Liam Ridgewell enhanced the greedy, obnoxious stereotype that footballers are associated with recently when this photo leaked onto the internet but are all footballers really that bad? Yes they get paid outrageous amounts of money, yes their working days tends to finish a good few hours before everyone else and yes they are sought after by supermodels and idolised by thousands but underneath all the hair gel and fake tan they are human too.
Names as big as Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Iker Casillas has helped donate money to the people of the Gaza strip along with the man everyone loves to hate or loves to love depending on your alliance, Cristiano Ronaldo donated his 2011 golden boot worth 1.5 million euros to help fund schools in Gaza.
The most recent story of goodwill has come out of Liverpool. Scottish striker Steven Naismith will pay for the Christmas lunches of all the homeless people of Liverpool’s Whitechapel Centre, according to the Liverpool Echo. The striker has slipped in nicely in his first season in the Premiership and is making even more friends with this act of generosity.
Naismith isn’t the only one, as many a footballer decides to do something with his spare time other than spout nonsensical quotations about ‘haters’ on twitter. Here are three more players who deserve more recognition:
Billy Sharp:
When the now Nottingham Forest striker asked his previous boss Dean Saunders to start for Doncaster Rovers against Middlesborough only 2 days after his baby son Luey died of Gastroschisis, it reminded football fans that Bill Shankly may have been wrong about his now infamous phrase. Sharp smashed in a volley of supreme quality only enhanced by the psychological battle he must have faced in the days leading up to the match. He lifted his shirt to reveal “That’s for you son.”
Since then Sharp has started the Luey Jacob Sharp foundation to help raise awareness about Gastroschisis and support other families who have suffered the same way Billy did.
Craig Bellamy:
During the Welshmen’s time at Liverpool Bellamy, against the wishes of his club, visited a friend in Sierra Leone. Whilst there he learnt of the harrowing poverty that affects children so badly in the country. He went around the country with a bag of footballs and stopped any time he saw a group of kids and was so amazed by the passion they showed for the game that he started the Craig Bellamy Foundation.
The foundation has gone from strength to strength and does what it can to help children in Sierra Leone gain education and reach their potential with the beautiful game.
www.craigbellamyfoundation.org/
Didier Drogba:
The man who was a major factor in dragging Chelsea to the Champions League trophy last season has been using many of his personal funds to start the Didier Drogba Foundation. The foundation does what it can to help the people of his birth, Ivory Coast and has raised millions so far. From building schools to orphanages to sending a girl named Yao to Geneva to treat her leukemia, Drogba is seen as a modern day saint in Ivory Coast.
www.thedidierdrogbafoundation.com
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.