Has money ruined the modern footballer ?

[Monny]

There are some truly great players around but does the champagne lifestyle, egotism and adoration of fans get in the way of their art ?
Has it gone to their heads.............ruined them as footballers ?

Will we ever see the likes of Pele, Di Stefano, Platini, Puskas, Cruyff, Zico, Maradona, Kinkladze etc ever again ?
@SILENCE; who's complaining ?
You're a w*nker !
@James; you're a w*nker too !

[Somebody]

I used to like football, but now ive lost all respect for it; in my opinion the money has ruined the game aswell. Its because its so televised now; money goes into the game but never comes out

If you look at any other sport they are completely different. Firstly the players dont recieve a fraction of what the football players recieve (most of the time theyre diving anyway!), and secondly they dont spend millions on a player.

The sport has become scandalous (mainly the players' faults)- they lie, cheat, swear, abuse/are racist to the refs (in general ofc!!!)- this is what needs to be changed most urgently imo. The accusations towards mark clattenburg by chelsea and manc are disgusting- how could you potential ruin one's career over mere club rivalry?.

The game has just become built on money, not on the passion for the sport like it should be

[john]

Can you really put Kinkladze in the same category as the likes of Pele and Maradonna?

There are still some truely world class players around today. Messi, Ronaldo, Falcao, Xavi, Iniesta, Van Persie etc etc...

[Scotty]

Haha don't know what Kinkladze is doing on that shortlist mate

I think people like to dramatise things, football is doing fine, Messi may well be the greatest footballer of all time and he plays right now.

[Mike]

Look at players like messi and Xavi they don't let money blind them

[James]

It's hard to say, really. There has to be a reward for working that hard, dedicating your life to a particular art (and doing it well) is something very few humans have done. The pay and fame has only encouraged further generations to pursue the sport as an occupation, not only a passion.

Of course they're going to be egotistical, they're celebrities. You'll be hard-pressed to find any humble A-list celebrity in this day and age. I believe the only thing they can do in that situation is be the best role-model to the younger generations and distribute wealth generously.

You'll find a lot of footballers giving to charity and what-not, but that isn't enough in my opinion, there's not one person on this planet that NEEDS 50 million in their bank account, while sitting in a full-payed for 10 million house with 8 cars in the garage. There's so many things they could do; keep animal shelters running, house the homeless, open youth clubs on council estate, whatever.

It seems footballers also have the biggest voice, but very little to say. hundreds of thousands of Twitter follows, hundreds of hours of media footage, but they choice to talk about such mindless bollocks, instead of pressing issues like drugs, poverty, education, etc.

[Mike]

Players have to start at an early age, and therefore dont get a proper education, nor do they focus on important things.
They dont have an sense of reality, but then do the fans who idolise these people.

Maradona isnt exactly a saint is he. A mental crack addict?

[PoloBoy]

i defiantly ruined the whole Manchster City squad.

[Silence]

A Man City fan moaning that money is ruining football, priceless

[KHAN DOES THIS]

you should have looked at your avatar picture before talking about money and football...