the pair had been spending lots of time together. They played five-a-side and basketball and went on holidays together. According to rumors Pogba made Lukaku join United but it didn’t work out at the end. As the Belgian left the club after only two seasons as he didn’t feel good at the club. Since joining Inter Milan Lukaku has been in top form again and one of the key players at his club. While Pogba also plays well at the Red Devils and enjoys his best season at the club. Online sportsbooks in the UK favor United to win the Europa League this season while they are likely to finish as a runner-up in the Premier League. 

Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, top midfielders of Liverpool

Staying in England, we can find an example for friendship at Liverpool as well from a few years ago. As the captain of the club, Steven Gerrard was a great friend of his teammate, Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. The two players were crucial in several victories like the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. When both of them managed to score against AC Milan to equalize from a 0-3 score. Gerrard and Alonso got along outside the pitch as well. So the Liverpool captain was heartbroken when his friend left the club and joined Real Madrid in 2009. They still remained friends though and both of them praised the other at his retirement. And surely they keep an eye on the other at their manager careers, with both Gerrard and Alonso staying at football in their new roles. 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo

The relationship between Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo also belongs to the most famous friendships in football. The two of them had been playing together at Real Madrid since 2009 until Ronado left Los Blancos three years ago. The Portuguese and Brazilian were always seemed to have fun on and off the pitch. Both of them celebrated their goals together with funny moves after often getting the last pass from each other. The two families were close with their sons being friends as well. They have been still keeping in touch even after Ronaldo’s departure to Italy. There was a point when the Brazilian’s move to Turin was mentioned by papers, but he stayed in La Liga at the end. But now Marcelo and many fans are hoping for Ronaldo’s return to Real next season where he could still be a key player at the age of 36. 

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez (and Neymar)

One of the greatest attacking trio was made at FC Barcelona when Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi played together. The three of them were also great friends outside the field. And we could often see them together in their free time. When Neymar left Barcelona in 2017, the friendship between Messi and Suarez became even stronger. It was really heartbreaking to see the break-off of their great relationship last summer when Suarez was simply kicked out of the team. It was a weird decision after their pair was so successful at the club. Scoring 76 goals in the previous season. Messi was close to leaving the club. But he stayed at the end and has been playing in top form again. But he might join Manchester City this summer as online gambling sites in the UK have been mentioning. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell

It might sound surprising but even Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a great friendship with one of his previous teammates, Brazilian Maxwell. The two of them played together at several clubs but they met first at Ajax as youngsters. What makes their relationship more special is that they managed to follow each other at four different clubs from Inter Milan to PSG. They won 10 league titles in four different countries making their pair the most successful friendship in football. But they could rely on each other outside the field as well. As Maxwell helped the young Zlatan at his early age in Amsterdam. Even though they are very different characters, with the Brazilian being a shy and sensitive person, they are still good friends nowadays. 

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