A delve into the times that footballers took to longform to make their feelings heard
(Image credit: Alamy)
In the age of the internet, physical post has taken a backseat. People would rather communicate with social media than pen a letter.
It's a lost art, in many ways. But there are footballers who have taken steps to address that, writing open letters in apology, to leave a club or just because they have a grudge.
Here are some of the finest that football has seen.
VIDEO Why Newcastle United Want Marc Guehi SO Badly
11 of football's greatest open letters ever: 1. John Henry apologises (again) to Liverpool fans
Liverpool owner John Henry (Image credit: PA Images)
Liverpool’s owner does like his open letters. He practised the art in September 2012 regarding the lack of transfer activity that summer, a familiar theme for Reds fans. The American was penning another apologetic missive when Anfield fans staged a mass walkout after a ticket price hike during a match against Sunderland in February 2016.
Henry wrote: “The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don’t care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club’s expense. Quite the opposite is true.” The European Super League episode in April 2021 saw another sorry but this time on video.
2. Lionesses call out Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to bring it home to girls
England Women (Image credit: Lars Baron/Getty Images)
After the elation of their Euro 2022 victory at Wembley against Germany, the Lionesses danced in their manager’s press conference, partied like it was 1966 and then seized the zeitgeist to grow the women’s game. All 23 squad members wrote to Conservative leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"Women's football has come a long way. But it still has a long way to go," read the message. Sure enough, captain Leah Williamson eventually held talks with new PM Truss about equal access to football for girls. Just a week and a half later, Truss resigned after 45 days in the job. That was one day more than Old Big ‘Ead managed at Leeds.
3. Messi mocks Barça as Suarez swans off
Luis Suarez left Barcelona for Atletico Madrid (Image credit: PA)
Against the background of Barcelona blocking his own exit, Lionel Messi wrote an Instagram post on the departure of Luis Suarez to Atletico in September 2020: “It will be strange to see you in another shirt and much stranger to face you. You did not deserve to be thrown out as they have done to you. But the truth is that at this point nothing surprises me.”
Messi eventually left Barca the following year when he became a free agent. He was in floods of tears after 18 years of senior appearances, admitting: “I’m not ready for this.” Neither were we, Leo.
4. Dele doesn’t mention the Special One
Dele Alli (Image credit: PA Images)
The midfielder got the seven-year itch at Tottenham, leaving the club on transfer deadline day in January 2022 to move to Frank Lampard’s Everton. Having played under two of the most successful managers in Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Alli decided to only single out Mauricio Pochettino for helping him on his journey:
“I want to give a special mention to Mauricio and his staff for their trust and guidance in the early part of my career at Spurs, which gave me the confidence and platform to show what I can do.” Mourinho famously questioned the midfielder’s work ethic in the All or Nothing Amazon series. Conte said: “Honestly, I don't remember a player that had revenge with me. When some players went away, usually they went down, not up — usually.” Ouch.
5. Graham Potter burns his bridges
Graham Potter (Image credit: Getty Images)
Graham Potter turned Brighton from a club that hovered uneasily above the relegation places to a top 10 team that troubled and beat the big boys. After Thomas Tuchel exited Stamford Bridge’s revolving door in September 2022, Potter was offered an opportunity that might not come around again. He knew what was coming from the stands though.
“I may not be able to persuade you all to forgive my departure - but I would at least like to take the chance to say thank you." The vibe among the fans was ‘no thanks”, especially when their former boss said he could have stayed and had an “easy life” on the Coast. Seven weeks later, he endured a nightmare return when Brighton thrashed his new Blues 4-0 as the crowd chanted: “Potter Potter what’s the score.” Potter was sacked after seven months in charge.
6) Ronaldo says adios to Madrid and hello to self-adulation
Cristiano Ronaldo (Image credit: Getty Images)
After nine years, 438 appearances and a mental 450 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo gave the green light to move on from Madrid in a 99 million deal to Juventus in 2018. His farewell, published on the club website, was quick to praise the fans, the city, the physios, the doctors, the technicians and “the great players in front of me”. Then he had to go all me me me and mention his “four Ballon d’Ors and three Golden Boots during my time at this immense and extraordinary club.” You have to love yourself to succeed…
7. Fergie's plea for respect between two great rivals in print
Sir Alex Ferguson (Image credit: Getty Images)
Sir Alex Ferguson thought Twitter “was a waste of time” and preferred the traditional style of communication. The September 2012 game at Anfield was the first between the two great rivals since the findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel absolved Liverpool fans of any blame for the 1989 tragedy. Sir Alex ensured his open letter calling for respect would be received by Manchester United fans once they went through the turnstiles.
The great man mentioned that “our great club stands with our great neighbours Liverpool.” Margaret Aspinall, Chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group warmly praised the respect shown by the United supporters that day. This was Fergie time well spent.
8. Glazers come out badly after European Super League’s secrets and lies
Joel and Avram Glazer (Image credit: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Back in April 2021’s COVID-neutered world, it was revealed that the big six of English football were willing to break away from the EPL to form the European Super League. It emerged that Joel Glazer was named as Super League vice-chairman in the proposal
While Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal made belated apologies, Glazer came out of his Old Trafford bunker in an attempt to salve the wound: “In seeking to create a more stable foundation for the game – we failed to show enough respect for its deep-rooted traditions – promotion, relegation, the pyramid – and for that we are sorry”. The Manchester United Supporter’s Trust prodded an open wound by issuing their own communication about the owners taking “1 billion out of the club” and the “decay and decline both on the field and off it.”
9) Football authorities go hard at social media
The Premier League trophy (Image credit: Alamy)
After yet another rise in intimidating posts towards high-profile footballers and referees, the football authorities hit back in February 2021. The Premier League, FA, EFL, WSL, Women's Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL and Kick It Out all co-signed a letter to (former) Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook founder, chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerburg, asking them "for reasons of basic human decency" to use the power of their systems to end the abuse.
The communication read: “Your inaction has created the belief in the minds of the anonymous perpetrators that they are beyond reach.” A study found that 68% of Premier League players received at least one abusive tweet, and one in fourteen received abuse every day.
10. Mesut Ozil retires from internationals on Twitter timeline
Mesut Ozil (Image credit: Mike Hewitt - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
In a stream of consciousness released on pre-Musk madness Twitter, the former Arsenal midfielder lashed out at the German football federation (DFB), the German media, and announced his retirement for good measure. In a lengthy missive– 2,320 words to be exact - Ozil wrote: “I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose. I am treated as being ‘different’…. I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect.”
The rather poison pen rant came after Germany had been dumped out of the 2018 World Cup after an embarrassing loss to South Korea. It also followed a tense build-up to the campaign which had seen Özil and Ilkay Gundogan pose alongside Turkish president Erdogan during his visit to London’s Turk community.
11. Reina peeves Brendan in Liverpool exit
Liverpool’s Spanish stopper Reina went cold on Brendan Rodgers when the Northern Irishman decided to loan him to Napoli in 2013 after a permanent move back to his former club Barcelona fell through. In a thinly veiled attack on the boss, the keeper wrote his version of events to the club’s supporters: "It's only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first.”
Rodgers hit back by saying: “He penned a great, big letter saying he was going to work with the best manager (Rafa Benitez) that he'd worked with and thanked us for his time for Liverpool.” Two versions, one truth. Was Pepe in the third envelope?
