Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, 'It might have been.' - Kurt Vonnegut. At the end of a footballer's career, one would hope that they wouldn't have too many regrets. Having been paid handsomely to pursue a passion of theirs - it's the stuff of dreams. But when a move to one of the most prestigious and elite clubs in world football fails to materialise, it can leave one feeling bitter and rueful at the missed opportunity. The Santiago Bernabeu and the Nou Camp are the pinnacle destinations for most aspiring footballers - it's no surprise that they are hailed as 'dream moves' by incoming signings every summer. But what happens when these 'dream moves' fail to happen, due to a player seeking a better chance of first-team football elsewhere or his club refusing to sell him to Real Madrid? Would Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have knuckled down to work at their respective English clubs had the Galacticos had their final bids knocked back, or would their inner regret affect their play, leaving sulky shadows of the world-class players that illuminated the Premier League? Have a look at the ten players that will probably regret not having signed for Real Madrid when they had the chance.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
