The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 24th | OneFootball

Merry Christmas Eve one and all. Tonight, stockings will be adorned above the fireplace, mince pies and brandy will be put out for Santa Claus and presents will be placed under the tree.

As we leave you with our 24th and final football advent calendar instalment, we at The Football Faithful would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. Let the festivities commence!

The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 24th

Number: 24

Before cementing himself as one of the best midfielders in football history with the number eight on his back, Andres Iniesta started his career with 24.

He burst onto the scene with all-encompassing displays in the heart of midfield and the La Masia graduate was only going to get better.

After Ludovic Giuly departed in 2007, Iniesta was able to switch to the vacant eight.

The number eight at Barcelona became synonymous with Iniesta as the midfielder won nine league titles and four Champions Leagues with the club.

Alongside club success, Iniesta also lifted consecutive European Championship trophies with Spain in 2008 and 2012 also netted the winner in the 2010 World Cup Final.

Other high-profile names to once wear the number include Claude Makelele, Carles Puyol and Gary Cahill.

Match On This Day: The Reintroduction of Christmas Eve PL Action

In yesteryear, festive football wasn’t exclusive to Boxing Day. The sport was occasionally contested on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

According to history professor Martin Johnes, football was played on Christmas Day in the Victorian era because it was a day off and there was a tradition of public working-class events.

Christmas Eve football was reimplemented as recently as last year when Wolves hosted Chelsea in the Premier League.

It was the first time a top-flight fixture had been played on December 24th since 1995, when Leeds beat Manchester United 3-1 at Elland Road.

Wolves edged out the Blues at Molineux with a 2-1 victory. Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty scored for the Old Gold before Christopher Nkunku grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for the visitors.

The practice wasn’t necessary this year as the scheduling aligned. It’s probably a good thing they didn’t, as there was strong backlash from both sets of fans at last year’s decision.

Footballer Born on this Day: Alexis Mac Allister

Happy 26th birthday to World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister!

The Liverpool midfielder is the orchestrator of a highly skilled midfield trio with his best assets his passing range and footballing intelligence.

The Argentine secured an early present for himself at the weekend. He scored a rare header in Liverpool’s 6-3 demolition of Spurs.

The former Brighton man started the 2022 World Cup final and grabbed an assist to help his nation lift the trophy in Qatar.

Mac Allister was destined to become a footballer. His father Carlos Mac Allister was a centre-half who represented Boca Juniors, while his brothers Francis and Kevin are registered with Argentinos Juniors and Union Saint-Gilloise respectively.

Let’s just hope Mr Mac Allister won’t be Home Alone on his birthday, or on Christmas for that matter!

Former Tottenham full-back Serge Aurier is also celebrating his 32nd birthday today. The Ivorian will be hoping his present is a new club this Christmas as he is currently a free agent.

Stat: Unassuming Character becomes a Terrier

On this day in 1956, Huddersfield Town signed a player described as being “weak, puny and bespectacled.”

Those choice words were used to sum up none other than a 16-year-old Denis Law.

Of course, Law went on to prove the doubters extremely wrong. After a promising spell at Huddersfield, Manchester City snapped up his services for £55,000, a British record at the time. After just one season with the club, Italian outfit Torino doubled City’s money as they offered £110,000, a new record fee for a transfer involving a British player.

But the Scotsman immortalised himself at City’s arch-rivals, Manchester United, after returning to England a year later in another record deal.

Law spent almost a decade at Old Trafford, scoring 237 times for the Red Devils, bettered by only Sir Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney.

He won the Ballon d’Or and formed part of the Manchester United team that became England’s first European Cup winners in 1968. Numerous other trophies arrived before he moved back to Manchester City, where he retired in 1974.

‘Denis the Menace’ is a very fitting nickname for a man who certainly wreaked havoc on defences.

Bonus Stat: Corrie Star Purchases Stake in Everton

It’s the silver anniversary since Coronation Street actor Bill Kenwright took control of Everton.

On this day in 1999, Kenwright felt like giving himself an early present on the eve of Christmas. So he parted ways with £20 million for a stake in his beloved Everton.

The sum of money secured him 68% of the club that was previously owned by Peter Johnson.

Read – Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend

See more – Premier League Team of the Week – Isak, Salah, Murillo

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