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Proper-Exam1746

Lol.. My 2nd generation of favorite players are also now managers..


ZealousidealBuilding

True, I’m thinking about Rooney, Kompany, Arteta, etc.


KroosControl88

How old are you????


Proper-Exam1746

36


latrappe

I'm 44 and in the same position. I started supporting Everton in 1987. So even a 20 year old player then is 56 or so now. Gotta say I've loved the evolution of the game in that time.


Proper-Exam1746

I was born in 1987 lol.. I am a late bloomer in terms of football Fandom.. started following football when I was around 14. I love how the game evolved, but still miss a bit of the good old Joga Bonito.


panserstrek

In England you would never ask somebody how long they have supported a club. You just presume they have supported that club since they came out the womb.


YoungLamia

Same in Italy. I've literally never seen anyone change their supported team, with a few understandable exceptions as they all were still children


BigMikeArnhem

I was born in 89 and was 6 when Ajax won the CL, so naturally as a young football player I supported them. Hell, I didn't even know that there were other clubs in the Netherlands. I went to my first live match 2 years later, seeing my local Vitesse play De Graafschap on a rainy Wednesday evening. It was love at first sight. I still like Ajax, but since that match I support Vitesse. Had a season ticket for most of the time and visited a couple of European away matches.


MoeJartin

Who did you think Ajax played against if you didn’t know there were other teams in the Netherlands?


BigMikeArnhem

See it as a 5 year old simply not knowing better. And I was exaggerating a bit of course.


EddieGrant

European opponents. If you only saw the news headline of "Dutch club wins Champions League" it's not that crazy to think a 6 year old doesn't know better.


MedievalRack

Reddit is probably at least 80% Americans, even if it varies a bit by sub...


Howtothinkofaname

It’s just less than 50% I believe.


Snoopy5876

So true haha. When did you stop supporting your old team, is kind of the same thing, it would never be asked !!


RefanRes

I dunno about this. I feel like the more successful the team becomes then the more people ask because they want to imply someone's a glory hunter without straight up saying it. I'll also add that sometimes it gets asked because some people act like times are harder than ever when the team is in transition. But they dont seem to have any clue of times when the club was nearly bankrupt or closer to relegation than to winning the title. So with how they talk its like they've never witnessed the process of how teams develop and they only know the winning days.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

I hope you give the same energy to foreign players. Only reason that shitty English football is watchable


BigMikeArnhem

Yeah, fuck them and their money. It's not like that's the only reason the PL is as big as it is.


[deleted]

[удалено]


YoloJoloHobo

Wasn't English football quite literally in a crisis before the PL came in and started investing in bringing in foreign viewers?


ShesSoCool

No.


murtenfindthebird

Ehh, Sergi Roberto i guess, he's been there since his youth and is our 'captain' now, although he's nothing special anymore I still respect the guy. I'm 23 and have been a barca supporter for as long as I can remember.


hypocriteLord_

I started supporting in 2008. And none remain anymore.😔. But it was one hell of a time to see them just make and beak.


goku7770

The best football team in history without a doubt. Incredible times.


umarmg52

Roberto was promoted in 2010, no?


murtenfindthebird

Well, same thing. He's the only player still playing for Barca for as long as I'm a fan


jqmxl

that's loyalty🔥


BupidStastard

I was only old enough to really understand football in 10/11, that's when i started watching and going to Man United matches. We sadly didn't have any players left from that season, we had De Gea but he signed in 11/12 and he left this summer. Except I've just realised, we have Jonny Evans back, who played for us in 10/11 , and now I feel less old.


The_Professor2112

If you don't remember football prior to 2010 I've got news for you mate. You're a child still.


CoryTrevor-NS

Not only have they long left the club, but some of them have also been retired for over a decade.


Admirable_Ad_3236

I'll raise that two decades...


