IT LOOKS like 2017 could become a watershed summer in football history.
Two one-club idols in John Terry and Francesco Totti have left the teams they have spent their entire careers with — both of which spanned over two decades.
Loyalty appears to be disappearing with talk Andres Iniesta could yet leave Barcelona, while neither Lionel Messi nor Daniele De Rossi have penned new deals.
However, those three are at least still at the same clubs they have always been throughout their professional lives.
“One-club men” seems to be a thing of the past, with so few staying for their entire careers at the same team — especially among the bigger sides.
Paolo Maldini, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Carles Puyol are long gone, while Steven Gerrard and Xavi finished their careers elsewhere after leaving Liverpool and Barcelona respectively.
So how many one-club men are still around?
There are currently 51 who have been playing professionally for at least a decade — and here are some of the notables.
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Christos Poyiatzis: Ethnikos Achna — debut in 1995
Cypriot is the longest-serving one-club man still around in professional football.
The now 39-year-old midfielder is club captain and started his career three years after Totti.
Poyiatzis has made 414 appearances and for Achna and won six caps for Cyprus.
Daniele De Rossi: Roma —2001
World Cup-winner is the current longest-serving one-club man in Europe’s top five leagues.
Like Totti, De Rossi rejected overtures from top sides such as Real Madrid and Manchester City.
The Italian midfielder has never won Serie A, but has finished runner-up on a staggering seven occasions.
Mark Noble: West Ham — 2004
Not technically a one-club man as he spent time on loan at Hull and Ipswich — but Terry did the same at Nottingham Forest.
Noble has been at West Ham for 13 years and is the club captain.
Despite never having represented England, he is considered one of the best penalty takers in Europe and is the Premier League’s longest-serving one club man.
Olivier Deschacht: Anderlecht — 2001
Belgian has made one more appearance than De Rossi, with both making their debuts in the same year.
Deschacht joined the Anderlecht youth team 20 years ago and has never left the club.
He has won the top flight on seven occasions and collected 20 Belgium caps.
Andres Iniesta: Barcelona — 2002
One of the game’s greatest-ever players.
Iniesta is among the most trophy-laden footballers in history with an incredible 33 honours for club and country.
It has not yet been confirmed that he will carry on at the Nou Camp beyond this summer.
Lionel Messi: Barcelona — 2004
The best player in football history.
Messi is creeping up on Iniesta with 30 major honours — and he also has the five Ballon d’Or awards to boot.
Is expected to sign a contract extension with the Catalans imminently.
Xabi Prieto: Real Sociedad — 2003
Born in San Sebastian, he has spent his entire career — including youth — at Real Sociedad.
Midfielder Prieto even represented the Basque Country on 14 occasions.
His finest individual hour was a hat-trick during a 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid.
Igor Akinfeev: CSKA Moscow — 2003
Was once billed as the next world No1 goalkeeper, but never quite made the leap.
Akinfeev has been guilty of high-profile errors for Russia at Euro 2016 and the Confederations Cup and has gone a whopping 43 Champions League matches without keeping a clean sheet.
Has made 522 appearances and won six Russian Premier League titles as well as the Uefa Cup in 2004-05.
Steven Anderson: St Johnstone — 2004
The defender represented Dundee United at youth level, but he made his first professional appearance for St Johnstone.
Anderson has won two trophies in his career, but has never been capped by Scotland.
Is nicknamed the “Victor Meldrew” of Scottish football.
Gabby Agbonlahor: Aston Villa — 2005
Another who was sent on loan twice, but has only ever signed a permanent contract with one club.
Agbonlahor is still at Villa, but made just 12 appearances in the Championship last season.
The striker has played in a League Cup and FA Cup final and has three caps for England.
Loic Perrin: Saint-Etienne — 2003
Including youth appearances, he’s been with the Ligue 1 side for 20 years.
Perrin has played 303 times, winning the French League Cup in 2012-13.
Was called up for the French squad on three occasions, but never made an appearance.
