Loyalty is an increasingly dying race in football without trying to sound too much like an old Italian mafia boss.
In a world where lucrative salaries are rampant and the opportunities for players to move abroad and enjoy a career around the world are more common than ever, it makes the idea of sticking to just one club incredibly difficult.
Not only that, but having the skill and commitment of a club to receive a player throughout their career is equally telling. Here are the top 30 who have achieved the unique award.
Ronnie Boyce from West Ham / Ian McLennan / Getty Images
Nicknamed “Ticker” for being the man who gave the heart that enabled West Ham to win an FA Cup and a European Cup winner, Boyce was a clubman and a hero.
He started as an apprentice in 1959 and represented the iron clubs until 1973 and collected 282 football appearances for the club.
Paul Madeley for Leeds / Evening Standard / Getty Images
Madeley was a heroic man and always a safe pair of hands during an 18-year period and was an integral part of Leeds’ success through the 1960s and 70s.
Over 500 games played, Madeley missed just three games when Leeds won the league in 1974 and was a shoo-in for the side and could play in any patio needed.
Lofthouse firar / Ron Burton / Getty Images
Having one of England’s best goal-per-game conditions was not Lofthouse’s only unique award; He was a club man for Bolton from 1946 to 1960.
A loyal servant when he could probably have moved elsewhere for his England achievements, Lofthouse was the key when Bolton won the FA Cup in 1958 and Charity Shield.
John Greig is Rangers / Ted West / Getty Images
A player, a manager and a director, Greig knows Rangers better than anyone else.
Greig was a defender in the trade and made 755 official appearances for his club, captain as leader of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972. Mr. Ibrox.
Ronnie Moran worked all sorts of roles at Liverpool / Getty Images / Getty Images
Like Greig, Moran’s influence around Liverpool was like no other.
Moran signed professional terms with Reds as an 18-year-old in 1952 and would become an established first team alternative in the following years. Moran played until 1968 and later served in the back room staff under Bill Shankly, and filled in as a caretaker sometimes.
Liddell in action / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Before Moran’s time, Liddell was famous in Liverpool.
An athletic and powerful winger signed Liddell in 1938 and became a professional a year later, before the war broke out. He traded with the Reds until 1961 and won the first division in 1947.
Gray shows off his tricks / Evening Standard / Getty Images
Scotsman Gray signed a professional contract with Leeds at just 16 years old and made his debut in 1966.
The debut would be followed by hundreds of performances, European nights and a trophy cabinet that included the league, the FA Cup, the league cup and the charity shield.
Dieter Eilts makes a tricky tackle / Simon Bruty / Getty Images
Not only is he a club man in the more modern years of the game abroad, but Eilts also built a positive reputation as one of the game’s fairest.
Sensible, reliable and massively talented for Werder from 1985 to 2002, his 27-year career led him to win two Bundesliga titles and play a key role when Germany won Euro 96.
Ceni broke all the rules / Alexandre Schneider / Getty Images
Okay, the truth is, Ceni actually started his career with a site called Sinop. But considering that he played over 1200 matches for Sao Paulo, he gets a pass.
Goalkeepers have a longer shelf life, but Ceni was a joke. In addition to over 1200 matches for Sao Paulo, Ceni has over 100 official goals and 20 major titles. He’s a goalkeeper. Joke.
Celtic Park has a statue of McNeill / Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
The poster boy from the ‘Lisbon Lions’ McNeill was captain of Celtic when they became the first British side to win the European Cup in 1967.
Away from that triumph, McNeill received 31 major trophies during an 18-season playing career with Celtic. He led them through his brightest spells and remains the club’s record holder. Billy McNeill was Celtic.
Jack Charlton made a career with Leeds / Keystone / Getty Images
While brother Bobby was a hero for Manchester United, Jack Charlton was an icon in himself at rivals Leeds.
Away from winning the World Cup, Charlton was the man in Leeds. The defender won the first and second divisions, the FA Cup and more during his 762 appearances from 1952 to 1973.
Fritz Walter with VM / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
One of football’s more underrated names, Walter was an icon at the national level when he led West Germany to the 1954 World Cup.
At club level, Walter was the principal at Kaiserslautern from 1937 to 1959, winning two league titles and collecting an obscene goal result. Now in the lower levels of Germany, Kaiserslautern Stadium is named after Walter.
Bill Foulkes is a true United legend / Evening Standard / Getty Images
One of the survivors of the 1958 Munich disaster, Foulke’s contribution to rebuilding Manchester United’s fabric can not be forgotten.
He remains the player with the fourth most appearances for the club and started every single game during the 1957/58 season and took on the captain immediately after the disaster.
How about a collar? / Central Press / Getty Images
A 15-season stint with Juventus was enough to cement Boniperti in Juventus history as one of the best ever.
Five scudetti and two Coppas Italia were the finishing touch for the striker at club level, who was also a regular in the Italian national team. After football, Boniperti stopped working in the European Parliament.
Max Morlock slides for a ball towards the goal / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Morlock did it long before it was cool and made a good career in Germany with 1. FC Nurnberg from 1940 to 1964.
A technical player who could link defense to attack, Morlock was a shoo-in in front of goal and won the 1954 World Cup with West Germany. Morlock played some time before the Bundesliga, but actually made his trade in the league’s regular season before hanging up his boots.