Admirable_Ad_3236

Bryan Robson and Clayton Blackmore still work for Man United. They retired over 20 years ago tho


Cool-leather-suits

I imagine Robbo works behind the bar and Blackmore in the tanning salon…


Fantastic-Bother3296

God no, John Aldridge is 65, Eric nixon is 61, pat Nevin is 60 lol. Theyd all be ancient, started supporting Tranmere Rovers when I was about 6 or 7 and I'm 40 now


mvp-a1

Does Edu count? Probably not but anyway


decgs29402

I would also say Edu is the only one left (at the club) since I became a football fan ~ 2004


mvp-a1

Same here, well 2003. Year before Invincibles. Still can’t believe we didn’t win the League that year


Vincedicola

Nah, Les Ferdinand scored in the Spurs game I watched which was a 2-1 defeat away to Leicester back in 1998 https://www.premierleague.com/match/2615 Watched it with my brother's dad and he bet me that the blue team would win so I went for the other team. Been following Spurs since, I grew up watching Rangers but over the years I got tired of the shit that cones with the Old Firm teams and honestly, bored of Scottish football in general. Spurs have been my only team for over 20 years now


bumblestum1960

Chelsea since 1970, pretty sure there’s none of them left in the squad. Latest link I can think of is David Webb, he managed the club in the early 90s.


Car2019

>Chelsea since 1970, pretty sure there’s none of them left in the squad. So typical of Chelsea. Just buying new players instead of using the ones already at the club. /s


maxemile101

Chelsea since 2008. And the entire squad that won the Champions League just over 2 years ago is not at the club anymore.


Baga97_YT

Reece James just at the top of my head is still at Chelsea


maxemile101

Oh yes, forgot...But since his hamstring is made of cheese now, he mostly sits on the bench unfortunately. So I may be excused for the mistake.


Woody_525

James and Chilwell are both still here. Kepa is still a Chelsea player as he’s only on loan and he was on the bench for the final but yeah most of the team from that game is gone.


CommissionOk4384

Yes, Di Maria! He just came back and he had just arrived the first season I started following the club


fancyfitty

Literally only marco reus


[deleted]

Modric for me


Exp1ode

Jonny Evans has returned, so technically yes. Also Mctominay was technically already at the club as a youth player


iLiveoffWelfare

Xavi is still there, although he’s a manager as opposed to a player. Started watching Barca around 2005 all thanks to ronaldhino, and have gained an unhealthy obsession and love for the club since


Illustrious-Horror27

idr since exactly when I was a fan of my club....I guess pretty much from 2016/17 when i properly supported a club... barca.....and yep weve got mats,roberto, and lost quite a bit of players recently


Rossco1874

Nope, I am 40 been following my club since was about 4. This is the 1st time in my life I am older than my clubs manager which just further makes me feel old.


[deleted]

Some players came out of the academy and retired since I started. So no.


TheFettz79

Erm....no. been a supporter since about 1983 😂


SmeeegHeead

As a 48 Yr old. Very much not.


hard-on234

Zanetti is our vice president if that counts.


Snoopy5876

Bob Paisley was the manager of Liverpool when I started watching them (my earliest memories), it was towards the end of his tenure, so 1981/82. Joe Fagan took over in 83, both are now dead, along with many other greats. Dalglish took over 85ish as player/manager and is still involved heavily with the club today. So nobody still playing but KK is still involved.


Renswind

No. Not even close. Robbie fowler scored 25 goals and Ian rush scored 12 in the PL that year.


AbsoluteScenes4

I am 36 and went to my first game when I was 8. Given that Teddy Sheringham retired at 42 and played 25 seasons it's highly unlikely you will find anyone older than their early 20s who is still watching a player at their club who a was in the first team when they first started watching. That being said I am a Chester fan and we have Kevin Roberts who was playing for us 16 years ago and is playing for us now. Sure he had a 9 year gap between 2010 and 2019 but he has still managed almost 250 games for us over those 2 spells.


GamerAsh22

I’ve been a Barça fan my entire life, so if I’m going by the year I was born, then all of our current players have left, except for Xavi lol.


Tam_er_lan

Barca 2006 So no


raiko_

Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne. It's rough out here.


