Tributes to Football’s Greatest : From Glory to Goodbye

An Era that has come to an End

At the end of the 2024–25 season, football fans worldwide have witnessed an emotional farewell to their legends who have defined their clubs across generations. Legends say Goodbye to their fans and the home where they gave the best years of their life, their skills, dedication, and will, like Luka Modrić, Kevin De Bruyne, Marcelo, Thomas Müller, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jamie Vardy, Jonathan Tah, and Lucas Vázquez. Players whose legacy extends beyond the pitch. From standing ovations and guard-of-honors to heartfelt social media tributes, each sent a powerful goodbye. Here’s a tribute to the legends who, for one last time.

Luka Modrić

Modrić began his professional career with Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb in 2003 and then moved on loan to Zrinjski & Inter Zaprešić. Because of his great performance, he moved to Spurs in 2008, leading his team for Champions League qualifiers, and then in the 2012 summer transfer, he joined Real Madrid for £30 million. In his magical career at Real Madrid, in his second season, he won the 2013–14 Champions League title and was named in the squad of the season. After Zinedine Zidane took over Madrid in 2016, Modrić was a key member of Madrid’s three consecutive Champions League titles from 2015–16 to 2017–18, and was named in the squad of the season each time. In total, he won 28 major trophies at Madrid, including six UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey titles, making him the most decorated footballer in the club's history. He left Real Madrid in July 2025, joining Serie A club AC Milan on a free transfer.

Modrić has won numerous individual awards, his best one was the Ballon d'Or in 2018, making him the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award since 2007, the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, the Best FIFA Men's Player, and the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker award in 2018. He has also been named in the FIFPRO World 11 six times and in the UEFA Team of the Year three times. He was also awarded with Golden Foot award for career results and personality in 2019

Club Career (Appearances & Goals)

Club	Years	Apps	Goals	Major Trophies Won
Zrinjski Mostar (loan)	2003–04	22	8	–
Inter Zaprešić (loan)	2004–05	18	4	–
Dinamo Zagreb	2005–08	128	31	3× Croatian League, 2× Croatian Cup, 1× Croatian Super Cup
Tottenham Hotspur	2008–12	160	17	–
Real Madrid	2012–2025	532	39	5× UEFA Champions League, 4× La Liga, 5× FIFA Club World Cup, 4× UEFA Super Cup, 2× Copa del Rey, 5× Spanish Super Cup
AC Milan	2025–	1	0	–

Individual Awards

Award	Year(s)
Ballon d’Or	2018
The Best FIFA Men’s Player	2018
UEFA Men’s Player of the Year	2018
World Cup Golden Ball (Best Player)	2018
UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season	2017, 2018
Croatian Footballer of the Year	11× (2007, 2008, 2011, 2014–2020, 2022)
FIFA FIFPro World XI	6× (2015–2020)
UEFA Team of the Year	2016, 2017, 2018
Golden Foot Award	2019
Order of Duke Branimir (Croatia, national honor)	2018

Farewell

In honor of his 13 years legendary career (2012-25) at Real Madrid, on May 24, 2025, at the Santiago Bernabéu, he received a tribute along with Carlos Ancelotti. At an emotional farewell, he concluded this quote: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." he also expressed deep gratitude for the Club, calling Real Madrid "Forever Home".

Luka's New Home

After leaving Madrid, he had many options across the world. Many clubs wanted to sign him, but he personally chose AC Milan. On his first appearance at AC Milan, he shared a post on social media and called AC Milan his new home. Luka Modric has signed a one-year deal with AC Milan looks like he might sign another one-year contract, possibly next year.

Kevin De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne began his professional senior career at Genk, where they won the 2010–11 Belgian Pro League. In 2012, Kevin de Bruyne joined English club Chelsea, where he was used infrequently and then loaned to Werder Bremen. In 2014, Kevin de Bruyne's career changing singing with VfL Wolfsburg for £18 million, where he proved himself as one of the best players in the Bundesliga and was essential part in the club's 2014–15 DFB-Pokal win. In the summer of 2015, De Bruyne joined Manchester City for a then-club record £54 million. Making 422 appearances for the club, he won the UEFA Champions League, six Premier League titles, five League Cups, and two FA Cups. In 2017–18, he had a significant role in City becoming the only Premier League team to attain 100 points in a single league season. Kevin De Bruyne matching the record for most assists in a Premier League season and was named Player of the Season in 2019–20, , the award Kevin won for the second time in 2021–22. Kevin De Bruyne was again heavily involved as Manchester City sealed the continental treble in 2022–23, which was there most successful season to date.

