Nearly nine years on from their League Cup victory, it’s time to look at where Tottenham Hotspur’s 2008 heroes are now.
In terms of success, Tottenham Hotspur aren’t exactly up there with the Manchester Uniteds and Liverpools of the world. That’s why their triumph over Chelsea back in 2008 was so important to the club, with their extra time win being one of the best days in their recent history.
But what happened to the starting XI from that memorable day at Wembley, almost a decade on from the Final?
Paul Robinson
Burnley’s Paul Robinson
Following an impressive performance at Wembley, Robinson went on to play for seven years with Blackburn Rovers before moving to Burnley where he currently plays. The former England international has done well to stretch out his career, and will probably go down as one of the most underrated goalkeepers of recent times.
Alan Hutton
Aston Villa’s Alan Hutton applauds the fans at the end of the match
The often-criticised Alan Hutton has been through a number of loan spells over the years including at Forest and Bolton, but since 2011 has been signed to Aston Villa. The 32-year-old even had a brief spell at Mallorca, having never really lived up to what was expected of him following early success at Rangers.
Jonathan Woodgate
Middlesbrough’s Jonathan Woodgate celebrates promotion to the Premier League with his family
After spending four more years at hometown club Middlesbrough, Jonathan Woodgate retired in 2016 to become a scout for Premier League side Liverpool. In the years between his retirement and the League Cup triumph, the former Madrid defender made sporadic appearances for Spurs due to injuries which was followed up by a one-year stint at Stoke City.
Ledley King
Ledley King poses with the Capital One Cup
The legendary Ledley King would unfortunately let his injuries get the better of him, retiring in 2012. King was always described as one of the best defenders in the Premier League, but his chronic knee injuries eventually limited him to one game a week before hanging up his boots entirely. However, the Englishman does currently represent Spurs as an ambassador.
Pascal Chimbonda
Ledley King and Robbie Keane – Tottenham Hotspur celebrate victory and lift the Carling Cup
The career of Pascal Chimbonda hit a sharp decline after leaving Tottenham, with his latest former club being AC Arles-Avignon who play in the lower leagues of French football. The Frenchman made headlines for dropping down to play for Market Drayton Town in addition to stints at Doncaster and Carlisle, proving that this was indeed the peak of his footballing livelihood.
Aaron Lennon
Swansea City’s Neil Taylor in action with Everton’s Aaron Lennon
The former wonderkid Aaron Lennon is continuing to be a thorn in the side of Premier League defenders, as the 29-year-old currently plays for Everton. Despite being selected for two World Cups the winger never really thrived either for England or Tottenham like many were expecting, with alot of people labeling him nothing more than a pace merchant.
Jermaine Jenas
Aston Villa’s Jermaine Jenas during the press conference
Despite early promise, Jermaine Jenas’ injuries meant he never quite lived up to expectations. Loans to Villa and his boyhood club Nottingham Forest couldn’t help the former England international after he lost his Spurs place. Early retirement followed after a couple of seasons with QPR, and has since become a regular pundit for BBC.
Didier Zokora
John Arne Riise – Liverpool in action against Didier Zokora – Tottenham Hotspur
The always popular Didier Zokora has certainly seen his career take an interesting turn, after leaving Spurs for Seville in 2009, followed by several years in Turkey. At present, the midfielder plays for Indian club North East United FC, making it seven different countries he has played in.
Steed Malbranque
Picture Supplied by Action Images
Following a decade of playing in England for three different clubs, Steed Malbranque, who joined Sunderland the year Spurs won at Wembley, made the move back to France in 2011. He briefly retired before getting significant football under his belt at Lyon, his first club, only leaving last summer. He currently plays for top tier side Caen.
Robbie Keane
Republic of Ireland’s Robbie Keane after the game
The hero that is Robbie Keane made a disappointing move to Liverpool later in 2008, before returning to Spurs barely six months later. His second spell at the club wasn’t quite as impressive, and loans to Celtic and West Ham followed.
His career took him to America to play for LA Galaxy, where he became a bonafide MLS legend before leaving in 2016. Despite this, Keane has yet to officially retire from the game. The Republic of Ireland’s record cap holder and goal scorer.
Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov Salonika
Dimitar Berbatov remains as one of the most underrated players in Premier League history. He left White Hart Lane in a big money move for Manchester United, where he tasted significant success. After spells with Fulham and Monaco, the 35-year-old Bulgarian is a free agent after leaving Greek side PAOK in the summer.
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