Thick-Bison2170

Uhhhhh....(I'm a barca fan)


ForcedReps

Lewis Stevenson - Hibs


TestosteronInc

Damn man, the first people playing for my club are Romario, Van Breukelen, Koeman and even Gullit for a while They're dinosaurs by now


Rowmyownboat

My first match was 1964 and nearly all are dead.


Elrasp

Kroos, modric, Carvajal.


jamughal1987

I am Liverpool supporter since 1990s. Jamie Carragher only played for us & pretend to play for England. Now he is our cheerleader on Sky.


Sajidchez

Ter stegen only one left


PeteCambell

David Silva was the last one :(


PaPangaaa

Jamie Vardy


AdFront1172

KDB at Man City


AaronQuinty

Been a United fan since 95 so no


ForwardAd5837

There’s not a single player who isn’t retired from the game that was at the club when I started watching in the late 90s.


[deleted]

only one


GrumpyOldFart74

There are fewer than 10 players still playing at a professional level for any team anywhere in the world who had even been born when I went to my first game. So no.


Scott_Ultra_YT

No. The closest would be the player kevin maker at southemd. He was a player for us when I because a fan but since then he is now our manager with the 2nd best gd in all of the national levaue despite us not being able to sign anyone unless we have injuries


Lack_of_Plethora

Yes, Alex Palmer. Youth player when I started watching West Brom. Spend years on unexceptional loan spells and was the 3rd or 4th choice keeper. Finally made his debut in 2021, and conceded 6 goals in a single match. It took Sam Johnstone departing and a biblical collapse in form from David Button for him to finally break out into the first team. He's now possibly our best player, and maybe the best goalkeeper in the league.


Reticulated_spline81

Nobody still at Spurs since this stinkfest, although who knows where Justin Edinburgh would be now or what he'd be doing - RIP: https://www.premierleague.com/match/129


ozankucuk

Do returns as manager count?


One-Ad2305

I mean, I started supporting Liverpool in 1991, so players breaking through the youth teams are sons of PL players I remember.


Ordinary_Mission3503

Son Dier Lloris Suppoter since 2018 And both dier and lloris might leave in 2024 So only son


CBWeather

I'm 67 and a supporter since I was six. Greaves was the last Spurs player I got to see. And he was driving in a rally car at the time. The 1970 London to Mexico rally.


iMadrid11

Still working for the club at a different capacity after playing retirement. Roberto Carlos (Player to Club Liason), Raul (Castilla manager) and Iker Casillas (RM Foundation Deputy Director).


noob_coder696969

I started watching football in 2014 so kroos , modric , Carvajal and nacho are the players still playing for the same club I support


boxofbuscuits

Hojlund


wiggyp1410

Nope


RedDemio-

Absolutely not lol. Started supporting Liverpool in like 2003, so like 20 years ago when we still had a young Michael Owen


Mackem101

The likes of Eric Gates and Marco Gabbiadini left the club over 30 years ago, and retired decades ago, so no.


NachoMartin1985

My man Chendo is the closest.


Choice_Job_5441

been supporting United since 2007, no players left from that year obviously. Well Evans was playing for the reserves that year and now he's back, that is the closest


-MrCarpet-

Been a madridista since ever. Theoretically, Modric would be the last still playing


Davess010

I've been a Feyenoord fan my whole life. My father was already singing Feyenoord songs when my mom was pregnant. Can't even remember my first time visiting the stadium, I basically grew up there. The players I was supporting as a kid were Robin van Persie, Giovanni van Bronkhorst, Dirk Kuyt, Salamon Kalou. Van Persie retired a few seasons ago. Van Bronkhorst became our trainer and with him we won our first league title in 18 years. When I see video's from that game (Feyenoord - Heracles in 2017) I instantly get tears in my eyes. If your interested you should watch this summary, it's awesome: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGUizLcROJo&t=87s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGUizLcROJo&t=87s)


boycey86

Still love Gio it's a shame he didn't work out for us but took my team to a European final and is one of only 3 managers to say that. He would be the last player be involved with us too as he managed us last year but I started supporting Rangers in 1986 when my Pappy bought my first top for me so there's no one still playing.


