Poor chap. In the summer he won the World Cup and was widely regarded as one of the world’s finest goalkeepers. On Wednesday he let in three French goals for Italy. Yesterday he played in Serie B for shamed Juventus at Rimini. He could have fled, but he said “it seemed right to me to stay with the club in B as a sign of respect for the way they have treated me”. Unable to stop working on Sundays, he will also be a Serie A television analyst.
2 Willie Carson
The finest jockey of his generation won 3,828 races in the UK, including 17 Classics. He was a giant in the saddle, but the same could not be said when he dismounted. He is small, which is fine if you are a jockey, but not so good if you want to work as a television pundit. Today, the vertically challenged former champion jockey has to stand on an orange box next to BBC racing host Clare Balding.
3 Nottingham Forest
Brian Clough’s Forest were champions of Europe in 1979 and 1980. The other week, after last season’s cup defeats by Chester, Woking and Macclesfield, they lost in the Carling Cup to Accrington Stanley — and, apparently, were lucky to get nil.
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4 Diego Maradona
After a glittering career he took enough cocaine to keep Colombia ticking over, became pals with Fidel Castro and morphed into a barrage balloon. His nadir came on Italy’s version of Strictly Come Dancing, which he quit after the government queried his £3m pay — he owed £30m in tax.
5 Dennis Rodman
The tattooed, muscle- bound cross-dresser made his millions and his notoriety as a Chicago Bulls basketball player and from two auto- biographies. He ended up on Celebrity Big Brother and was paid £20,000 to play once for Brighton Bears — £5,000 a point. “It’s been very difficult to get sleep the last few days,” he said. “I’ve been busy and Stringfellows is the business.”
6 Neil Webb
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England’s 1,000th international enjoyed the high life, but now, after a bitter divorce, he is a postman, delivering letters where once, he must have joked, he delivered telling crosses. “I’m not embarrassed about it,” he says. Quite right, too.
7 Sir Clive Woodward
England’s 2003 World Cup rugby union coach failed at Southampton Football Club. Now he’s British Olympic Association director of elite performance. Some folk never learn.
8 Lee Sharpe
Ah, Lee Sharpe. In the golden days, he had looks, money, the shimmy around the corner flag after he scored, England caps, big contracts with Manchester United and Leeds. Now he can reflect on a recent fling with Garforth Town, a recent fling with Celebrity Love Island and a recent fling with the ever-pneumatic Abi Titmuss.
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9 Serena Williams
After ruling tennis, she’s a clothes designer. “I was born to be a designer,” she says. The world of tennis’s loss is the world of fashion’s loss, too.
10 Rubio
Bought for 15 guineas in 1898 because he was injured, the racehorse pulled a bus in Towcester. It strengthened his injured legs — he won the 1908 Grand National at 66-1.