Image via Complex Original
The world's greatest soccer players and managers have been commemorated and honored in various ways, but perhaps one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on one of the sport's greatest legends is to have their own statue.
Many factors are taken into consideration in deciding whether a player or manager deserves a statue, but the two main considerations are a person's importance to their club and their importance to their country.
The UK is home to 80 soccer statues, which is much more than any other nation. However, other countries that have a deep-seated football culture, such as Brazil, Spain, and Holland, have each erected more than 20 statues to honor their players. These monuments are also popular in Argentina, Russia, and Mexico and can be found as far as China, Bolivia, Israel, and Indonesia.
In honor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we compiled a list of some of The Most Important Soccer Statues Worldwide.
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The Champions
Sculptor: Philip Jackson
Location: Newham, London
This 13-feet memorial to England's 1966 World Cup victory includes four subjects: Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, and Ray Wilson. The sculpture is based off of a scene that was photographed after the final had ended, and it stands as a symbol of pride for the entire country.
Brian Clough and Peter Taylor
Sculptor: Andy Edwards
Location: Pride Park Stadium, Derby, UK
This statue depicts one of soccer's most legendary management partnerships. Englishmen Brian Clough and Peter Taylor had a long history of wins, wins, and more wins. When the two managed the Derby County Football Club, they won the 1972 league championship. The dynamic duo also claimed the European Cup in 1979 and 1980. Given their long-lasting friendship, it only makes sense that they are casted in bronze together, side-by-side.
Billy Bremner
Sculptor: Frances Segelman
Location: Elland Road, Lees, UK
It's hard not to appreciate the Billy Bremner statue, showing the Scottish soccer player in a cheerful, celebratory pose. Known for being fiery and reckless at times, Bremner played 773 times for Leeds between 1960 and 1976 and is seen by countless fans and sports enthusiasts as the driving force behind the club's most successful period in their history.
Johnny Haynes
Sculptor: Douglas Jennings
Location: Craven Cottage, London
Johnny Haynes captained the Fulham Football Club for 18 years, and he held his record as their top scorer for four decades. He retired from playing in 1970, after 658 games, and in 2008, three years after his death, he became forever immortalized in a statue. He's depicted standing in his distinctive hand-on-hips gesture.
Tony Adams
Sculptor: MDM Props Ltd.
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
Tony Adams spent his entire career playing for the Arsenal Football Club, for a total of more than 500 games played. Throughout his career as a player, he helped his team win the English First Division/Premiership four times, the FA Cup three times, the League Cup twice, and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994. He later went on to manage several different teams. As one of Arsenal's best players, this statue serves as a testament to Adams' dedication to the team.
Herbert Chapman
Sculptor: MDM Props Ltd.
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
Strongly remembered as being one of the most successful and influential managers of 20th century English soccer, the statue of Herbert Chapman that stands tall outside Emirates Stadium is both a unique and effective way of immortalizing Chapman's unwavering dedication to the Arsenal Football Club. He is depicted in a more thoughtful pose in comparison to many sports-related statues that capture action.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Sculptor: Philip Jackson
Location: Old Trafford Stadium, Greater Manchester, UK
Under the managerial leadership of Alex Ferguson, Manchester United went from being a virtually underachieving team to winning 13 Premier League titles, two European Cups, five FA Cups, four League Cups, and one European Cup Winners' Cup. Following the club's winning of the treble—three very important matches, including the Premier League championship, the FA Cup, and the European Cup—Ferguson was knighted by the Queen of England. If that rapsheet doesn't call for a statue, well, then we don't know what does.
Stan Cullis
Sculptor: James Butler
Location: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, UK
This life-size bronze statue of Cullis, the man that guided the Wolverhampton Wanderers to their first ever league title, enjoyed success as both a player and, later, a manager. His statute's informal pose depicts him in his element, guiding and leading his beloved club. Under his management, the Wolverhampton Wanderers won three league championships and the FA Cup twice.
The Splash
Sculptor: Peter Hodgkinson
Location: Deepdale Stadium, Preston, UK
The Splash was erected in 2002 in honor of Preston North End player Tom Finney. The statue/fountain shows Finney in action, depicting the footballer in a particular moment of his career where he attempted to control a pass in a 1956 game against Chelsea's Stamford Bridge, a game strongly remembered for the heavy downpour that occurred. The sculpture was inspired by the 1956 Sports Photograph of the Year.
Bobby Moore
Sculptor: Philip Jackson
Location: Wembley Stadium, London
This two-ton statue underwent construction following a poll by the Football Association that found many upheld Bobby Moore as England's greatest player of all time. During his career, he captained the England soccer team that won the World Cup in 1966 and became the first football player to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. His statue, which depicts him in a heroic stance, particularly calm and collected, stands as a testament to his good reputation as a one of the most highly respected men in the sport.