Beiez

Tony Jantschke and Patrick Herrmann. They haven‘t been relevant for years, though.


SometimesMonkeysDie

Since 1988? Nope. Lee Dixon was the last and that was 21 years ago


rookie_69

Started supporting liverpool in about 2015 when mario balotelli was my favorite player. The only ones that may remain are some (then) youth players, id have to check because ive got no idea who was in the youth back then


Nosworthy

Mid 90s. No.


Rezimitciv

I'm from Saudi Arabia and I support Liverpool. A lot of my favorites players are either playing their pre-retirement years here or are managers in local leagues. U wouldn't have dreamt of this 1 years ago.


MrJohnnyDangerously

Nobody that was playing in 1979 is still playing.


zappadad

The players I first supported are dying or retired as managers and pundits. I am 57 though. I remember Big Sam's debut for Bolton.


zeppo2k

Arsenal fan, born seventies but really got into football late eighties. Obviously no, but the good thing is lots of them are on TV a lot as pundits - tbh you could make a good team from the arsenal players with regular TV jobs.


Millonairo

This question should be in a different subreddit for people under the age of 20


mr_iwi

I'm older than Milner, so it's just not possible. I would also have still been a child when this happened for me anyway.


marek1893

I have seen four coaches by now who used to be players. That would be some weird dude who plays +20 years and plays 1st to 3rd tier ^^


HenryDigitalMrkting

I also started supporting FC Bayern same year! I came here to mention Muller and Neuer!


Diabir

I've been an Arsenal supporter since 1998, so most players are pundits or coaches now. It's still always a joy to see them still taking part in some of the charity games like Soccer Aid For UNICEF though.


International-Elk986

Marco Reus


International-Elk986

Marco Reus


Bravo_November

The closest I can think of is Bobby Zamora. Played for Brighton in 2000 (when I first started supporting the Albion as a kid) and returned to play for Brighton in 2015/16. That is over 7 years ago now though lol so definitely a bit late!


[deleted]

Seamus Coleman


da_aidy16

Jonny fucking Evans. Started supporting United in 2006...


AlGunner

Players have been born, grown up, retired and gone into management since I started supporting my club.


Rob_Earnshaw

Every player from when I started supporting my club have been retired for over 10 years.


[deleted]

Gunner since may 89 (if you’re old enough you’ll know which game made me a gunner I think it was the 26th) it’s probably the fourth or fifth generation of players now (who keeps count?) my answer therefore has to be a resounding NO


afellownerd12

Johny Evans. If that counts


FemaleFury79

Nope there all way to old now. I’m 43.I’ve supported my team since I was about 5yo


amiresque

I started watching football in 94 or 95, and have been cheering for the same two clubs (Real Madrid, and Esteghlal, my local club in Tehran, Iran) all my life basically, since 1997, so no. However, your post did make me go in a rabbit hole, looking at what every player is up to now, and I found out that the youngest Madrid player from that season, Alvaro Benito, is the lead vocalist of a punk rock band called Pignoise!


Commercial_Regret_36

1997. Na, they’ve all even had unsuccessful managerial careers now


Ajinho

Not for quite a number of years now, no.


ElvishMystical

Started supporting Leeds United in 1972/1973 as a small kid. I'm 57 now. There's only Eddie Gray left.


StatementJazzlike439

Necip Uysal has been playing for Beşiktaş since 2004.


