Rejections, they say, are part of life and even football, as they enable one to show their fighting spirit to achieve desired results.
Several football stars at some point in their lives have also faced rejection issues, as clubs felt they weren’t good enough to do their colors.
This article intends to inspire football enthusiasts, who possibly currently have their backs against the wall, showing to them players that are achieving exploit despite being rejected at some point in their lives.
We will be chronicling to you 8 footballers that have risen above the challenges of rejection and are currently immense stars in the round leather game.
Pedri
The Spaniard was rejected by Real Madrid for not being good enough, as they felt he lacked the needed qualities to excel at the top level.
Interestingly, Pedri, 21, has become a professional footballer and is doing great at Spanish giants Barcelona.
The 21-year-old has won several trophies in his career, including; 1 La Liga, 1 UEFA European Championship and 1 Copa del Rey.
The Spain international joined Barcelona from UD Las Palmas in September 2019, for a fee of €23 million.
Pedri has made 190 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 26 goals and providing 22 assists across all competitions.
Internationally, he has been capped 26 times by Spain, with the midfielder scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists.
Gabriel Martinelli
The Brazil international was rejected by Manchester United and Barcelona, as both clubs presumed he was not good enough.
Martinelli, who plays as a left-winger for Arsenal, has become a lovely footballer, having joined the North London side from Ituano in July 2019 for a fee of €7.1 million.
Gabriel Martinelli, 21, has won some high-profile trophies in his career, namely; 1 FIFA Cup and 1 Olympic Gold medal.
The Brazilian has made 200 club appearances, scoring 48 goals and providing 28 assists across all competitions.
Internationally, Martinelli has made 13 appearances for Brazil, scoring 2 goals and providing no assists.
Riyad Mahrez
The Algerian footballer was rejected by several clubs due to his physical state, as they felt he was too skinny and he wouldn’t be able to meet up to the physicality of the sport.
Mahrez has gone on to represent some notable clubs, including; Leicester City and Manchester City, with the forward claiming some top honors thus far in his career.
Riyad Mahrez has won 1 Africa Cup of Nations, 1 UEFA Champions League, and 5 Premier League titles.
Individually, Mahrez won the Premier League Player of the Year award in the 2015/16 season alongside the African Player of the Year award in 2016.
Riyad Mahrez, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli, has made a staggering 526 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 149 goals and providing 17 assists in all competitions.
Internationally, the 33-year-old has made 94 appearances for Algeria, scoring 31 goals and providing 40 assists.
Vinicius Jr
The man, who is in pole position to claim the 2024 Ballon d’Or award, faced huge challenges during his early years at Real Madrid.
Vinicius Jr was kept on the bench for Los Blancos during his first few years at the side, with former teammate Karim Benzema also informing his colleagues to avoid passing the ball to the Brazilian.
This obviously would have brought much discomfort to Vini Jr in his early years at Real Madrid, but amazingly the forward has surmounted those challenges.
Vinicius Jr is currently regarded as one of the best footballers in the world, with the Brazilian known for his trickery and all-round brilliance in the attacking third.
The 24-year-old has claimed several trophies in his career, including; 2 UEFA Champions League titles, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and 3 La Liga crowns.
Vinicius Jr has made 343 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 100 goals and providing 87 assists across all competitions.
Internationally, the former Flamengo man has made 35 appearances for Brazil, scoring 5 goals and providing 5 assists.
Harry Kane
The Englishman was released from the academy of Premier League side Arsenal for being too chubby.
The Gunners were of the notion that Kane was overweight and he wouldn’t be able to deliver at the club.
Fascinatingly, Harry Kane has gone on to have a breathtaking career, scoring a truckload of goals and winning many individual awards despite his struggles with winning titles so far.
Kane, who is a very fit footballer, is the 2nd top scorer in Premier League history, with 213 goals in 320 matches.
Harry Kane, 31, has scored a whopping 350 goals and provided 84 assists in 552 club appearances thus far in his career.
Internationally, Kane has scored 68 goals and provided 19 assists in 100 matches for England.
His 68 goals tally makes him the all-time top scorer for the England national team.
Harry Kane has claimed many individual prizes, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot and the Premier League Golden Boot on 3 occasions amongst others.
Erling Haaland
Haaland was rejected by English side Everton at the age of 15, as he was told he wasn’t good enough to play for the side.
Erling Haaland has gone on to ply his trade with top teams like Borussia Dortmund and currently Manchester City.
The Norwegian is considered to be one of the best strikers in football, with the forward known for his unreal finishing and great positioning.
Haaland, 24, has won 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, and 2 Premier League titles.
Individually, Erling Haaland took home the European Golden Boot in the 2022/23 season alongside 2 Premier League Golden Boots (22/23, 23/24) and 2 UEFA Champions League top-scorer awards (20/21, 22/23).
The Norway international has made 289 club appearances thus far in his football career, scoring 236 goals and providing 50 assists.
Internationally, Haaland has made 35 appearances for Norway, scoring 32 goals and providing 3 assists.
Lionel Messi Has Also Faced Rejection During His Football Career
The football icon was rejected by Argentine side River Plate for being too small before he was snapped up by Barcelona.
Messi, 37, has obviously excelled in his football career, becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
Lionel Messi has claimed several major honors, including; 1 FIFA World Cup, 2 Copa America, 4 UEFA Champions League, and 10 La Liga titles.
Individually, Messi has won a mouth-watering 8 Ballon d’Or awards alongside 4 FIFA TheBest Men’s Player of the Year prize alongside 2 FIFA World Cups Golden Ball.
The Argentine football star has made 886 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 732 goals and providing 355 assists in all competitions.
Internationally, Lionel Messi has scored 109 goals and provided 58 assists in 187 appearances for Argentina.
Kylian Mbappe
London-based club Chelsea rejected Kylian Mbappe for his low work rate off the ball as a teenager.
The Stamford Bridge side had the opportunity to sign Mbappe during his teenage years but they spurned the opportunity.
Kylian Mbappe has gone on to represent top teams like AS Monaco, Paris Saint Germain and currently Real Madrid.
Mbappe has also won major trophies in his career, including; 1 FIFA World Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup and 7 Ligue 1 titles.
Additionally, Kylian Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League.
The 25-year-old has made 378 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 290 goals and providing 125 assists across all competitions.
Internationally, Mbappe has made 86 appearances for France, scoring 48 goals and providing 35 assists.