Andy King: Leicester — 2006
Has made 350 club appearances, playing in League One, the Championship, the Premier League and the Champions League.
King played 25 times in the Leicester’s historic title-winning season of 2015-16.
He also played for Wales at Euro 2016.
Rui Patricio: Sporting Lisbon — 2006
Portugal’s No1 has spent his entire career in Lisbon.
Rui Patricio has made 411 appearances in all competitions and has just two Portuguese Cups and two Portuguese Super Cups to show for his efforts.
However, he was a prominent member of his country’s victory at Euro 2016.
Benedikt Howedes: Schalke — 2007
Joined Schalkes’s youth side in 2001 at the age of 13 — and made his debut six years later.
Howedes won the German Cup and Super Cup in 2011.
Played every minutes of Germany’s World Cup triumph in 2014.
Every active one-club man
Christos Poyiatzis: Ethnikos Achnas, Cyprus — 1995
Mohammad Al-Shalhoub: Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia — 1998
Hitoshi Sogahata: Kashima Antlers, Japan — 1998
Hamed Shami: Al-Gharafa, Qatar — 1999
Masoud Zeraei: Al-Arabi, Qatar — 1999
Choirul Huda: Persela Lamongan, Indonesia — 1999
Abdulaziz Ali: Al-Gharafa, Qatar —2000
Fahad Al Shammari: Al Gharafa, Qatar — 2000
Cao Yang: Tinajin Teda, China — 2000
Khaled Khalaila: Bnei Sakhnin — 2000
Mohamed Omar: Qatar SC, Qatar — 2001
Daniele De Rossi: Roma, Italy — 2001
Olivier Deschacht: Anderlecht — 2001
Mohammed Al-Sulaiti: Al-Wakrah, Qatar — 2002
Colin Coates: Crusaders, Northern Ireland — 2002
Andres Iniesta: Barcelona, Spain — 2002
Dean Lewington: Wimbledon/MK Dons — 2002
Tibert Pont: Servette, Switzerland — 2002
Igor Akinfeev: CSKA Moscow, Russia — 2003
Kengo Nakamura: Kawasaki Frontale, Japan — 2003
Xabi Prieto: Real Sociedad, Spain — 2003
David Svensson: Falkenbergs FF — 2003
Loic Perrin: Saint-Etienne — 2003
Killian Overmeire: Lokeren — 2003
David Zibung: Luzern — 2003
Tor Arne Andreassen: Haugesund — 2003
Chonlatit Jantakam: Chonburi, Thailand — 2004
Mark Noble: West Ham, England — 2004
Andrew Considine: Aberdeen, Scotland — 2004
Go Yo-han: FC Seoul, South Korea — 2004
Lionel Messi: Barcelona, Spain — 2004
Mads Justesen: Hobro IK, Denmark — 2004
Steven Anderson: St Johnstone, Scotland — 2004
Itumeleng Khune: Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa — 2004
Hossam Ashour: Al Ahly SC, Egypt — 2004
Gabby Agbonlahor: Aston Villa, England — 2005
Yannick Cahuzac: Bastia, France — 2005
Mikel Gonzalez Martinez: Real Sociedad — 2005
Lewis Stevenson: Hibernian, Scotland — 2005
Romain Danze: Rennes, France — 2006
Jesus Eduardo Zavala: Monterrey, Mexico — 2006
Geoffrey Jourdren: Montpellier, France — 2006
Leigh Broxham: Melbourne Victory, Australia — 2006
Andy King: Leicester, England — 2006
Bruno Soriano: Villarreal, Spain — 2006
Patrick Kristensen: AaB — 2006
Marco Schonbachler: FC Zurich — 2006
Rui Patricio: Sporting Lisbon — 2006
Benedikt Howedes: Schalke, Germany — 2007
Alberto Lora: Sporting Gijon, Spain — 2007
Julio Cesar Dominguez: Cruz Azul, Mexico — 2006
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