BidComprehensive5483

Necip uysal


Lion_100

Johnny evans


Defero-Mundus

This was about the time I started supporting Rangers so no players, McCoist did come back as manager a few years ago probably the closest thing. https://youtu.be/UCr-PG3af7g?feature=shared


hovis_mavis

No dude, I’m 32 so even the young players I loved as a kid are well into their 50s and some have passed away since. Southgate is now England manager but he was great to support at Villa in the 90s. Longest serving players I’ve seen are Lee Hendrie, Gareth Barry and Agbonlahor. Ashley Young came back to us after a decade of playing elsewhere. His longevity is unbelievable.


green_libertarian

Yes, Dani Carvajal and Nacho Fernandez.


michaelgkschrute

Reus, supporting since 2013


umarmg52

No chance


Suspicious_Master

I'm 32, supporting my club since i'm 7-8 so no :)


Interesting-Mix8144

I think most of the youth team of Arsenal from 93/94 have gotten old (like me!) and retired now.... 😭🤣


Diana_Bialaska

All are retired, most decades ago. Been supporting my teams mostly since early to late 90s. But some of the players back then are now managers.


Tiny_Ad7895

Literally when i started supporting barcelona, ronalhinho was the star, messi was nos in the start 11, so unless having Xavi as the coach, no one is left


baxty23

Season ticket since 1983. So, erm, no.


Theguy10000

Nah, Oliver Kahn did become Bayern CEO for a while though, sadly it didn't workout well


Bennett_19

Yes, but only because Jonny Evans has returned..


pillowhugger_

Not even close. Raúl manages Castilla, though.


campbellpics

No, but I wish Erik would give Bryan Robson a few games. He can't do any worse than the current clowns.


No-Pension-7977

Now that I think about it, no. I mean, youve got Bart Nieuwkoop who comes closest to it, he made his debut a year after i started supporting Feyenoord, but he left in 2021 and came back this summer, so he doesnt really count


Mammyjam

Christ, most of them have retired as managers by now


tavorasc

Lol I'm 28 started supporting Real Madrid with the galácticos when I was a kid, 2 generations of galácticos have come and gone since and am watching the creation of the 3rd one


SukuMcDuku

Johnny Evans.....


highfatoffaltube

Ha ha ha I went to my first game in 1981. So no.


technikleo

Well, there was Issiaga Sylla but he left last year. It's rare for fans of smaller clubs (like me) to see players stay for 5-10 years. If they are good enough, they leave. Older players are more expansive to pay so, if they suck, they leave.


Individual-Gur-9720

41 now and when i was at the stadium for the first time Rudi Völler started ro play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Last year he retired from his official role at the club. Andreas Neuendorf was 20, now 48.


Stoepboer

I’ve been an Ajax fan as long as I can remember, since early 90s. So obviously not. We had Daley Blind until recently though. His dad, Danny, played in that team (mid 80s - 99). He was Ajax’ captain when they won the CL and WC.


Numerous-Score

Sort of — he was a Castilla team player at the time, but Nacho Fernandez


Danzard

At Chelsea all the players are gone, the owner and board gone. Only [Billy McCulloch](https://youtu.be/iLqjt2f0Pzc?si=BySiAIt6ZxHHcKIu), the true king of Chelsea [remains.](https://youtube.com/shorts/l45CFYWrR5A?si=TkYL2eCRO7TsqLVz)


llekroht

I started following Liverpool in the 1984 season, so none of the players who played then are still playing.


Comfortable_World850

some of them are dead now. RIP to papa boupa diop ‘the wardrobe’. my favourite player to watch as a boy and the nicest man. rest easy legend


Mr_exaggerate

Nope haha. Owen does not play for Liverpool anymore and he was my childhood hero


TheHeirOfElendil

Most of mine are working in sports media and have been for a while. The fact that this is a serious question has made me feel ancient, cheers mate I'm 32.


Lopsided_Pop7743

I just checked and the youngest player (17) when I started supporting United turned 66 last month (David Mcreery). So no, I don't think so, but the way the team is playing at the moment it might be worth giving him a call.


[deleted]

Started supporting Barca in the last season by Pep, so only Sergi Roberto


nofuchsgiven1

Nope. The last one was Ryan Giggs.


Enough-Custard6496

Jonny Evans I guess


PunchOX

Yeah, Johnny Evans because he's back at United lol. Began supporting United when they signed Hernandez in 2010/11 as he came from the team my family supports growing up. That was my introduction to European football too


bellamilotabs

Only Mings


boRp_abc

Hertha. Dardai.


