Football is the most popular sport on the planet. With passionate supporters based all over the world, football is a global game that dominates day-to-day conversation in pubs, offices and schools across every continent.

One of the main reasons for the growth of football betting and the popularity of the sport is the people involved in football – both past and present. In recent years, iconic characters like Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Zlatan Ibrahimović have grasped audiences on the touchline, in the studio and on the pitch.

Sadly, some of football’s biggest icons are no longer with us. However, their legacies will live long in the memory at their respective clubs. Here are 10 football legends that we would’ve loved to interview here at 888sport:

 

Sir Matt Busby

Busby was manager of Manchester United for 25 years and he led the club through their darkest times following the Munich Air Disaster. Eight players tragically lost their lives but Busby defied the odds to survive despite a bleak outlook.

The Red Devils manager went about rebuilding the club and Manchester United secured their first European Cup just 10 years later. It was a miraculous turnaround and the ‘Busby Babes’ will forever be remembered for their impact and influence across the globe.

 

Johan Cruyff

One of the most naturally talented footballers of all-time, Cruyff was a key figure during the ‘total football’ era. Playing for Ajax and Barcelona for the majority of his club career, Cruyff made a name for himself on football’s biggest stage.

The Cruyff Turn is still one of the best skills for young footballers to learn and the Dutchman will go down in history as a true icon of the beautiful game. His legacy as a superb manager also lives on to this day.

 

Bob Paisley

Arguably the most influential figure in Liverpool’s history, Paisley averaged 2.2 trophies per season during his nine-year stint as a manager. Shankly led the club to unprecedented levels of success prior to Paisley but Paisley’s impact as his assistant did not go unnoticed.

To this day, Paisley is one of only three managers to win the European Cup three times – an incredible feat. It would’ve been great to talk to Paisley about how this current Liverpool side compares to the dominant force in the 1970s.

Bobby Moore

Moore captained England to victory at the 1966 World Cup and he was a respected figure across the country. The England legend spent most of his club career at West Ham United and he is widely regarded as the club’s greatest ever player.

Interviewing Moore about that World Cup success would be a dream come true for any young football fan. To this day, England have yet to win a major tournament – though our Euro 2020 guide suggests maybe that could change this summer.

 

Sir Bobby Robson

One of football’s good guys, Robson was particularly loved by Newcastle United fans after his managerial exploits at St James’ Park. However, it would be foolish to ignore his impact at Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Ipswich Town as well.

Awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, the former England manager did great things during his career and he was always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to help those less fortunate than himself.

 

Gary Speed

Speed was somewhat underrated as a player but he was incredibly loyal wherever he went. In fact, he retired having played over 200 matches for Leeds United and Newcastle United while also appearing in over 100 games for Bolton Wanderers.

At the time of Speed’s death, only David James and Ryan Giggs had played more Premier League matches than the Welshman. To this day, Wales fans are reaping rewards from his hard work with the national squad – their place at Euro 2020 has been confirmed. 

 

Billy McNeill

‘One club’ men are a rarity these days but McNeill certainly fits the bill. He was totally committed to Celtic, spending over 60 years at the Glasgow club as a player, manager and club ambassador – McNeill will go down as one of Celtic’s greatest ever players.

He captained Celtic’s Lisbon Lions to European Cup glory in 1967 while also leading the club to nine successive Scottish league titles. McNeill played the entirety of his 18-year career at Celtic Park and fans still sing about the club legend on the terraces.

Brian Clough

The one and only Brian Clough simply has to feature on this list. Clough really changed the game for managers in English football, bringing a unique mix of humour and integrity into the sport – and he was a terrific goal scorer as a player as well.

Labelled as the ‘greatest manager England never had’ by some, Clough always tried to put a lighter spin on discussions. An interview with the man responsible for some of football’s funniest quotes would certainly have been one to relish.

 

Gordon Banks

The first question we’d have lined up for Banks would be: how on earth did you pull off that save from Pele? The clip of the England goalkeeper getting down to keep the Brazilian out has been watched millions of times around the world – it is an iconic piece of footage.

Banks played every minute of every game in England’s World Cup triumph in 1966 and fans will be forever grateful for his efforts during that campaign. While Peter Shilton holds the all-time goalkeeper caps tally, Banks might just be England’s greatest.

 

Bill Shankly

Shankly was a true icon of British football and he is still widely regarded as one of the best managers to grace England’s top flight. His influence at Anfield is still clear to see, even 60 years after he first arrived at the club.

