Thirty careers

Legendary names

The game asks one core question: who played for both of these clubs? Players whose careers spread across eight or ten clubs are the richest source of that question. These thirty are the careers you will meet most often in 321 Football.

Last updated: August 2026

1. 1

   Zlatan Ibrahimović

   A journey that began at Malmö carried him to Europe's giants. He broke through at Ajax, then left his mark on Italy with Juventus and Inter. At Barcelona he played alongside Messi. Trophies followed at Milan, PSG and Manchester United. After a spell with LA Galaxy in MLS he returned to Milan, where he finished his career.

   Malmö→Ajax→Juventus→Inter→Barcelona→Milan→PSG→Manchester United→LA Galaxy→Milan

2. 2

   Nicolas Anelka

   A product of the PSG academy, the French striker moved to Arsenal while still a teenager. He won the Champions League with Real Madrid, yet kept seeking out new countries and clubs. He wore the shirts of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Juventus. In Turkey he won the league with Fenerbahçe. His final years took him to China and India.

   PSG→Arsenal→Real Madrid→PSG→Liverpool→Manchester City→Fenerbahçe→Bolton→Chelsea→Shanghai Shenhua→Juventus→West Bromwich Albion→Mumbai City

3. 3

   Christian Vieri

   One of Italian football's great goalscorers, and one of its most travelled. After Torino and Atalanta he joined Juventus. At Atlético Madrid he finished as La Liga's top scorer. Following Lazio he spent years as one of Inter's biggest stars. Milan, Monaco and Fiorentina also came later.

   Torino→Pisa→Ravenna→Venezia→Atalanta→Juventus→Atlético Madrid→Lazio→Inter→Milan→Monaco→Atalanta→Fiorentina→Atalanta

4. 4

   Edgar Davids

   He won the Champions League with Ajax's legendary generation. After Milan he moved to Juventus and became one of the most recognisable midfielders in the world. His spell at Barcelona was short but telling. Inter and Tottenham followed. He later returned to Ajax and closed out his career in England with Crystal Palace and Barnet.

   Ajax→Milan→Juventus→Barcelona→Inter→Tottenham Hotspur→Ajax→Crystal Palace→Barnet

5. 5

   Hernán Crespo

   After making his name at River Plate he joined Parma and grew into one of Europe's leading strikers. A record fee took him to Lazio. He played for Inter, Chelsea and Milan, and scored twice against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final. He ended his career back at Parma.

   River Plate→Parma→Lazio→Inter→Chelsea→Milan→Chelsea→Inter→Genoa→Parma

6. 6

   Rivaldo

   A career that began in Brazil reached Barcelona by way of Deportivo La Coruña. At Barcelona he won the Ballon d'Or and became one of the club's defining players. He later won the Champions League with Milan. The second half of his career took him to Greece, Uzbekistan, Angola and back to Brazil.

   Santa Cruz→Mogi Mirim→Corinthians→Palmeiras→Deportivo La Coruña→Barcelona→Milan→Cruzeiro→Olympiacos→AEK Athens→Bunyodkor→São Paulo→Kabuscorp→São Caetano→Mogi Mirim

7. 7

   Samuel Eto'o

   Signed by Real Madrid as a teenager, Eto'o made his real breakthrough at Mallorca. He won the Champions League twice with Barcelona and became one of the club's greatest goalscorers. With Inter he completed a historic treble. Russia, England, Italy, Turkey and Qatar followed.

   Real Madrid→Leganés→Espanyol→Mallorca→Barcelona→Inter→Anzhi Makhachkala→Chelsea→Everton→Sampdoria→Antalyaspor→Konyaspor→Qatar SC

8. 8

   Robbie Keane

   The Irish striker started out at Wolverhampton and moved from Coventry City to Inter. Leeds United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Celtic followed. In MLS he became an emblem of LA Galaxy. Aston Villa and ATK closed out his career.

   Wolverhampton Wanderers→Coventry City→Inter→Leeds United→Tottenham Hotspur→Liverpool→Tottenham Hotspur→Celtic→West Ham United→LA Galaxy→Aston Villa→ATK

9. 9

   Clarence Seedorf

   An Ajax academy graduate, Seedorf moved to Real Madrid after Sampdoria and won the Champions League there. From Inter he joined Milan for a long and decorated spell. He is one of the few players to have won the Champions League with three different clubs. He finished his career in Brazil with Botafogo.