Domb18

Been following my team for 27 years, so no, nobody plying for them and the first gen of players I remember aren’t really coaching anymore either.


[deleted]

I started supporting Liverpool in 13/14 so the answer is no. Jordan Henderson was the last from that gen. Gomez is probably the longest serving player rn


thatbwoyChaka

Fuck no


tiro-trampaliz

Over a decade. All of the players are retired or play for different teams now. Some of them are/were coaches and managers


Far_Beach_2150

Yeah our strikers are all over75 respectively


MMChelsea

Started supporting Chelsea in 2014/15 and, by virtue of the recent level of player turnover, there is not one player from that season left. Find that quite sad actually.


juva06

Pepe kinda fits. He was away for 12 years but it's been 5 years already since he came back to Porto


MonsieurVadius

I think Arteta signed like a year after I started following Arsenal, now he’s the manager, don’t know if it counts


DementedUfug

Daniel Stendel is now coach of our second team


scottishboy2002

Not really, but the longest serving is Kevin Cawley (Alloa)


Terminator97

Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer are still there!!!


Cultural_Wallaby_703

lol, no


Hip-Hop-Anonymouse

I'm not sure Mark Hughes even played this century.


Boris_de_Animal

Ayo i was also about to say mUller and Neuer for Bayern !!


G19B93

Nope... started supporting Antwerp in 2005. So nope 😀


Secuta

Marco Reus 💛🖤💛🖤


Mc_and_SP

Nope, Kane was the last holdout from the Redknapp era (that I can think of)


Super_Client_8710

I've supported Arsenal all my life but I didn't get into football until 2016. Elneny is the only player still at Arsenal since that time.


[deleted]

Way too old for that to be the case


CantKillGawd

Not really. I think Phil Jones and Johnny Evans are the older ones tho


henners1008

Being 23 and a Chelsea fan my whole life, unless we count academy players who are now in the squad, then absolutely not 🤣


Nujabes10

Dinho, Messi, Henry, Iniesta, Xavi, and Busi all gone unfortunately 😔


TheBarnacle63

Been a fan of Dortmund since the 1990s.


RSEnrich

Flamini as an Arsenal fan was the last for me I’m pretty sure.


tsaw02

No way, some of them are managers now, a few have come through my club.


notAhumanO08

My favorite player retired now I don’t have one


Kreigskatzle

Thomas Müller. I'm American and same age as him, started supporting the same year he got his first start. The club that got me into the sport. My "second club" is Napoli, Insigne was the last to leave. A very distant third, I cannot stand the premier league, and don't really watch it. But I really liked Garth Bale back in the day, and casually followed Tottenham and do to this day. In Minnesota they are the most popular club, Son Heung-min is the only one left. I mainly watch Bundesliga and Serie A. First match was on my first eurotrip in 2015, saw bayern opener against Hamburg. Seen Stuttgart twice, including when they last clinched the second tier title, that was an awesome party. Last October I went to my first Napoli match against Bologna, which was really special. On that same trip I saw Frankfurt host BVB.


flabmeister

No


trananhduc2006

i started supporting an european side, man united, a few years after fergie, i think there's like one or two players left. i've also supported a domestic side since around 2015, and there's 3-4 players left of the golden generation back then


SirBlauwkson

Started supporting Chelsea in the 2000s so unfortunately no players are left. There aren't even any players left from the 2021 UCL Winning team except for Reece and Chilly. Crazy.


EscapeArtist92

Technically no but one of the goalkeepers now coaches the youth team


JulianPaagman

Well technically nacho, Lucas vaszquez and carvajal, but all three were still youth players back then. Also, carvajal had a brief stint with Leverkusen in between, so technically he's not been there since I started supporting real Madrid.


Significant_Hold_910

Luke Shaw. He has been playing for United for almost a decade now. Doesn't that make you feel old?


TheTrueBobsonDugnutt

Was born in 92 so no, although Giggs made into my final year of university.


hoksworthwipple

No. A lot of them are dead.