Gamers from Chelsea, Manchester United and Actual Madrid all performed within the EFL Championship earlier than happening to elevate the Champions League.
All people loves a zero-to-hero story and going from the English second tier to successful the Champions League continues to be a particularly distinctive achievement.
With that in thoughts, we’ve compiled a listing of the 9 gamers who’ve skilled each the Tuesday nights in Rotherham and the finals below the floodlights in a few of Europe’s greatest stadiums, whereas lifting maybe essentially the most iconic trophy within the sport.
Gareth Bale
The Welshman began his skilled profession in England’s second tier with Southampton, breaking into the aspect in 2006-07 however getting injured within the play-off semi-final.
That may be the final time the Championship witnessed his magic, as he moved to Tottenham that summer season.
Bale’s transfer to Actual Madrid in 2013 was nothing in need of iconic, signing for a then world-record payment earlier than spending the subsequent decade sweeping up Champions Leagues and bagging iconic objectives for enjoyable, whereas being the Bernabeu’s pantomime villain.
Historical past should look again way more kindly on his time within the Spanish capital.
John Terry
After that extraordinary semi-final comeback in opposition to Barcelona, Terry wore the armband as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to turn into champions of Europe for the primary time in 2012, 4 years on from remaining heartbreak in Moscow in opposition to Manchester United.
It’s straightforward to neglect, although, that Mr. ‘Correct Chels’ himself really performed within the Championship with Nottingham Forest on mortgage in 2000 and completed his profession with a season within the second tier at Aston Villa.
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Wayne Rooney
The best English participant of all time frolicked within the Championship. That tells you every part you might want to know concerning the second tier.
Rooney by some means solely lifted one Champions League in his illustrious profession regardless of reaching the ultimate thrice and scoring at Wembley in Manchester United’s second remaining defeat to Barcelona.
After leaving DC United in 2019, he returned to English soccer within the second tier with Derby County as a player-coach, earlier than ultimately turning into the supervisor.
Eidur Gudjohnsen
A correct Barclays hero, Gudjohnsen first lit up the Championship (then the First Division) with Bolton from 1998 to 2000 earlier than shifting to Chelsea, and ultimately to Barcelona in 2006.
It’s fairly weird to assume that the Icelandic centre-forward would play below Pep Guardiola at La Blaugrana, however alas, it occurred. Not solely did it occur, however he gained the Champions League with Pep in his remaining season on the membership as Barca schooled United in 2009.
Gudjohnsen returned to Bolton in late 2014 for a second spell with the membership and – crucially – a second spell within the Championship. A Champions League winner with 23 Championship objectives to his title. Class.
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Andy Cole
Remembered for being one half of maybe the Premier League’s most deadly strike partnership of all time, Cole peaked alongside Dwight Yorke at United and lifted the Champions League because the membership grew to become the primary English aspect to win a treble in 1999.
His profession took him across the homes, although, enjoying for Bristol Metropolis within the new First Division in 1992-93 and returning to the second tier within the remaining years of his profession with Birmingham and Sunderland.
Ashley Cole
Like Terry, Cole’s solely Champions League title got here as Chelsea beat Bayern on penalties in 2012, scoring from the spot himself on the evening.
He’d already spent a quick interval within the second tier on mortgage at Crystal Palace in 1999-00, however returned to the Championship in January 2019 after coming again to England from LA Galaxy, enjoying below former teammate Frank Lampard at Derby County.
John Obi Mikel
It’s straightforward to neglect that Mikel really solely referred to as time on his profession in 2021 having performed in varied leagues world wide.
The Nigerian midfielder might’ve gained the Champions League had he signed for Manchester United as deliberate, however as a substitute signed for Chelsea in 2006 and would ultimately turn into a key participant by the point they had been European champions in 2012.
In 2019, Mikel returned to England from China to signal for Championship aspect Middlesbrough, then left to spend a season in Turkey earlier than returning once more for an additional slice of Championship motion, this time with Stoke. Can’t fault him.
Bojan
From the Champions League to the Championship, Bojan appeared each bit destined to take over the footballing world when he broke by means of at Barcelona at a file age, youthful than Lionel Messi when he made his personal debut.
He was an unused substitute in 2009 as Barcelona beat United within the first of two finals in three years and was nonetheless on the membership as they repeated the feat in 2011, however left for Roma that summer season.
By 2014, Bojan discovered himself signing for Premier League aspect Stoke and left for Mainz amid their decline, however discovered himself again on the Bet365 Stadium in 2018-19 after a mortgage spell, turning into a fan favorite with the Potters now within the Championship. He retired in 2023.
Gary Cahill
Ending up with the last word zero-to-hero story, Cahill lived out all of our desires when he gained the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, having began his profession at 15 when he was picked up by Aston Villa from Sunday League stage.
A late bloomer, the defender honed his craft on mortgage within the Championship with Burnley and Sheffield United earlier than signing for Premier League aspect Bolton, the place he started an ascent to the highest of the mountain.
Cahill’s EFL exploits didn’t finish there, ending up his profession within the Championship with Bournemouth and serving to them again to the Premier League, earlier than being launched and retiring in 2022.
