These players, including former Celtic, Manchester United and Newcastle United stars, made a big splash on their Champions League debuts.
Matt Elliott of Leicester tries to tackle Faustino Asprilla of Newcastle
Now that we're into September, and the new season is in full flow, we can begin to get excited about another year of Europe's premier club football competition. The Champions League group stages are about to get underway, and that means a few home truths are there to be faced up to. The likes of Bayern and Barcelona will likely sweep away those before them in a stately progression to the tournament's latter stages, and - if the trend of previous years continue - those clubs representing the British Isles will underwhelm against the rest of the continent's top teams.
But there's no such thing as certainty in a game as unpredictable as football. Although Celtic will have to enter the minor miracle business in order to survive a group featuring Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Liverpool are both well-placed to top quite comfortable looking groups and Chelsea, naturally, are expected to do well. With the demands of squad rotation necessitating the occasional debut for youngsters and fresh signings, there's always the possibility of a surprise package in amongst the drama of club football's greatest competition. So, we've put together an inspiring list of great Champions League debuts for the benefit of comparison.
5. Tony Watt - Celtic
Tony Watt scores the second goal during the Champions League game between Celtic and Barcelona at Celtic Park.
Recent years have not been too enjoyable, in footballing terms, for Tony Watt. After a promising start to his time at the club, Celtic let the forward go out on loan, and he's become something of a journeyman across English and Belgian football in the time since. But it's worth recalling just how promising his early appearances really were.
After scoring two goals from off the bench in his debut against Motherwell, hopes were exceedingly high for the 18-year-old. But even the most optimistic fan would have struggled to predict what was to come. Arriving off the bench in the 72nd minute, Watt might have had a fairly humdrum introduction to European football in what was a tight game had it not been for a bad defensive error by La Liga's finest. Xavi allowed a goalkick from Fraser Forster to make its way through the midfield and it bounced happily into the path of an alert Tony Watt – leaving him clean through on goal. A smart finish into the corner of the net sealed an unforgettable night in the club's history.
4. Roberto Soldado - Real Madrid
Roberto Soldado of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring a goal against Olympiakos at the Bernabeu.
When Spurs reinvested the money Real Madrid paid them for Gareth Bale in 2013, they essentially swapped one world-class player for four quite good players. Although Christian Eriksen is now something of a world-class player himself, and Paulinho – incredibly – plies his trade at FC Barcelona, question marks still remain over the potential 'quite good-ness' of Roberto Soldado - now at Fenerbahce.
Moving through the ranks of Real Madrid's B-team, he scored prolifically. As he did elsewhere in La Liga when Real let him move on. Things didn't seem to work out for Soldado in the Premier League, but he seems to be a player with a knack for impressing on a first showing. He put away a winning penalty on his debut for Spurs, bringing back memories of when – on his 2005 Champions League debut – the wiry striker headed home from a trademark Beckham cross to record victory for Los Blancos and a glorious personal triumph for the man himself.
3. Diego Costa - Atletico Madrid
Diego Costa celebrates scoring during the Champions League group G between Club Atletico de Madrid and FK Austria Wien.
Perhaps it's no wonder that Diego Costa elected for self-imposed exile from Chelsea (and his contractual obligations) when a move back to his beloved Atletico Madrid was blocked by the club: his heart evidently belongs at the team where he first tasted the glory of a league title. And although Atletico's fairy tale season was knocked off course in the famous final minutes of the 2013-14 Champions League final, things couldn't have gotten off to a better start in the competition for the Colchoneros' Brazilian bruiser.
Picking up the ball on the half-way line, a neat combination of determined dribbling and fleet footwork on the edge of the area allowed Costa to slot home an impressive individual goal on his European debut. The second half saw his second, after a lovely first touch and snappy finish confounded the Austrians and confirmed Costa's arrival on the main stage.
2. Faustino Asprilla - Newcastle United
Newcastle United striker Faustino Asprilla leaps to head the third Newcastle goal and his hat trick goal against Barcelona.
For Newcastle fans, it must seem even longer than twenty years ago that their team were lighting up the newly formed Premier League and playing in Europe's top competition. With avoiding relegation such a priority, it might seem like indulgent nostalgia to think back to their time in the Champions League, but it has to be said that Faustino Asprilla's astonishing hat-trick on his European debut is the stuff of legend – not just in the North East – but in the history of the competition. The fact that Asprilla only managed nine goals in two years at St. James Park adds to the incredulity, as does the fact that those goals were his last for the club – he was sold back to Parma at the end of the season.
1. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney fires his 2nd goal against Fenerbahce during their Champion's League football match at Old Trafford.
Any young player looking to question his doubters after a big money move early on in their career – look to the 18-year-old Wayne Rooney for guidance on how it's done. Making, not just his Manchester United debut, but his Champions League debut as well: the former (and future) Evertonian put Fenerbahce to the sword with a textbook display of attacking intent.
His first, a powerful strike from twenty yards after a neat through-ball from Van Nistelrooy, showed off his positional awareness and pace. The second, again struck from outside the box, was pure attacking instinct, and his hat-trick goal – a flying freekick from just outside the penalty arc – left no one in doubt of his confidence and ability.
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