De Bruyne has been named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season and IFFHS Men's World Team six times each, ESM Team of the Year and the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 five times each, the UEFA Team of the Year three times, and the France Football World XI and the Bundesliga Team of the Year once each. He has also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season three times, the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, Manchester City's Player of the Year four times.

Club Career (Appearances & Goals)

Club	Years	Apps	Goals	Major Trophies Won
Genk	2008–12	113	17	1× Belgian Pro League (2010–11), 1× Belgian Cup (2008–09), 1× Belgian Super Cup (2011)
Chelsea	2012–14	9	0	2012–13 UEFA Europa League* (part of squad)
Werder Bremen (loan)	2012–13	33	10	–
Wolfsburg	2014–15	73	20	1× DFB-Pokal (2014–15), 1× DFL-Supercup (2015)
Manchester City	2015–present	372+	102+	6× Premier League, 2× FA Cup, 6× EFL Cup, 2× Community Shield, 1× UEFA Champions League, 1× UEFA Super Cup, 1× FIFA Club World Cup

Individual Awards

Award	Year(s)
Premier League Player of the Season	2019–20, 2021–22
PFA Players’ Player of the Year	2019–20, 2020–21
UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season	2019–20
FIFPro World XI	3× (2020, 2021, 2022)
UEFA Team of the Year	3× (2017, 2019, 2020)
IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker	2020, 2021
Belgian Sportsman of the Year	2015
Bundesliga Player of the Season	2014–15
Manchester City Player of the Season	4× (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022)

Farewell

Manchester City gave Kevin de Bruyne a Guard of Honor, a tribute video, a mosaic at Manchester City Academy, and a statue will be built outside the Etihad Stadium for his 10 remarkable years. This was one of the most graceful and heart-warming farewells in club football history. Fans were holding a very large "KEV KING" poster at his last game at Manchester City
Kevin de Bruyne said at his farewell "Manchester is home. Manchester is where my kids are born. I can here with my wife Michèle, to stay here for a long time. Did not expect to be here for ten years, to do what we have done as a club. Supporters, my teammates, we won everything. We made the city, the club bigger, and now they're gonna take over". Moreover he said, "Everybody here pushed me so hard from inside and outside the club to be my best version of myself. These guys, everybody we see here on the screen (Mentioned the tribute video shown in the stadium in which his ex-city teammates paid him the tribute), and these guys in front of me made me so much better than I was before, and it's been an absolute honor to play with these guys. I have made so many friends for life, and we are all together and will be back soon for sure. Whenever". Host asked Kevin, "What fans meant to you throughout these ten years, during your lows and highs?". He said, "They are so welcoming from the beginning. I do not know how to explain it. It's almost a full stadium, you know, supporting my family and me says everything who can have 50 thousand people just waiting for you to say GOODBYE. It's indescribable, and thank you very much."

Kevin de Bruyne's New Club

After departing from Manchester City, Kevin has many other options, like Liverpool, Juventus, Chicago Fire (MLS), Inter Miami (MLS), Aston Villa, West Ham, and some Saudi Clubs were also interested in signing him. But he chose to join Napoli, one of the reasons was Romelu Lukaku, his longtime friend and Belgian teammate, and there were some other reasons that were also there, like Napoli were Serie A Champions of the 2024-25 season. They were participating Champions League this season, and he was also convinced by the club's projects and investment in the squad. Southern Italy offered Kevin and his family great weather conditions and a c,lenvironmentallyntal place in the nearby region of Sorrento.

Thomas Müller

A product of Bayern Munich's youth system, which Thomas Müller joined at age 10 in 2000, Müller represented the club until 2025. With Bayern Munich, Thomas Müller won a record thirteen Bundesliga titles, two Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, six DFB-Pokals, eight DFL-Supercups, and two FIFA Club World Cups. Thomas Müller joined the first team in the 2009–10 season after Louis van Gaal was appointed as the main coach. Thomas Müller played almost every game that season as Bayern won the league and cup double and reached the 2010 Champions League final. In the 2012–13 season, Thomas Müller scored 23 goals as Bayern won a historic treble; the league title, cup and Champions League.