The Black Spider / Central Press / Getty Images
Despite his 20-year playing career that stretches from 1950 to 1970, Yashin is still considered by many to be the greatest goalkeeper in football history.
Goalkeepers always carry longevity, but Yashin remained unbeatable throughout his career and was always on top. He is considered the man who has revolutionized and initially modernized the role of goalkeeper and is still the only goalkeeper to have won a Ballon d’Or.
We’re not talking about his blue upbringing / Michael Regan / Getty Images
Carragher deserves credit not only for being a club man in the modern game, but he did it in Liverpool even though he grew up as an Everton fan.
Domestic success was lost on Carragher as he represented the Reds during a struggling period that saw them fail to dominate the Premier League, but the defender was an important fabric for the club and became a Champions League winner, as well as picking up two FA Cups and more.
An image for United fans … / Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Carragher’s favorite TV host, it feels tough to place one of England and Europe’s most decorated players in the midfield, but the competition is high.
Neville made 602 appearances for United in a glittering career, giving Sir Alex Ferguson a cornerstone at right-back as they dominated England and won two Champions League titles. He also served as captain for five years.
No shoes in the house / United Archives / Getty Images
Four Bundesliga, three European Cups, one World Cup and one European Championship, Germany and Bayern Munich were incredibly lucky to have a goalkeeper as reliable as Maier.
Known for his extremely soothing influence on the back and charm as a personality, Maier was also lightning fast with razor-sharp reflexes and covered his area enormously through the 60s and 70s.
Giuseppe Bergomi messes with Andy Cole / Stu Forster / Getty Images
Bergomi’s disturbingly barren trophy cabinet is a bit sad, but does not in any way tell the whole story of his influence at Inter.
Bergomi was a world-class defender and served the club for 20 years from 1979 to 1999 and was nicknamed ‘Lo Zio’ – uncle – during his time there. Bergomi is considered one of Italy’s greatest defenders; any achievement given how many there are.
Bochini (center) with Diego Maradona / Marcelo Endelli / Getty Images
The nickname ‘El Bocha’, it’s almost sad that Bochini did not come to speak Europe with his feeling and grace at club level.
But then the romance is to be a club man no matter how good you are as appealing. One world champion, the Argentine midfielder, is Independiente’s folklore and won four leagues and five Copa Libertadores titles.
Before Florentino Perez Reigns / Clive Mason / Getty Images
The local boy story goes beyond England; Sanchis is Madrid through and through.
Coming through the youth system, the defender would play over 700 games for Los Blancos and serve as captain for 13 years. The glue before the Galacticos era.
Unplayable on his day / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
There are no words to do justice to the achievement of being a record holder for a club like Manchester United.
963 appearances, 13 Premier League, two Champions League, and that’s just the beginning. In his prime, Giggs had pace, feeling and an evil left foot. It was made a more reserved but still intelligent game in recent years, which still proves its value at the highest level.
All smiles / Ben Radford / Getty Images
One for knowledge pub quiz; Adams led a title-winning team for three different decades. Do not say we do not do anything for you.
Away from the trivia, Adam was tough. A leader above the rest, he led Arsenal and England through some of each side’s most memorable years. The shooters killed for a midfielder like him once again.
Scholes was incredible / Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
A reminder that even though Twitter is trying to convince the world that Scholes is a “scam”, you will not become a club member under Sir Alex Ferguson for no reason.
Over 700 appearances and a ton of awards, Top Scholes was incredible. His loyalty to United was a burden for top clubs interested in him, but also made him a little more special. Class.
Mazzola was a cool guy / Alessandro Sabattini / Getty Images
Mazzola was considered one of the greatest Italians to play the point and was a blessing for Inter from 1960 to 1977.
A creative forward with an eye for goal, Mazzola also had the physical attributes to make him a beast. He swept up four Serie A titles with the Nerazzurri and placed second in the Ballon d’Or in 1971. The winner? Johan Cruyff. Equitable.
Mr. Roma / GABRIEL BOUYS / Getty Images
The list becomes very Italian at the end of the matter. Not only are they good with cars and football, but they are good at making their goodies unnecessarily romantic.
Totti embodies it. Rome’s hero, Totti, floated between the ten roles and the attacking service during a 25-year career and became their record holder and the second highest goal scorer in Italian league history. Your dad’s favorite.
Men / Etsuo Hara / Getty Images
Baresi plays for 20 seasons and is captain for 15, and he is a football player and immortal in Milan. The red side, anyway.
Baresi was often compared to Franz Beckenbauer for his dominant style as a sweeper and midfielder. He hoisted cutlery with Rossoneri and won a World Cup with Italy. His number six jersey is also retired in Milan.
Puyol was tough / Manuel Queimadelos Alonso / Getty Images
We have all seen Puyol passion compilations. The Spaniard was a threat and a nightmare for the opposition – his own colleagues sometimes too.
Barcelona are no strangers to creating their own skills, but Puyol is one of their finest. A tireless leader, he could cover a pitch like no other and made goal-saving blocks as if they were out of fashion. As you can imagine, he won a lot.
They really do not come like this anymore / Getty Images / Getty Images
Milan worked on a different level in the 80s and 90s. When Baresi wound up, they had an internal replacement who was seamlessly prepared to take over; Paolo Maldini.
Maldini is all cool with football. Undoubtedly good, devilishly handsome and unwaveringly loyal to one of the game’s coolest clubs. He won the lottery in his 25-season career and had his jersey number three retired at the end of it.