At the beginning of the season, many fans believed that Liverpool would win the title this season but not even the most ardent Red would’ve expected to be this far ahead of the rest. Without a doubt, Shankly will be smiling down on this current crop of Liverpool stars.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jon Super / AP Photo*

It would be fair to state that Arsenal and Chelsea have both underperformed this season. With eight defeats in 23 Premier League games, Chelsea are clinging on to a top four berth while Arsenal are languishing down in 10th position after a woeful campaign.

Both clubs are in desperate need of a confidence boost after failing to claim three points at the weekend and neutrals will be eyeing up the Premier League Odds ahead of what should be an exciting game at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Here, we’ve created a combined XI with the best players from both clubs. Chelsea dominate with seven players to just four from Arsenal but do you agree with our picks?

Bernd Leno

A tough choice at the goalkeeper position but probably for the wrong reasons. Leno and Kepa have hardly covered themselves in glory this season but the Arsenal man just about edges it.

Kepa has the worst save percentage in the Premier League, stopping just 55.4% of shots faced in 2019/20. Meanwhile, Leno is operating at 72% which is enough to put him in our Chelsea vs Arsenal combined XI.

Reece James

At just 20 years old, James has already made a name for himself at Stamford Bridge. Likely to feature for England in the near future, James is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League on current form.

Chelsea have tied him down to a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2025. The Blues defender is easily our pick for the right-back position.

Antonio Rudiger

Arsenal and Chelsea are not exactly blessed with defensive talent but Rudiger is certainly the best of a bad bunch. Unfortunately, the Germany international has played just eight league games for Chelsea this season due to injury.

He is our choice to rank as the commanding marshal in defence. Rudiger is still improving and he could become a top defender in the coming years.

David Luiz

Alongside Rudiger, we are going with former Chelsea defender David Luiz. The Brazilian is by no means a lock for this spot in the team but he is arguably slightly more consistent than a few of the other contenders.

Luiz has been praised by new Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in recent weeks and it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the 32-year-old produce a solid performance against his former club.

Kurt Zouma

Rightly or wrongly, we are shifting Zouma to left-back for the purposes of this Chelsea vs Arsenal combined XI. Such are the limitations of the conventional full-back options, Zouma is preferred to slot into the left-back role.

Zouma leads the team in aerial battles won (83) and clearances (84) and his presence at set-pieces alone gives him an advantage over some of his rivals.

N’Golo Kante

Kante is Chelsea’s midfield general and he will also act as that for our all-Chelsea unit in this team. The Frenchman has shown versatility and an ability to adapt to different roles during Frank Lampard’s short tenure.

One of the most consistent players in the Premier League over the last five years, Kante is one of the first names on our Chelsea vs Arsenal combined XI.

Mateo Kovacic

Consistency has eluded Kovacic on more than one occasion this season but there is no denying he boasts immense natural ability. The Croatia star is one to watch as he continues to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge.

It was a tossup between Kovacic and Mason Mount for this place in the midfield but we are leaning towards the Croatian. There wouldn’t be much separating both players in football tips for this XI.

Jorginho

A calm and collected head in midfield, Jorginho makes Chelsea tick and he can be the ‘Paul Scholes’ for this combined Arsenal and Chelsea XI. His impact and influence since joining the Blues has been clear for all to see…

While some would say that Jorginho lacks physicality to play in the Premier League, he has shown mettle in midfield and he is the clear pick for this spot.

Nicolas Pepe

After a slow start to his Arsenal career, Pepe has started to find his feet in north London. He has yet to justify his hefty £72 million price tag but Gunners fans will be relatively pleased with his recent progress.

With two goals and an assist in his previous three starts, Pepe is starting to show why Arsenal were so desperate to sign him. He pips Callum Hudson-Odoi for us.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

One of the most consistent strikers in world football, Aubameyang has been prolific during his Arsenal career. He is banned for Tuesday night’s clash and Gunners fans will be fearing the worst with Aubameyang on the sidelines.

An absolute shoo-in if the Premier League was to replicate an NBA All-Star game, the Gabon forward is one of the best in the business and is an absolute must for our XI.

Tammy Abraham

Abraham has scored 13 goals in 22 Premier League games this season and the Blues striker deserves his place alongside Aubameyang here. In fact, some might say that on current form he is our Chelsea-Arsenal combined XI frontman.

