10 Most Successful Returns In Football History
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10 Most Successful Returns In Football History

10 Most Successful Returns In Football History

With it being announced today that Aston Villa have purchased ex-striker Tammy Abraham for £18 million—curiously arriving just a day after Beşiktaş confirmed they had signed him for £13 million—has reignited one of football’s most enduring questions: should clubs ever go back?

Sometimes, it works seamlessly. Club and player slip back into step as though nothing has changed, bound by a shared footballing language that only seems to make sense when they are together.

Sometimes, it is just okay. The player returns with the same name, but lacking that electric sharpness they once had. The love for the club is still there, but their expertise has declined.

And sometimes, it collapses entirely. The homecoming curdles into frustration, the relationship with the manager falters, the performances are never delivered, and the once most loved star of the club has become an outlaw.

With that in mind, here at Football Park, we have ranked the top 10 best homecomings in football history. This will not include you, Didier Drogba’s or Thierry Henry’s; these are the players who returned with a vengeance and a point to prove.

10. Stanley Matthews

_ Return to Stoke_

Years - 1932-47, 1961-65

Whilst Stanley Matthews' return to Stoke City after 14 years away was no firework celebration, the tricky English winger who was the first ever recipient of the Ballon d’Or was at the Potters for a much more important reason.

To try and mount a return to the top division of English football.

When Matthews made his debut in the 1931/32 season, Stoke had finished just two points off promotion. The season following, Matthews, at just the age of 18, proved to be a catalyst in a side that ended up finishing first in the second division.

At Matthews signing, Stoke manager Tony Waddington hoped the Englishman could reinvitalise a squad once again. Waddington told Matthews that “Stoke was going nowhere,” but “now we’re on our way.”

In his four years at the club in the 60s, Matthews would play just 66 times. Yet in 1962–63, his influence was unmistakable, dragging Stoke to promotion almost through force of will alone.

Despite playing in the Second Division, Matthews was still named FWA Footballer of the Year, becoming the third player to win the award twice—15 years after lifting the inaugural honour.

9. Andriy Shevchenko

_ Return to Dynamo Kyiv_

Years - 1993-99, 2009-12

After 10 years of playing in Central and Western Europe, the King of Ukraine returned to sit back on the throne of his boyhood club, Dynamo Kyiv.

One of the finest Ukrainians to ever grace a football pitch, Andriy Shevchenko had a fruitful career where he played for some of the best clubs in the world.

After spending six years in Ukraine—winning five straight league titles from 1994-99—Shevchenko departed to Italy, where he played for AC Milan.

His seven years at Milan would be the finest of his career, scoring 173 goals in 296 games whilst getting his hands on an array of trophies, including the 2002/03 Champions League, and the 2004 Ballon d’Or.

But Shevchenko’s year of success dried up. When he joined Chelsea in the summer of 2006, the Ukrainian went on a run of three years where he scored just 24 goals in 106 games.

In 2009, the Blues offloaded him back to Kyiv.

Just like Matthews, his return to Kyiv did not spark fireworks. Shevchenko was not the player he once was, and he failed to win any trophies while back in Ukraine. But during his time at Dynamo Kyiv, he scored 30 goals, reached over 100 goals for the club, and helped them to three consecutive Champions League finishes.

8. Johan Cruyff

_ Return to Ajax_

Years - 1964-73, 1981-83

The flying Dutchman, El Flaco, Pythagoras in boots. There should be no need for me to tell you about the legendary Johan Cruyff, whose expertise on the game we all love is still felt to this day though the modern game-breaking tactics he helped implement throughout the greatest masterminds of our sport today.

Cruyff’s 20-year playing career would span across three countries and two continents, but there is no doubt the team that stayed in his heart through it all was his boyhood Ajax.

During his first spell at the most successful Dutch club, Cruyff and manager Rinus Michels teamed up to form one of the most formidable teams ever seen, winning six Eredivisie titles and three successive European Cups. During this time, Cruyff also won three Ballon d’Ors, making him the most successful player in the category during that time.

After seven years galivanting around Spain and the United States, Cruyff returned to Ajax in December of 1981 and got straight back to work.

By the end of his two-year contract, Cruyff had won two Eredivisie titles and a KNVB Cup.

Cruyff would rank even higher on this list if not for his final season as a player, when he joined arch-rivals Feyenoord and won the league.

7. Zico

_ Return to Flamengo_

Years - 1971-83, 1985-89

One of the most exciting players to ever play football, Zico and Flamengo fit together like a warm glove on a cold day.

Nicknamed the ‘White Pele’, Zico’s control of the ball has rarely been seen before. It stuck to his foot like glue as he easily rounded shell-shocked defenders who could not believe what they were seeing.

In total, he spent 16 of his 23 years as a footballer playing for O mais querido do Brasil, winning a myriad of trophies in his time, including the 1981 Copa Libertadores.

After his short but well-remembered stint at Italian side Udinese, Zico returned to Flamengo and immediately led them to a state and Brazilian league title.

In his four remaining years at the club, he would play just 77 times, plagued by injuries, but the most exciting player Flamengo has ever seen still scored 23 more goals while leading the side to more trophies.

