Players from one nation winning the men’s ‘big five’ leagues in a season

 “The success of Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Harry Kane and Eric Dier means that British players have won three of the ‘big five’ leagues this season. Has that happened before? And have any countries managed five out of five?” wonders Philipp Lohan.

To answer the first question, yes, it has happened before and not too long ago. Robbie Dale emailed in to highlight the 2020-21 season, when Kieran Trippier (Atlético), Ashley Young (Inter) and Phil Foden, John Stones and few others (Manchester City) also ticked three of the five boxes for British players. If we move on to nations who provided players who won all of the ‘big five’ leagues then we had better get busy making a list.

2000-01

France

Fabien Barthez and Mikaël Silvestre (Manchester United), Claude Makélélé (Real Madrid), Vincent Candela and Jonathan Zebina (Roma), Bixente Lizarazu and Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich) and French FC Nantes players.

Email from Lowri Cusack

2003-04

Brazil

Edu and Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Ricardo Oliveira (Valencia), Dida, Cafú, Kaká and Serginho (Milan), Aílton (Werder Bremen), Claudio Caçapa, Edmilson, Juninho Pernambucano and Giovane Élber (Lyon).

Email from Dirk Maas

2007-08

Argentina

Carlos Tévez (Manchester United), Gabriel Heinze, Fernando Gago, Gonzalo Higuaín and Javier Saviola (Real Madrid), Nicolás Burdisso, Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Santiago Solari, Hernán Crespo and Julio Cruz (Inter), Martín Demichelis and José Sosa (Bayern München), César Delgado (Lyon).

Email from Dirk Maas

2007-08 (again)

Brazil

Anderson (Manchester United), Marcelo, Júlio Baptista and Robinho (Real Madrid), Júlio César, Maicon, Maxwell and César (Inter), Lúcio and Zé Roberto (Bayern München), Anderson, Cris, Juninho Pernambucano and Fred (Lyon).

Email from Dirk Maas

2009-10

France

Patrick Vieira (Inter), Thierry Henry and Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich), Steve Mandanda (Marseille).

Email from Thomas Bickley

With so many players on a high, France must have been unbeatable at that summer’s World Cup, eh? Oh.

2016-17

Brazil

David Luiz and Willian (Chelsea), Danilo, Marcelo and Casemiro (Real Madrid) Alex Sandro and Dani Alves (Juventus), Rafinha and Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Jemerson, Boschilia and Fabinho (Monaco). Email from Dirk Maas

2021-22

Spain

Dani Carvajal, Marco Asensio, Isco and others (Real Madrid), Aymeric Laporte and Rodri (Manchester City), Brahim Díaz and Samu Castillejo (Milan), Marc Roca (Bayern Munich), Sergio Ramos, Juan Bernat and Ander Herrera (PSG). Emails from Seán Smith and Boris Cule

2023-24

Brazil

Éder Militão, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Ederson (Manchester City), Carlos Augusto (Inter), Arthur (Bayer Leverkusen, though he only played four times), Marquinhos and Lucas Beraldo (PSG). Emails from Seán Smith, Tim Dockery and Lloyd Jones

Late-career goalscoring centurions

“Brian Graham recently scored his 100th goal for Partick Thistle at the age of 37 having not joined the club until the age of 32. Has anyone ever reached a century after joining so late in their career?” writes Calum Stewart.

Let’s start with two of modern football’s deadliest netbusters. Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski joined Juventus and Barcelona respectively at the age of 33. Ronaldo scored 101 goals for Juve, Lewandowski is on the same total after hitting two against Athletic Bilbao in the last game of the season. Adam Webster points out that Ronaldo is one short of a century for Al-Nassr, the club he joined at the age of 37 – although he may have scored his last goal for the club.