Hillsborough Memorial
Sculptor: Tom Murphy
Location: Old Haymarket, Liverpool, UK
The Hillsborough Memorial, constructed by renowned English sculptor Tom Murphy, is a relatively new memorial to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium tragedy. The 7-feet bronze sculpture features the names of all 96 of the Liverpool Football Club fans who died, in addition to a message that reads, "Hillsborough Disaster, we will remember them." The memorial acts as a memory box, with a fixed hole that allows relatives to insert sentimental items inside the monument.
Carlos "El Pibe" Valderrama
Sculptor: Amilkar Ariza
Location: Santa Maria, Colombia
Probably known to spectators as the soccer statue with the most personality, this 22-feet tall sculpture of Colombian soccer player Carlos Valderrama stands as a testament to the sports star's often outspoken personality and uniqueness. We think sculptor Ariza did a nice job with the hairdo too.
Sir Stanley Matthews
Sculptors: Andy Edwards, Julian Jeffrey, and Carl Payne
Location: Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
The tribute monument to Sir Stanley Matthews, the renowned English soccer player, is comprised of three life-like, nine-foot statues, all of which were sculpted by local artists between 2000 and 2001. Each statue depicts Matthews at a different stage in his 30-year career, a career in which he became the first professional soccer player to be knighted. The monument is truly a work of art.
Bill Shankly
Sculptor: Tom Murphy
Location: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, UK
This more than 8-feet tall, bronze statue of Scottish football player and Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly captures a moment in 1973, when Shankly and his team were parading the League Championship trophy at the club's home stadium, Anfield. The statue was unveiled in 1997 and stands before the main entrance to Anfield Stadium.
Monumento Las Americas
Sculptors: Miguel Angel Sanchez and Saul Mora
Location: Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela
Deportivo Táchira is one of Venezuela's most popular football clubs, and the marble and bronze statue depicting soccer players Carlos Maldonado, Laureano Jaimes, and William Mendez shows each player in a serious stance, which tells spectators that the club means business. The statue is proudly erected outside the club's home stadium.
Eusébio
Sculptor: Duker Bower
Location: Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
Voted one of the 20th century's top players, Eusébio was honored by his former club with this bronze statue, which captures the player with his arms and right foot flung back as he stands seconds away from mightily striking a soccer ball. Eusébio helped his club, Benfica, win 11 league titles and the 1962 European Cup. He's also known for scoring tournament-high nine goals during the 1966 World Cup.
Upon his death in January 2014, countless fans arrived at his statue outside Benfica's home stadium and decorated the statue and surrounding area with their club-brand scarves to show respect. Eusébio's dedication to the sport along with the emotional response to his death by fans clearly confirms the statue's place as one of the world's most important soccer statues.
Thierry Henry
Sculptor: MDM Props Ltd.
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
A statue was only recently erected for French soccer star Thierry David Henry, and it's about time. Not only is Henry Arsenal's all-time leading goalscorer, with a record of 228 goals in 376 appearances, he is also the only football player to win the European Golden Boot for two successive seasons. Henry retired from international football following the 2010 FIFA World Cup and currently plays as a striker for the New York Red Bulls. He shed a few tears at the ceremonial unveiling of his statue, which was erected alongside those of Tony Adams and Herbert Chapman at Emirates Stadium in December 2011. The tributary monument captures the player's unique celebratory stance following his goal against the Spurs in the 2002-2003 season.
Billy Wright
Sculptor: James Butler
Location: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, UK
This well-respected player signed to play professional soccer at just 17 years of age with the Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wright remained with his club for 20 years until he retired from playing in 1959. He was the first player to have earned 100 caps, international appearances, and was awarded the CBE, a title in the Order of the British Empire for loyal service to the sport. During his career, he captained his country 90 times, including 70 matches consecutively. As one of the best regarded English soccer players, the contrasting black and bronze statue of him stands proud and tall in front of his club's home stadium.
The United Trinity
Sculptor: Philip Jackson
Location: Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, UK
Three Manchester United legends, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, and Denis Law, are immortalized in this life-size bronze statue, which was clearly intended to echo a sense of pride and victory to all its onlookers. Charlton, Best, and Law were part of the British club's golden era of the 1960s, during which Manchester United won two First Division titles, a FA Cup, two Charity Shields, and a European Cup. Between the years of 1964 and 1968, the three men scored a combined total of 665 goals for their beloved club. The trio was proudly dubbed by fans and fellow footballers as Manchester United's "The Holy Trinity," and during their time with the club, each player received the prized European Footballer of the Year Award. It's no wonder a statue was dedicated in their honor.
Headbutt
Sculptor: Adel Abdessemedn
Location: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar
This soccer sculpture, a 16-feet bronze statue of French footballer Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt to Italian soccer player Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup is one-of-a-kind and perhaps the most infamous of all soccer monuments. Although it received initial praise for its similarity to stylized Greek Mythological statues, when the structure was moved from to the Centre Pompidou in Paris to the Corniche in Doha, Qatar. It was quickly taken down after strong urges from conservative protesters who believed it promoted violence and encouraged idol worshipping. It is now housed in the Arab Museum of Modern Art.