   Ajax→Sampdoria→Real Madrid→Inter→Milan→Botafogo

10. 10

    Patrick Kluivert

    He was one of the stars of the Ajax generation that won the Champions League as teenagers. After a spell at Milan he spent several years at Barcelona. Newcastle United, Valencia, PSV and Lille came later.

    Ajax→Milan→Barcelona→Newcastle United→Valencia→PSV→Lille

11. 11

    Fernando Morientes

    A Real Madrid mainstay for years, the Spanish striker reached a Champions League final while on loan at Monaco. He moved to Liverpool, then Valencia. Marseille closed out his career.

    Albacete→Zaragoza→Real Madrid→Monaco→Real Madrid→Liverpool→Valencia→Marseille

12. 12

    Mario Balotelli

    He broke through young at Inter before moving to Manchester City. Milan, Liverpool and Nice followed. Later years took him to Marseille, Brescia, Monza and Adana Demirspor in Turkey. He then joined Sion and returned to Adana Demirspor once more.

    Lumezzane→Inter→Manchester City→Milan→Liverpool→Milan→Nice→Marseille→Brescia→Monza→Adana Demirspor→Sion→Adana Demirspor→Genoa

13. 13

    Diego Forlán

    He never quite caught fire at Manchester United, but at Villarreal and Atlético Madrid he became one of Europe's most lethal forwards. After Inter he played in Brazil, Japan, Uruguay, India and Hong Kong.

    Independiente→Manchester United→Villarreal→Atlético Madrid→Inter→Internacional→Cerezo Osaka→Peñarol→Mumbai City→Kitchee

14. 14

    Yaya Touré

    His early years took him to Belgium and Ukraine. He reached Barcelona by way of Olympiacos and Monaco. After winning the Champions League there he joined Manchester City and became one of the Premier League's most dominant midfielders. Olympiacos and Qingdao Huanghai came at the end.

    Beveren→Metalurh Donetsk→Olympiacos→Monaco→Barcelona→Manchester City→Olympiacos→Qingdao Huanghai

15. 15

    Ronaldo Nazário

    "O Fenômeno" made his name at Cruzeiro before moving to PSV. His single season at Barcelona was extraordinary. He arrived at Inter as a global star. After severe injuries he became one of the faces of Real Madrid's Galácticos era. Milan and Corinthians closed out his career.

    Cruzeiro→PSV→Barcelona→Inter→Real Madrid→Milan→Corinthians

16. 16

    Ronaldinho

    He made his name at Grêmio before joining PSG. At Barcelona he became the best player in the world and won the Ballon d'Or. After Milan he returned to Brazil for Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro and Fluminense, with a spell at Querétaro in Mexico along the way.

    Grêmio→PSG→Barcelona→Milan→Flamengo→Atlético Mineiro→Querétaro→Fluminense

17. 17

    David Beckham

    One of the best-known names of Manchester United's golden generation. He joined Real Madrid's Galácticos project, then moved to MLS with LA Galaxy. Two loan spells at Milan followed, and he finished his career winning the title at PSG.

    Manchester United→Preston North End→Real Madrid→LA Galaxy→Milan→LA Galaxy→Milan→LA Galaxy→PSG

18. 18

    Thierry Henry

    A career that began at Monaco reached Arsenal by way of Juventus, where he became the club's greatest goalscorer. He won the Champions League with Barcelona, then moved to the New York Red Bulls, with a brief loan back at Arsenal.

    Monaco→Juventus→Arsenal→Barcelona→New York Red Bulls→Arsenal→New York Red Bulls

19. 19

    Ruud Gullit

    He rose through Haarlem and Feyenoord in the Netherlands. Moving from PSV to Milan, he became part of the great Milan side of the late 1980s. Two separate spells at Sampdoria followed, and he finished at Chelsea.

    Haarlem→Feyenoord→PSV→Milan→Sampdoria→Milan→Sampdoria→Chelsea

20. 20

    George Weah

    His was one of the great journeys from Africa to Europe. After shining at Monaco and PSG he joined Milan and won the Ballon d'Or. Chelsea, Manchester City and Marseille came in his final years.