6. Nemanja Matic

_ Return to Chelsea_

Years - 2009-11, 2014-17

One of the finest defensive midfielders the Premier League has ever seen, Nemanja Matic is the only player on this list whose real impact came only after returning to his club.

He was signed for Chelsea from Slovakian club Kosice in 2009, but made just three appearances before being shipped off to Portuguese side Benfica.

It was here that Matic began to make a name for himself. Over the course of two and a half seasons, the Serbian midfielder turned into a rock in the middle of the park.

It was not long before Chelsea came calling again.

Over the course of three and a half seasons at the Blues, Matic transformed. He developed a key partnership with Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas, and he helped Chelsea to two Premier League titles and the 2014/15 League Cup.

He was eventually sold to Manchester United for £40 million, just under a £20 million profit for Chelsea.

5. Didi

_ Return to Botafogo_

Years - 1956-59, 1960-62, 1964-65

Unless you are a football encyclopedia, an old man, or somebody who loves the history of football, the chances are you have not heard of the great Didi.

One of the finest centre-midfielders of all time, his impact and legacy transcends generations, with footballers such as Juninho and Cristiano ROnalod using his folha seca technique when it comes to free-kicks.

Didi’s three spells at Botafogo would all come in short stints, with the two-time World Cup winner playing just six years at the Lone Star—with each successive stint lasting one season less than the previous.

During his two returns to the club, Didi would help Botafogo to seven titles, including two league titles, a Torneio Rio–São Paulo, and two home tournaments.

Didi remains a beloved player by all Botafogo fans, playing over 300 times for them during his 16-year playing career, scoring 107 goals in the process.

4. Frank Rijkaard

_ Return to Ajax_

Years - 1980-87, 1993-95

One of the greatest midfielders of all time, Frank Rijkaard, had one of the most successful careers a footballer can have.

During his 15 year playing career, Rijkaard predominantly played for Dutch side Ajax and Italian side AC Milan, albeit for a half-season stint at Real Zaragoza.

At AC Milan, Rijkaard joined a side that dominated the world. He came in third place in the Ballon d’Or in 1988 and 1989, won two Serie A titles, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.

His return to Ajax came in 1993, and he spent the last two years of his career there.

Often, when a player goes back to his former side, they play limited minutes and have little impact.

Not Rijkaard.

The Dutch midfielder got straight to work, winning the Eredivisie in his first season back, and following that up with a second league title in his last season as a player.

Perhaps his greatest feat, however, came in the 1994/95 Champions League. Rijkaard played 10 of the 15 games as Ajax went on to win the trophy, beating his former side, AC Milan, in the final in what would be Rijkaard’s last ever game.

3. Mark Hughes

_ Return to Manchester United_

Years - 1980-86, 1988-95

A striker who once played two games on the same day—one for Wales against Czechoslovakia, and one for Bayern Munich against Borussia Mönchengladbach—Mark Hughes is one of the greatest strikers to ever play for the Red Devils.

His first stint at Manchester United came between 1980 and 1986. Hughes performed well but had limited trophy success, winning just one FA Cup before he was sold to Barcelona.

After time spent in Spain and Germany, Hughes returned home to nest at Old Trafford, where he performed to an ever greater extent, this time winning a myriad of trophies.

Under the great Sir Alex Ferguson, Hughes excelled, scoring 116 goals in 352 appearances for the Red Devils.

This time, he had a list of trophies to match his success, including two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the 1991/92 European Cup Winners' Cup, in which he scored twice to defeat his former club Barcelona.

2. Ian Rush

_ Return to Liverpool_

Years - 1980-87, 1988-96

With 346 goals in 660 appearances, Ian Rush remains Liverpool’s all-time top scorer, with current player Mohammed Salah 96 goals of the Welshman’s total.

Rush’s time at Liverpool was filled with two things: goals and lots of trophies.

In his first stint, he won five league titles, two European Cups, two League Cups, and an FA Cup.

And when he came back to Mersyside, that success followed. Rush scored 139 times in 330, and helped Liverpool to win the 1989/90 league title, two FA Cups and a League Cup.

Rush and Liverpool were also involved in the tightest first division league of all time, with Arsenal pipping them to the trophy on the final day when Michael Thomas scored a 91st-minute goal to put Arsenal ahead of Liverpool on goals scored.

1. Lothar Matthuas

_ Return to Bayern Munich_

Years - 1984-88, 1992-2000

And finally, we have the number one on this list.

Lothar Matthuas.

One of the finest ever players to play the game, many pundits and players regard the German as the greatest midfielder to step onto the pitch.

A dazzling, non-nonsense player, Matthaus experienced success throughout his career, winning 17 trophies, including seven league titles in Germany and Italy, the 1980 European Championship, and the 1990 World Cup.

In 1990, he was also awarded the Ballon d’Or.

Most of Matthuas’ success came at the German side Bayern Munich. Whilst playing for the most successful German side of all time, he won six league titles, two DFB-Pokals, the 1995/96 Super Cup, and played over 400 times.

The only trophy the German midfielder never managed to get his hands on was the Champions League.

He came agonisingly close on two occasions, losing 2-1 to Porto in 1987, before being beaten at the hands of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United in 1999.

On both occasions, Porto and Manchester United came from a goal down to defeat the German side.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Joe Ryan

Features Journalist

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