These players came from afar, yet made football more than fun to watch for fans of Arsenal, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Bolton and West Ham.
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates with the trophy
Manchester United have Zlatan Ibrahimovic to thank for their 3-2 League Cup final victory over Southampton, with the mercurial Swede bagging a brace – and indeed, the winning goal – at Wembley in a thrilling affair.
In light of the way Ibrahimovic has fans of all teams on the edge of their seats in anticipation whenever he receives the ball, here are five foreign imports that lit up the Premier League in such a way that fans and pundits alike were mesmerised by their skill.
Gianfranco Zola – Chelsea
After arriving in 1996, few could have predicted how special the diminutive Italian would be at Stamford Bridge, winning six trophies in a seven year spell in West London. Frankly put, Zola was a magician – incredibly skillful and with tremendous vision, he was the ideal number 10. It speaks volumes that while the club haven’t retired his number 25, no-one has worn it since he departed in 2003.
Thierry Henry with Premier League trophy
Thierry Henry – Arsenal
The best Arsenal striker ever, and it may well remain that way for eternity. The things Henry could do with a ball were magical, namely his goal against Tottenham Hotspur, when he ran the length of the pitch to score, or the back heeled strike against Charlton Athletic. Since the Frenchman left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, the Premier League has only seen one better player – Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paolo Di Canio – Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United, Charlton Athletic
Possibly one of the most passionate footballers ever to have graced the Premier League, Di Canio is still seen as a demigod by West Ham fans. His scissor kick volley against Wimbledon will live on forever, and while he played for both Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic in the top flight, it was his time at West Ham where he was most compelling to watch.
juninho
Juninho – Middlesbrough
It was a great shock when 22-year-old Juninho, who’d won the Copa Libertadores with Brazilian giants Sao Paolo, signed for newly promoted Middlesbrough in 1995 considering half of Europe’s elite were tracking him, but what a signing he was. ‘The Little Fella’, as he was affectionately named, went onto become the greatest player Boro have had, as world-class attacking play and skill wove his way into Middlesbrough hearts. A true entertainer, it was only right he was part of the side that won the 2004 League Cup – which is to date, Boro’s only major trophy.
Jay-Jay Okocha – Bolton Wanderers
Juninho was a true entertainer, but Okocha was box office gold. A free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, Okocha was worth the admission fee alone, with a series of outrageous tricks and flicks in his arsenal, as well as an incredible ability to score logic defying goals. Much like Juninho, despite playing for one of the division’s weaker teams, Okocha was one of the Premier League’s best and gave Bolton fans some of the best footballing memories they’ve ever had.
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