    Mighty Barrolle→Invincible Eleven→Tonnerre Yaoundé→Monaco→PSG→Milan→Chelsea→Manchester City→Marseille→Al Jazira

21. 21

    Hristo Stoichkov

    The Bulgarian made his name at CSKA Sofia and became one of the key figures of Barcelona's "Dream Team". After a short spell at Parma he returned to Barcelona. His final years took him to Saudi Arabia, Japan and MLS.

    Hebros→CSKA Sofia→Barcelona→Parma→Barcelona→CSKA Sofia→Al Nassr→Kashiwa Reysol→Chicago Fire→D.C. United

22. 22

    Lothar Matthäus

    He moved from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Bayern Munich. At Inter he won Serie A and became one of the finest midfielders in the world, before returning to Bayern. He closed out his career with the MetroStars in MLS.

    Borussia Mönchengladbach→Bayern Münih→Inter→Bayern Münih→MetroStars

23. 23

    Juan Sebastián Verón

    An Estudiantes academy graduate. After Boca Juniors he made his name in Italy with Sampdoria and Parma, then won Serie A with Lazio. Manchester United and Chelsea followed. After Inter he returned to Estudiantes and won the Copa Libertadores.

    Estudiantes→Boca Juniors→Sampdoria→Parma→Lazio→Manchester United→Chelsea→Inter→Estudiantes→Brandsen→Estudiantes

24. 24

    Javier Saviola

    He emerged as a huge talent at River Plate and joined Barcelona. Loan spells at Monaco and Sevilla followed, then a move to Real Madrid. Benfica, Málaga, Olympiacos and Hellas Verona came before a return to River Plate.

    River Plate→Barcelona→Monaco→Sevilla→Barcelona→Real Madrid→Benfica→Málaga→Olympiacos→Hellas Verona→River Plate

25. 25

    Emmanuel Adebayor

    The Togolese striker caught the eye at Monaco and became a leading Premier League forward at Arsenal. Manchester City signed him, and a loan at Real Madrid followed. After Tottenham and Crystal Palace he played for İstanbul Başakşehir and Kayserispor in Turkey, finishing his career in Paraguay and Togo.

    Metz→Monaco→Arsenal→Manchester City→Real Madrid→Tottenham Hotspur→Crystal Palace→İstanbul Başakşehir→Kayserispor→Olimpia→Semassi

26. 26

    Wesley Sneijder

    After coming through the Ajax academy he joined Real Madrid. At Inter he was central to the historic 2010 treble. He spent several years at Galatasaray and left a deep mark in Turkey. Nice and Al-Gharafa closed out his career.

    Ajax→Real Madrid→Inter→Galatasaray→Nice→Al-Gharafa

27. 27

    Didier Drogba

    After Le Mans and Guingamp he made his name at Marseille. At Chelsea he became one of the club's greatest forwards and the hero of the 2012 Champions League final. A short spell in China was followed by Galatasaray, then a return to Chelsea, and finally North America.

    Le Mans→Guingamp→Marseille→Chelsea→Shanghai Shenhua→Galatasaray→Chelsea→Montreal Impact→Phoenix Rising

28. 28

    Roberto Carlos

    He caught the eye at Palmeiras in Brazil. After a season at Inter he joined Real Madrid and became a club legend. Fenerbahçe followed, and his final years were spent at Corinthians and Anzhi Makhachkala.

    União São João→Palmeiras→Inter→Real Madrid→Fenerbahçe→Corinthians→Anzhi Makhachkala

29. 29

    Jay-Jay Okocha

    The Nigerian made his name in Europe with Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, then left a lasting mark at Fenerbahçe. A record fee took him to PSG. At Bolton Wanderers he became one of the Premier League's best-loved players. Qatar and Hull City followed.

    Borussia Neunkirchen→Eintracht Frankfurt→Fenerbahçe→PSG→Bolton Wanderers→Qatar SC→Hull City

30. 30

    Demba Ba

    He worked his way up from the lower divisions in France and Belgium and caught the eye at Hoffenheim. After West Ham and Newcastle United he joined Chelsea. A strong season at Beşiktaş followed, then spells in China, Turkey and Switzerland.

    Rouen→Mouscron→Hoffenheim→West Ham United→Newcastle United→Chelsea→Beşiktaş→Shanghai Shenhua→Beşiktaş→Göztepe→Shanghai Shenhua→İstanbul Başakşehir→Lugano

Clubs are listed in chronological order; returns to a former club are written out again.