🥹 Not just Modric and Muller: 7️⃣ legends leave after years at clubs❗ | OneFootball

We still have the farewells of Modric from Real and Muller from Bayern Munich in our minds from this Club World Cup. But this summer, other club legends will also end their journeys with the teams that have defined them.

Let’s take a look at the players who will leave or have already left the club where they played for at least 10 years, including their time in the youth academy.

Luka Modric - 13 years

The most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history will soon leave the club: 13 years with Los Blancos and no more trophies left to win. Modric will join Milan at 39 years old, eager to prepare himself as best as possible for the 2026 World Cup.

Alexander-Arnold - 8 years (20 in total)

After 8 years in the first team and 20 since joining Liverpool’s youth academy, Alexander-Arnold has left the Reds to join Real Madrid. The desire for a new experience outweighed the wish to stay home—literally—for a boy born and raised in Liverpool.

Jonathan Tah - 10 years

Even though Jonathan Tah is only 29 years old, he spent an impressive 10 years at Bayer Leverkusen. The defender joined the Aspirins in 2015 at age 19 from Hamburg, making 291 appearances for Leverkusen before moving to Bayern Munich.

Thomas Muller - 16 years (25 in total)

Thomas Muller was one of the few “true” club legends left in European football: he joined Bayern Munich’s youth academy at age 10 and stayed until 35. He played in the first team from 2009 to 2025, a remarkable 16 years capped off with his last match at the Club World Cup.

Kevin De Bruyne - 10 years

After 10 years at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne has left Guardiola’s team with 18 citizens trophies in his cabinet. An incredible 422 appearances, 108 goals, and 177 assists: numbers that earned him the Premier League MVP title twice. Now, Napoli awaits him.

Aaron Cresswell - 11 years

11 years at West Ham for Aaron Cresswell: from 2014 to 2025, a period in which he first became the symbol of the left flank, only to slip down the pecking order and become a free agent at the end of this season. Over 300 appearances with the Hammers led to his debut with the England national team.

Michail Antonio - 10 years

Michail Antonio also found his breakthrough at West Ham: 10 years from 2015 to 2025, during which—for a long period—he was the team’s main striker. Antonio scored 83 goals and made over 300 appearances for the Hammers before being involved in a car accident this winter, and then seeing his contract expire at the end of June.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

📸 ANGELA WEISS - AFP or licensors