Chelsea have had to rely heavily on Abraham this campaign but the youngster has stepped up to the plate. With Kane injured, could we see Abraham lead the line for England at Euro 2020?

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jon Super / AP Photo*

The NFL playoffs are unpredictable at the best of times. Momentum often swings back and forth during the postseason and only the best can prevail.

Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible success over the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round but how does that feat rank against other playoff comeback stories?

Scroll down for the latest NFL betting odds, tips and news and thoughts on the greatest comebacks in playoff history. Who knows, we could be set for more drama in the coming weeks…

 

Bills 41-38 Oilers (1993)

If you think Houston’s loss to the Chiefs was bad, take a look at the city’s previous franchise losing to the Bills in 1993. This was – and still is to this day – the greatest comeback in NFL playoff history, with the Bills coming back from 32 points down midway through the third quarter.

With Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly out injured, the onus was on backup Frank Reich to lead the Bills to the Super Bowl. Trailing by 32 points in the third quarter, Reich threw four touchdown passes in those final 22 minutes to lead the Bills to a famous overtime victory.

Reich led the Bills to a road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers before resuming his backup role after Kelly’s return in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the Bills crumbled against the Dallas Cowboys but that triumph over the Oilers will live long in the memory of NFL fans.

 

49ers 39-38 Giants (2003)

With just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, San Francisco found themselves trailing by 24 points. The outlook was bleak but Jeff Garcia was able to lead the 49ers to an incredible comeback. One of the first dual-threat quarterbacks of his kind, Garcia was just as impressive as a runner as he was in the pocket.

The legendary Terrell Owens caught nine passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns and two two-point conversions in that triumph. This is one of those memorable NFL playoff wins that is still talked about today; it was an absolute joy to watch.

Can Jimmy Garoppolo lead San Francisco to Super Bowl glory in 2020? A mouth-watering clash with the Kansas City Chiefs awaits and punters can find the latest NFL tips and news via the 888sport blog ahead of Super Bowl LIV.

 

Colts 45-44 Chiefs (2014)

Now retired at the age of 29, Andrew Luck always looked destined for greatness. Luck was the man tasked with the impossible job of replacing the great Peyton Manning but he did a pretty good job for the majority of his short NFL career.

Back in 2014, he was involved in a playoff shootout game with Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith. Poor quarterback play in the first half gave the Chiefs an opportunity to build a lead and the Colts quickly found themselves trailing by 28 points. It was down to Luck and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton to get Indianapolis back in the game…

13 catches, 224 yards and a winning touchdown later, Hilton and Luck had completed a miraculous turnaround. The Lucas Oil Stadium crowd were jubilant and that Luck ‘fumble’ touchdown still features on NFL playoff highlight reels five years later.

 

Patriots 34-28 Falcons (2017)

In one of the greatest Super Bowls of all-time, the Patriots came from behind to break the hearts of Atlanta Falcons fans around the world. With New England trailing 28-3 in the third quarter, many believed that Atlanta had done enough to prevail to claim their first Super Bowl success.

However, what most NFL fans had failed to remember was: Atlanta were playing against the New England Patriots. Arguably the best dynasty in NFL history, the Patriots produced one of the greatest comebacks in sport to clinch their second Super Bowl in three years.

Tom Brady received plenty of plaudits but it was James White’s impact as a receiver that really gave New England the edge. White finished with 14 catches for 110 yards and the go-ahead touchdown late in the game. It was one of the great individual NFL playoff performances.

 

Chiefs 51-31 Texans (2020)

We couldn’t not have Kansas City’s victory on this list. Houston raced into a 24-0 lead early in the second quarter after a nightmare start for the Chiefs – turnovers and a muffed punt gifted good field position to the Texans who duly obliged to build a commanding lead.

However, it wasn’t commanding enough. With the Chiefs reeling, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien opted to kick a field goal on fourth and 1 while on the Kansas City 13-yard line. A touchdown could’ve crushed the Chiefs but holding Houston to a field goal was a win.

From there, the momentum shifted. Mahomes was unbelievable for the rest of the game, throwing five touchdown passes en route to a mammoth success. It marked only the third time in NFL history that a team won by 20 points after previously trailing by 20 points and the first time in the NFL playoffs.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jeff Roberson / AP Photo*

The rust built up over the offseason makes Melbourne the home of Grand Slam upsets. Great players aren’t yet in their new stride at the beginning of the season, put that with some in-form underdogs and you have a cocktail ready to produce shocks.

