We all love a good bromance in football, don’t we? When it’s between players who go way back, it’s even sweeter. Today, we want to look at relationships like that that exist in football. These are ten football friendships that go way back.
Jude Bellingham and Jamal Muala
Starting with the golden boys of football at the moment, Jude Bellingham and Jamal Muala. These boys go all the way back to England youth teams when they were still kids. Back then, Muala was representing England while still in Chelsea’s youth team. After moving to Bayern Munich in 2019, he ended up switching allegiances to his country of birth, Germany. When the boys played for England under 15s, 16s, 17s, and 21s, they were so closely knit. They were roommates for some time and spent a lot of time together. We really got to see how far their friendship had come at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony when Muala sent Bellingham a congratulatory message after the Real Madrid man edged him in the Copa trophy.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero
Speaking of the Ballon d’Or, the winner of the latest award also has a friendship that goes all the way back. Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero have been friends for over 20 years now. Just like Muala and Bellingham, it all started in the youth teams. They won the 2005 under-20 World Cup together as teenagers and the Olympic gold in 2008 as well. They would then go on to represent Argentina together at the senior level for many years, living as roommates from the youth team right up until the time Aguero retired from international football due to a heart condition in 2021.
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To highlight how tight their friendship is, Messi decided that he’d stay alone in a room in Qatar since his regular roommate was not in the squad for the 2022 World Cup. But a few days in, Aguero pulls up and continues the tradition between the friends despite not being on the team. This is bromance at its finest.
Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique
Now to Messi’s former teammates, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique. They both joined the La Masia Academy in 1997 and instantly became inseparable. They would spend six years in the academy together before Fabregas left for England in 2003, and Pique followed suit the following year. In England, their friendship would continue despite being in different cities. But the pair of best mates would later find themselves reunited at Barca when Fabregas made his return in 2011.
David Luiz and Thiago Silva
Come and check out David Luiz and Thiago Silva, who were friends even before football. The boys have been best mates since they were literally kids. It’s even said that it was Davi Luiz’s dad who used his connections as a former player to get the boys some trials when they were really young. Silva and Luiz would go on to represent Brazil together at different tournaments. They also had a brief spell where they were club teammates at PSG. Interestingly, they also both played for Chelsea, but their paths never crossed in London.
Mason Mount and Declan Rice
Speaking of Chelsea, it was the Chelsea academy that produced the friendship between Mason Mount and Declan Rice. It’s no secret that Mount is a product of Chelsea’s academy, and well, for those who don’t know, so is Rice. The defensive midfielder joined Chelsea in 2006 at the age of 7, and that’s where he met Mount, who had joined the previous year. The boys instantly clicked. They played and lived together for seven years before Chelsea released Rice. But the boys still stayed in touch. The fact that Rice remained in London must have really helped their friendship.
The boys became so close that their families even went on holiday together. During this time, Rice and Mount were also linking up during international duty all the way from the youth teams to the senior squad. For years, rumors circulated that a reunion could happen, with Rice being linked to Chelsea. But in 2023, the boys ended up being further apart than they’d ever been before. Rice moved to Chelsea’s rivals, Arsenal, while Mount went to Manchester United.
Rees Nelson and Jaden Sancho
Rees Nelson and Jaden Sancho of Arsenal and United, respectively, also have a long-standing friendship. Both boys, who are about the same age, were not only born in the same city but they lived close to each other. It was so natural that they would be friends, living close to each other and also playing in England’s youth teams together. Although they have never crossed paths at club level and, in fact, are far away from each other most of the time, the boys have still managed to maintain their friendship over the years.
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie
Away from England now, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are another couple of guys whose friendship goes all the way back. The two buddies were born literally three weeks apart. They first met at the under-14 national camp in the US over a decade ago. They clicked and went on to be friends as they represented the US at different youth levels and then the senior team. Pulisic moved to Germany in 2015, and McKennie followed suit in 2016, so they continued their friendship there despite playing for rival clubs. They also briefly played in England together in 2023, and now they’re both playing their trade in Italy. Nothing can shake that friendship, it seems.
Kevin De Bruyne and Divock Origi
Here’s a pretty unusual one: Kevin De Bruyne and Divock Origi. There are four years between those two, but they’ve been friends for years now. When KDB was just 14, he and a few other boys who used to stay close by would get invited by Origi to come and play in his garden. That’s really how the friendship started, and they’ve maintained that relationship throughout the years. They have been in England for most of their careers while also representing the Belgium national team together on several occasions.
Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele
Another pair of Belgium teammates whose friendships go all the way back are Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele. These two have been friends since they were ten years old, regularly linking up in the Belgium youth team. Then, in 2012, they both moved to Spurs in the same window, and their bond just got stronger. They played together at the club level for seven years while also regularly representing the national team. During this time, it’s actually no surprise how close these guys became.
Riyad Mahrez, Wisam Ben Yedder, and Matias Pogba
Riyad Mahrez, Wisam Ben Yedder, and Matias Pogba are three players of African descent who all grew up in France. Ben Yedder and Mahrez both grew up in Sarel, and that’s where they became friends. The boys used to play football and football together as kids, and their families even knew each other. Pogba would then come into the mix after Mahrez joined Camper in 2009, the same year Matias Pogba joined the club. They were roommates during their one year together there, and that’s how the friendship started.
Closing
In the realm of football, where fierce competition and intense rivalries dominate, these enduring friendships serve as a heartwarming reminder of the human connections that transcend the pitch. From childhood bonds to international triumphs, these players have stood by each other through thick and thin, shaping not only each other’s careers but also leaving an indelible mark on the beautiful game.
As fans, we cherish these tales of camaraderie as they showcase the side of football that goes beyond the scores and statistics. The longevity of these friendships is a testament to the resilience of genuine connections, proving that even in the high-stakes world of professional football, enduring bonds can withstand the tests of time and distance.
As we celebrate the memories and moments shared by these football friends, it’s a poignant reminder that, ultimately, the sport is about more than just winning or losing—it’s about the relationships forged, the journeys taken together, and the lifelong friendships that make football truly beautiful. Here’s to the enduring spirit of camaraderie in football and to the friendships that continue to enrich the world’s most beloved game.
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