THE last of the Premier League stars still away on their post-World Cup jolly have been gradually getting back to training this week.
Some still remain on their holidays, including Jesse Lingard and Harry Maguire.
Some Premier League stars are still enjoying a post-World Cup holiday, like Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, but others are back in training and troubling bossesInstagram @marcusrashford
But many others are back… and already heads are being turned over the fitness, or lack thereof, of some stars.
It wouldn’t be the first time Premier League stars have rocked-up to pre-season training looking like they’d indulged themselves a little too much, though.
Check out the history of other famous football lard-men, including Diego Costa and Benni McCarthy.
Paddy Kenny, Leeds
Paddy Kenny looked worse for wear when he returned for pre-season in 2014Reuters
Keepers have always been prone to putting on weight but when Paddy Kenny returned to Leeds for pre-season training in 2014, it was clear he’s spent the summer at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
It wasn’t the first time he had struggled with his weight.
When he was at Sheffield United Kenny was suspended when he tested positive for ephedrine, a stimulant known to aid rapid weight loss.
For his then-manager Neil Warnock it was a constant battle to keep Kenny’s weight down.
“The first thing I did was put him on a diet. He was eating burgers, pizzas and chips – and that was in the same day,” he said. “Look at the shape of him!”
Mark Bosnich, Manchester United
Mark Bosnich got on Sir Alex Ferguson’s nerves with his attitude and weightReuters
Another gluttonous goalie, Mark Bosnich returned to Old Trafford in the close season of 1999 and while he won the title that season, his attitude to pre-season training irked Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Mark got off to a real bad start. He turned up for training three hours late. He was overweight,” said Fergie.
Later, the United boss even labelled Bosnich a “terrible professional” in his autobiography.
It was water off the Aussie’s back.
“I’m honoured to be mentioned,” replied Bosnich. “He’s entitled to his view and I’m entitled to mine.”
Adel Taarabt, QPR
Harry Redknapp called Adel Taarabt three-stone overweight in 2014Rex Features
Imagine having your entire career overshadowed by one manager’s remarks about you?
That’s pretty much what happened to Moroccan Adel Taarabt who then QPR boss Harry Redknapp famously described as being “three stone overweight” when he returned to training with the West Londoners in 2014.
But Taarabt wasn’t having it.
“He [Redknapp] spends most of his time in his office,” he retaliated. “He never takes a training session.”
In retrospect, it was a bit harsh.
After all, if Taarabt was three-stone overweight, then there really is no hope for the rest of us.
Benni McCarthy battled weight issues his entire careerNews Group Newspapers Ltd
During his time with West Ham, McCarthy was reportedly fined five times by the club for being overweight, punishments that totalled a whopping £200,000.
Think of all the cheeseburgers you could buy with that.
At one stage his weight reached 15 stones with his body fat coming in at a massive 24.2 per cent and he was also left out of South Africa’s 2010 World Cup squad for being overweight too.
Diego Costa, Chelsea
Diego Costa put on a fair bit of timber during the summer of 2015Instagram
The Spanish star picked up an injury towards the end of Chelsea’s title-winning season in 2014-15 and then spent the summer doing what most ordinary people do.
Overindulging.
He returned to pre-season training in the kind of condition that would shock a Sunday League coach, not just Jose Mourinho.
And he knew it.
“Maybe I got out of my diet and when I came back I was not the way I was supposed to be,” he admitted later in the season.
“I was a little bit overweight, and that affected my game.”
Excuses, excuses.
Gonzalo Higuain, Juventus
Gonzalo Higuain quickly came under fire at Juventus for his weightAFP
When the Argentinian striker joined Juve in the summer of 2016 he immediately attracted criticism for his, well, fuller figure.
Not that he cared.
“It is better if you keep calling me fat, I will continue to score goalshe shrugged.
“Come on, I’m fine, I have trained for 20 days and I honestly do not understand all this interest on my condition.”
True to his word, Higuain stepped and scored on Serie A Debut for the Old Lady in a 2-1 win over Fiorentina.
Jan Molby, Liverpool
Jan Molby famously struggled to keep his weight downNews Group Newspapers Ltd
Honorary Scouser Molby was the very definition of a midfield player – in that he rarely left the centre-circle.
And it was never a case of “if” he returned to pre-season training overweight, rather “when”.
With his snug-fitting shirt and shorts, his manager at Liverpool, Graeme Souness, maintained that he was the only player I have ever met who is capable of putting on weight during a football match.”
In 2009, meanwhile, the Dane fronted an advertising campaign for Celebrity Slim 4 Him weight loss products.
“Obviously some men do struggle to keep the weight off,” he said, “Even me.”
Matt Le Tissier, Southampton
Matt Le Tissier was too talented to ever be dropped over his weightGetty
It’s lucky that Le Tiss was so sublimely talented otherwise he wouldn’t have got anywhere near the Saints’ first team.
The club canteen maybe, but not the first team.
Having repeatedly returned to the club heavier than he should have been, Le Tissier finally got a handle on his issues in 2001.
That year. he proudly announced he was not one of the three players fined for reporting back overweight.
“I know that will come as a surprise to a few people who probably had me as the number one suspect, but I came back lighter than I was at the end of the season,” he beamed.
Neil Ruddock, Crystal Palace
Neil Ruddock was always at the scary end of the scales in his careerNews Group Newspapers Ltd
Always at the scary end of the scales, Ruddock even had weight clauses inserted into his contracts towards the end of his career.
Before he joined Crystal Palace in 2000, Eagles chairman Simon Jordan sought the advice of Harry Redknapp who had managed Ruddock at West Ham.
“Harry Redknapp told me to make sure I had a weight clause in his contract – 98 kilos, or whatever,” he said.
“And if he’s over that then fine him 10 per cent of his wages. That is the only way to ensure you get a fit and focused Ruddock.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Manchester United
Fans made pregnancy jokes about this snap of Henrikh MkhitaryanTwitter
Last season, United deleted a picture of Mkhitaryan from their Twitter account after fans mocked the ex-Borussia Dortmund player for looking overweight.
The post was taken down after just half an hour, with many fans claiming he looked “pregnant”.
Mkhi didn’t last much longer, as he swapped United for Arsenal in January…
Roberto Firmino, LiverpoolFast-forward to the present and some Liverpool fans fear Firmino may be suffering from a case of summer indulgence himself.
A number of social media users have posted comments about the Reds’ famously super-fit star after he appeared somewhat more bloated than normal.
Firmino has only recently returned to training having spent the summer away at the World Cup with Brazil.
And Liverpool fans will be hoping to shed the timber nice and quickly ahead of another potentially massive season.
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