Tennis betting can be a treacherous business in the first Slam of the year. The world’s best are sometimes vulnerable, and outsiders are worth looking out for whether in the early rounds or as the tournament winner.

Melbourne has witnessed some of the great Grand Slam surprises. Some of these losses set off a special season, others damaged confidence for the tournaments that followed.

Either way, they were significant moments in both players’ careers, and matches that will be remembered for a long time. Here are the biggest Australian Open shocks.

 

Helena Sukova vs Martina Navratilova (1984)

Martina Navratilova is one of the best tennis players of all-time. Heading into the 1984 Australian Open, Navratilova had won the six previous Grand Slams and was riding a 74-match unbeaten streak.

To say she was heavily favoured against Sukova, who hadn’t made it past the fourth-round of a Slam previously, would have been an understatement.

Once Navratilova had taken the first set 6-1, the semi-final was expected to be a walkover. Sukova fought back against the odds, however, to win the next two sets 6-3, 7-5.

The underdog went on to lose to Navratilova’s long-time rival Chris Evert in the final – there was a positive from the tournament for Navratilova, however, as she won in the doubles.

Amelie Mauresmo vs Lindsay Davenport (1999)

Martina Hingis was waiting in the final for the victor of the Amelie Mauresmo and Lindsay Davenport semi-final in 1999. Hingis was a two-time defending champion, and a meeting with the top seed Davenport seemed inevitable. Mauresmo was unseeded.

The Frenchwoman had never made it into the second week of a Slam until the 1999 Australian Open and didn’t reach another quarter-final until the 2001 US Open.

Despite losing the first set, Mauresmo blew Davenport away with dominant serving and powerful groundstrokes that the American couldn’t live with.

Although Mauresmo became one of the best players in the game and reached world number one a few years later, she had to wait until 2006 for her first Grand Slam success, which came over Justine Henin in Melbourne.

Davenport bounced back to win Wimbledon a few months after her disappointment in Australia and defeated Hingis in the 2000 Australian Open final.

 

Thomas Johansson vs Marat Safin (2002)

Thomas Johansson was the 16th seed when he met Marat Safin in the 2002 final. The Swede had just one Masters title to his name at that point, having won the Canada Masters three years earlier.

Safin finished 2001 as the 11th-ranked player in the world, but was heavily favoured for his clash with Johansson.

The Russian took the first set, and it looked like it could be a predictable final. Johansson upset Safin’s rhythm in the second set, however, mixing the pace of his shots and keeping him off balance.

Johansson only made it past the fourth-round once more before his retirement in 2009. Safin appeared in two more Australian Open finals, losing to Roger Federer in 2004 and finally getting his hands on the trophy in 2005.

Alberto Martin vs Lleyton Hewitt (2002)

The 2002 tournament was bonkers. The top four seeds all fell in the first two rounds, setting the foundations for the Johansson-Safin final.

Lleyton Hewitt had just become world number one and, when he lost to Alberto Martin in the first round, became the first top seed to get knocked out in the first round of a Grand Slam since 1990.

Despite a first-round loss in his home Slam, Hewitt wasn’t too downbeat, putting his poor performance down to a recent battle with Chickenpox.

The world number one cruised to a 6-1 win in the first set, but lost the next three, his recent illness making it harder to compete over multiple sets.

Unlike with Hewitt in 2002, will we see the home crowd celebrating this year? Our 2020 Australian Open guide looks at all you need to know ahead of the tournament.

 

Marcos Baghdatis vs Andy Roddick (2006)

Few players are as much fun as Marcos Baghdatis. At just 20 years old, the Cypriot put in a performance that caught the eye of the tennis-watching world as he toppled number two seed Andy Roddick in the last 16.

Baghdatis had gone out in the first round of his three previous Grand Slams, but made it all the way to the final in Melbourne, defeating Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian in the quarter and semi-finals.

He even took a lead against Roger Federer in the final, but lost the match in four sets. Baghdatis played positive tennis in two senses – on the court and with a smile on his face.

He frequently produced his best shots in the biggest moments, too. Unfortunately, the 2006 Australian Open proved to be the highlight of Baghdatis’ career.

 

Head to 888Sport to smash your next bet on the Aus open

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Mark Baker / AP Photo*