They are called traitors. In the history of football, many players signed in the rival club causing the fury of the supporters. The latest transfer to date, the young OL striker, Lenny Pintor, who signed up with the sworn enemy, AS Saint-Etienne, this Thursday August 4, 2022. A look back at 10 of the most contested signings in the history of the transfer market.
1 – Gabriel Heinze, from PSG to OM
Five years after leaving the capital club (2001-2004), Gabriel Heinze said goodbye to Real Madrid (2007-2009) to return to France. But not in any club, at the historical rival of the Parisians: Olympique de Marseille (2009-2011). PSG supporters still resent the Argentinian for switching to the other side.
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Gabriel Heinze in the jersey of OM. © Photo: WEST FRANCE archives
2 – Ronaldo, from Barça to Real and from Inter to Milan
It’s a double betrayal. During his career, the Brazilian Ronaldo moved twice to the rival club. The double Ballon d’Or went from FC Barcelona (1996-1997) to Real Madrid (2002-2007) and from Inter Milan (1997-2002) to AC Milan (2007-2008). Not sure that Ronaldo has many friends among Italian and Spanish supporters.
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Ronaldo during his presentation to Real Madrid. © Photo: REUTERS
3 – Luis Figo, from Barça to Real
It is one of the biggest scandals in football history. After five years at FC Barcelona (1995-2000), the Ballon d’Or left Catalonia to join Real Madrid (2000-2005) against a check for 61 million euros.
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Luis Figo (Real Madrid, right) against Edgar Davids (FC Barcelona, left) © Photo: AFP
4 – Emmanuel Adebayor, from Arsenal to Tottenham
Emmanuel Adebayor is the star that Togo has known internationally. He has proven himself in several European clubs such as Metz, Monaco in France, Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Cristal Palace in England, at Real Madrid in Spain on loan. The player also played in Turkey and South America. London fans still have their transfer from Arsenal (2006-2009) to Tottenham (2011-2015) in their throats.
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Emmanuel Adebayor in the jersey of Arsenal. © Photo: AFP
5 – Bafetimbi Gomis, from Saint-Etienne to OL and from Lyon to Marseille
His departure for OL boiled the cauldron. Leaving ASSE in 2009, Bafetimbi Gomis directly joined the sworn enemy: Olympique Lyonnais. In the Rhône, he scored almost 95 goals. In Forez, it is always difficult to cash in even if during the season, the French international had praised the good performance of the Greens. “I am happy and above all, congratulations to them. Seeing the Greens at the top of the table, it’s nice. […] I wish them the best,” he said. In 2016, he signed with OM after playing five seasons with OL.
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Bafetimbi Gomis in the OL jersey. © Photo: Ouest-France archives
6 – Carlos Tevez, from United to City
After spending two years with the Red Devils (2007-2009), Carlos Tévez joined rival Mancunian Manchester City, where he stayed for four years. On the England side, the Argentinian’s transfer is considered a real betrayal.
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Carlos Tévez in the Manchester United jersey. © Photo: AFP archives
7 – Mathieu Valbuena, from OM to OL
His transfer between OM and OL had caused a huge scandal in the Old Port. A year after leaving France for a short exile in Russia, Mathieu Valbuena returned to the banks of the Rhône, in Lyon, he was the former part of the Marseille locker room. Booed and called a traitor by OM supporters, his arrival in Marseille in the jersey of OL had exceeded the limits of what is acceptable. The supporters had installed a puppet hung with his effigy accompanied by a banner “Real Marseille players only play at OM. You are just a traitor! »
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Mathieu Valbuena in the jersey of OM. © Photo: REUTERS archives
8 – Fabrice Fiorèse, from PSG to OM
He is known to have left PSG to join OM. A highly appreciated player during his time in Paris (2002-2004), Fabrice Fiorèse then joined Olympique de Marseille (2004-2007) to the great displeasure of Parisian supporters. A stint with the enemy that he regrets today. “A few months before signing for Marseille, when I was in Paris, I had scored at the last minute against OM (1-0, November 30, 2003) on an evening when, honestly, we should have taken five . Then, it took me more than two months before scoring my first goal in my new colors (at OM), I had also taken Drogba’s number 11… All that made it unbearable. OM destroyed my career but I am also responsible for my choice. thus entrusted the native of Chambéry.
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Fabrice Fiorese in the colors of PSG. © Photo: AFP
9 – William Gallas, from Chelsea to Arsenal then Tottenham
After five seasons at Chelsea (2001-2006), William Gallais signed immediately at Arsenal (2006-2010). A first betrayal for the Frenchman who after four years with the Gunners joined the only club he had to avoid… Tottenham. Not sure Arsenal fans liked it.
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William Gallas in the colors of Chelsea. © Photo: Getty Images
10 – Ilan, from Ajaccio to Bastia
The Brazilian also did well. Arrived from Brazil after a stint in France from 2004 to 2010, Ilan chose AC Ajaccio for his return to Ligue 1. Apparently uncomfortable in Ajaccio but in love with Corsica, the striker chose to leave in 2012 in Bastia, the rival club.
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Ilan when he played in Bastia. © Photo: WEST FRANCE archives
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Bonus: the aborted loan of former Lyonnais Anthony Mounier to Saint-Etienne
Trained at OL, Anthony Mounier is one of the young people from the Lyon academy who managed to join the professional group. After two years in Lyon (2007-2009), the Frenchman joined Nice (2009-2012) then Montpellier (2012-2015) before joining Bologna (Serie A) in 2015. Lacking playing time, Anthony Mounier was loaned to AS Saint-Etienne, the great rival of its training club, for six months in the form of a loan with an option to buy. Three days after signing his contract, ASSE wants to break off the operation. Indeed, the public and part of the locker room are against his coming because of comments made against the Greens when he was younger.
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Anthony Mounier during his presentation at ASSE. © Photo: MAXPPP archives
In front of the training center, a banner “Mounier: our colors will never be yours” is deployed. The player also received death threats from certain ultras from Saint-Etienne and Lyon, forcing him to return from Toulouse, where Saint-Étienne had just played, in a plane different from that borrowed by the Forézien workforce. His loan was thus canceled and he finally joined Atalanta Bergamo (Serie A).
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