Who Is A Cult Hero?

 Cult heroes are never the best players in your side and they should always have at least one massive weakness which you love them for having all the same.Not your ordinary hero, but a 'cult hero' is one who has achieved his heroic status for perhaps unconventional reasons.There is no clear path to the status of cult hero and it’s this malleable definition which lends itself to them being so highly regarded by supporters, often disproportionately so when compared to their ability. For example, in 1990 world Cup, one might say that while, Maradona and and the Italian team were the heroes. But its plain and simple, Roger Milla, the 42 year old Cameroonian who scored several goals in the 1990 World Cup was most certainly a cult hero.

Not necessarily the most talented or decorated players in your club's history, but those who are remembered by the fans forever more for their actions - good or bad. Below is a small List of some of the Cult Heroes I have admired over the years.


Roger Milla


Roger Milla found fame at the ripe old age of 38 with his showing for Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.  He became a fan favorite not only for his four goals, including one gifted to him by his very own cult hero team mate, Rene Higuita, but also for his elaborate celebrations. He became known for his trademark dance when he scored a goal, and from there on he set the blueprint for the celebration of every goal scored by an African ever since. He was also named by Pele himself as one of the 125 greatest footballers of all time, which is nice.

Joseba Etxeberria

 
Etxeberria was never a mercenary. He'd supported Athletic as a kid and once there, never moved again as the Basque only club turned down several bids for the player. He had played over 500 games for Athletic and spurned a final lucrative contract when he said: "I wanted to do this gesture as a thank you to the behavior of the club towards me and the love I have received from so many people."
  
Luis Garcia



Luís Garcia was another frustrating character, but was so pivotal in Liverpool's Champions League success. Was really shaky in the start, missing a sitter or two against Monaco, nearly scoring a 40 yard lob against them, but scored the vital goals against Juventus and Chelsea. Went off the boil after that, but is still endeared by many, even if he did come back for Atletico a few years later and dived all over the place. His cult hero status was further underlined by the song frequently sung in his honor, to the tune of "You Are My Sunshine": "Luis García, he drinks Sangria/he came from Barça to bring us joy!/He's five foot seven, he's football heaven/So please don't take our Luis away!"

Vinnie Jones


Vincent Peter Jones was not your average footballer. You could argue he wasn't the most talented around, you could argue he preferred picking up yellow and red cards to wins, but you couldn't deny that he wore his heart on his sleeve. Vinnie gave his all on the pitch and made his name as part of Wimbledon's Crazy Gang.
The tough midfielder won the FA Cup with them in 1988 and enjoyed spells with Leeds, Sheffield United and Chelsea before returning to the Dons in 1992. Vinnie kicked anything that moved and even played at international level for Wales. We're still trying to work out how an Englishman ended up pulling on the red shirt, but would you want to question him about his roots? Well neither would we!
 
He has capitalised on his tough man image as a footballer and is known as an actor for his aggressive style and intimidating demeanour, often being typecast into roles as coaches, hooligans and violent criminals.

Nolberto Solano

Nolberto Solano could have been described as a poor-man’s Daivd Beckham during his time in the North East, as the wing wizard was a crossing and free-kick specialist.

He combined his footballing skills with a passion for the trumpet and could certainly hold a tune. He joined the club in 1998 and formed a strong partnership with powerhouse forward Alan Shearer; his quality deliveries and Shearer’s aerial ability were a perfect blend.

Questions of loyalty to Newcastle arose in 2003, as his dedication leaned towards his national side. Earning over seventy caps for Peru, his fiery commitment to his country led to Solano eventually being sold by Bobby Robson in January 2004. However, he would return in 2005 to the fans delight – they even chanted his name during the unveiling of Michael Owen.

During his short spell at Aston Villa in 2004 he was named the club’s Player of the Year and Top Scorer, although a swap deal in the summer for James Milner was just too good for David O’Leary to turn down

Socrates

 
One of the most elegant midfield generals in soccer history, Socrates, began his career in Botafogo. He was never a teenage star and didn’t make his debut in the Brazilian national team until he was 25. He was blessed with wonderful skills, vision and seemed to have so many options when he was on the ball. He was able to play the ball wherever and whenever he wanted. His heel-kicks became famous world wide. These rare skills combined with the fact that he was a medical student more than justified him being nicknamed “the doctor”. 

Socrates was not an ordinary athlete, in fact he didn’t look at himself as an athlete. He smoked a pack of cigarettes every day, and that was one of the reasons to why he never settled in Italy when he arrived there in 1984 to play for Fiorentina. The lifestyle didn’t suit him and he went back to Brazil a year later.

Easily recognizable for his beard and headband, he became the "symbol of cool for a whole generation of football supporters". Thus to many he is seen both as a hero and a cult hero

 

 

 

 

The list can be endless, there are plenty of cult heroes out there. The type of special players who have that special place in the hearts of their supporters regardless of their negativeness and rather their little positiveness.