Top 5 legends who unexpectedly left their clubs

The ever-increasing financial windfall in football means that it has become more difficult to find players who stay put at one club for more than a few years.

There is almost always an improved offer elsewhere, and the allure of playing for bigger clubs proves to be almost impossible to turn down.

The word ‘legend’ has been diluted in recent years, owing to social media’s tendency to bandy the word around for players who attain a modicum of success.

Nevertheless, there are a handful of players who have fulfilled all criteria necessary to be classified as bonafide legends. This might be down to their otherworldly achievements or unprecedented loyalty, but they generally maintain a high standing in the eyes of even rival fans.

It is usually the wish of fans to see their legendary players retire in the colors of the club they are most associated with. That proved to be the case with modern-day icons like Paolo Maldini, Ryan Giggs and Francesco Totti.

However, in some select cases, players who attain legendary status at clubs often have to depart when the ovation is loudest after running their race.

This is usually understandable, and such players are given sendoffs deserving of their immaculate standing, as was the case with Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and John Terry.

There is another group of legends who would have preferred to stay put but had to leave due to circumstances beyond their control.

These exits came as a rude shock to both fans of the clubs and the casual observer. Here are the top 5 legends who unexpectedly left their clubs.

Honorable mentions: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain), Victor Valdes (Barcelona to Manchester United)

#5 Luis Suarez (Barcelona to Atletico Madrid) – 2020

Luis Suarez proved his mettle at a young age at Ajax and went on to become a world-class player with his exploits at Liverpool.

However, the Uruguay international was never far removed from controversy. His dodgy reputation provided a never-ending supply of reports for the British tabloids.

He departed England in the summer of 2014 and surprisingly cleaned up his game in the colors of Barcelona.

Suarez was able to focus on just the football at Camp Nou, and the Blaugrana were ultimately better off for it. His iconic partnership with Lionel Messi and Neymar was the catalyst for renewed success in the two years they spent together.

Suarez became a bonafide club legend during his six years at Catalunya. However, Ronald Koeman’s appointment as manager in 2020 brought the striker’s Barcelona career to an inglorious end. The Dutch manager stated that the former Liverpool man was not part of his plans.

This came as a rude shock to fans of the club, as Luis Suarez was still a genuine game-changer who could make a difference in front of goal.

He was heavily linked with a move to Juventus before joining Barcelona’s domestic rivals Atletico Madrid.

The 34-year-old came back to haunt his former side as he guided Los Colchoneros to league glory in his debut season at the Wanda Metropolitano.

#4 Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich to Manchester United) – 2015

Bastian Schweinsteiger came through Bayern Munich’s academy and became a mainstay of the highly successful Bayern Munich and Germany teams of this period.

He was one of the standout midfielders in the world at his peak, with his vision, technique, passing and shooting ability helping him stand out among his peers.

Schweinsteiger was the symbol of Bayern Munich, and few could have imagined him in colors other than those of the Bavarians.

However, Pep Guardiola was seemingly not a fan of the World Cup winner and was not pleased with how much pressure he faced to start the midfielder.

Schweinsteiger himself was not happy with his reduced standing in the eyes of his manager. This led to a breakdown in the relationship between the two men in just one year.

A move to Manchester United was mooted in the summer of 2015, but few took it seriously until it became official.

Schweinsteiger’s time at Old Trafford was an unmitigated disaster. He struggled to hit his previous heights in two injury-plagued years in the Premier League.

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