Müller remained in a new era for the club following the departures of Bayern main-stays such as Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry. In 2019–20, he broke the Bundesliga record for assists in a season with 21 and scored 14 goals as Bayern won a second treble. With 756 matches played across seventeen seasons, scoring 250 goals and providing 231 assists, Müller is Bayern's all-time record appearance holder for the club across all competitions. Thomas Müller also holds the record for the most UEFA Champions League appearances with one team.

Club Career (Appearances & Goals)

Club	Years	Apps	Goals	Major Trophies Won
Bayern Munich II	2007–09	35	16	–
Bayern Munich (senior)	2008–present	690+	237+	12× Bundesliga, 6× DFB-Pokal, 8× DFL-Supercup, 2× UEFA Champions League, 2× FIFA Club World Cup, 2× UEFA Super Cup

Individual Awards

Award	Year(s)
FIFA World Cup Golden Boot (Top Scorer)	2010
FIFA World Cup Silver Boot	2014
FIFA World Cup Best Young Player	2010
FIFA World Cup Silver Ball (2nd Best Player)	2014
Bundesliga Top Assist Provider	2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season	2012–13, 2019–20
FIFPro World XI (3rd team / nominee)	Multiple years
German Footballer of the Year	2010
Bayern Munich Player of the Season	Multiple times

Farewell

Thomas Müller played his last match for Bayern Munich on 10th May 2025 at his home ground. Thomas Müller played for 25 years at Bayern Munich, 8 years in the junior team and 17 years in the senior team. In honor of his legacy for Bayern Munich, he got Guard of Honor from players, fans, and team management in the 84th minute when he was substituted.
At his farewell speech he said "We all knew this moment would come. I knew it too. And I’m very happy that we have the trophy back in Munich. On one hand, it might be a difficult moment also for me, but it’s also a very, very beautiful one. The appreciation you’ve shown me over the past 25 years from the whole club touches me deeply. It leaves me speechless. Not entirely speechless, that’s not that easy for me. Look at the stadium always full, regardless of who we’re playing, Wednesday or Saturday, rain or snow. Always full. From the outside, the whole world sees Munich and envies this football stadium. It’s a temple, and you turn it into what it stands for. The development of the club, you can taste it. I was allowed to be part of it, to help shape it. And look at us, we’ve reached the pinnacle of European football. Fighting for the biggest trophies isn’t given, but we made our mark. I lost my train of thought. I wanted to thank the people who endured “Radio Müller” all those years. It's not always easy with me. I can be exhausting, but always with a wink. I really like people, including those I sometimes argue with passionately. What I'll miss scoring in front of a full stadium; that feeling is priceless. But most of all, the moments with teammates. I think of locker room stories starting with Franck Ribéry, who wanted to throw his sweaty socks at me after training. At least he spared me the smelly fish in the suitcase. Or the younger players who, at the start of the season, already tell you who will win the NBA and what crazy moves they’ll do. And of course, thanks to the supporters those who stuck by me even during tough times. Yes, I’ll miss it, and still, I’m optimistic about the future. When I see the team, I see young, hungry players who give their hearts for FC Bayern. We are in a good spot. But I appeal to everyone to give it your all. This is bigger than anything you can imagine. So, with that, I leave this big stage. I loved being a modern gladiator. I loved the show, a bit of that too. But I’m not sad. I’m excited for what's next, even if it can never be as good as what I had. Still, I look forward. I hope you do too. No tears, and if there are, let them be tears of joy. Now it’s time to celebrate. I love you all truly. Take care. Servus. Let's go now, we celebrate."
(Note: This speech has been translated from German to English, so there might be some mistakes, and we apologize for that)

Müller's New Club

After leaving Bayern Munich, Thomas Müller decided to join the MLS and the deal has been done with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a Canadian Major League Soccer (MLS) team. He scored his first goal in the 94th minute by a penalty kick and won the game for his new club. A new era and a new chapter have begun for German National Footballers. Thomas Müller's decision to join MLS was not surprising as the game legend Leo Messi is already playing for Inter Miami, and Spurs Legend Son Heung-min, who has recently joined the LAFC. But the conditions are not the same as in Europe, and Thomas did not have to prove himself.