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Glam Monitor

Who was the first million pound footballer in the world?

Author

Isabella Ramos

Updated on July 07, 2026

On February 9, 1979, England striker Trevor Francis joined Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in a deal worth over £1million; a British transfer record at the time.

Who was the first 1 million pound football player?

In 1979 Trevor Francis became the first British footballer to command a £1 million transfer fee when he moved from Birmingham City to Nottingham Forest.

Who was the first 100000 pound footballer?

The First £100 Player

Patrick William “Willie” Groves is widely considered to be the first player that cost over £100 to be transferred from one club to another.

Who is the No 1 football player in football history?

1. Diego Maradona, Argentina. Diego Maradona's talent was without a doubt the greatest ever seen in football. His dribbling ability was mesmerizing, his goal-scoring was unique and clinical, and his passing and crossing were precise—earning him many assists in his career.

When did Trevor Francis become the first million pound footballer?

Trevor Francis made history in 1979 as he became the first million pound footballer. Much has changed since then but did his transfer change the game? The signing of the first million pound footballer was a major event when it came to betting on the Champions League (or the European Cup, as it was back then).

32 related questions found

Who was the first black player to play for England?

The first black player to represent England at any level was John Charles, who played for the England under 18's in 1962 and scored against Israel.

Did Trevor Francis play for Man?

There are City debuts and then there is Trevor Francis' City debut... It came away to Stoke in September 1981, just a couple of days after City had paid £1.2m to bring the former Birmingham, Forest, and England forward to the Club.

Who is the football god?

He was none other than Diego Maradona, one of the world's greatest football players, also called 'The God of Football'. He saw heaven and hell on Earth and died Wednesday at the age of 60. Maradona was a player who, apart from scoring goals, also made mistakes.

Who is the father of football?

Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the system of downs.

Is Messi better than Ronaldo?

While Ronaldo currently has more goals overall, Messi has the edge in the scoring department, with a higher season average (39.5 to 35), having hit a high of 73 goals in 2011-12.

Who was the first 1000 pound a week footballer?

During the 1960`s we saw footballer`s status move from sportsmen to that of celebrities, with showbiz footballers such as George Best getting featured on the front page of newspapers as well as the back page and it was George Best who was the first big earner when who was given a salary of £1,000 a week in 1968 this is ...

How do you spell Alan Shearer?

Alan Shearer CBE DL (born 13 August 1970) is an English football pundit and retired football player and manager who played as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation and one of the greatest players in Premier League history, he is the Premier League's record goalscorer.

Who was the first ever football transfer?

The first player to ever be transferred for a fee of over £100 was Scottish striker Willie Groves when he made the switch from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa in 1893, eight years after the legalisation of professionalism in the sport.

Who was the first million pound goalkeeper?

Martyn played as a goalkeeper from 1987 until 2006. Martyn moved to Crystal Palace in 1989 where he became the first million- pound goalkeeper in British Football. He remained at Palace for seven seasons and made 349 appearances for the club.

Who made soccer?

That would mean the origins of the sport of soccer was invented by the Han Dynasty during the imperial dynasty of China over 2,200 years ago. Historians have claimed that the sport was played even before then as far back as 5,000 years ago. But based on historical evidence, it is the Han Dynasty.

Who invented football UK?

While no single individual can realistically lay claim to being the 'inventor' of football, Ebenezer Morley has been referred to as the 'father' of the Football Association.

Where was football first formed?

What is the origin of football? Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century. Though “folk football” had been played since medieval times with varying rules, the game began to be standardized when it was taken up as a winter game at public schools.

Who is the oldest team in the world?

Queens Park are a football club based in Glasgow and are the oldest club in the history of Scottish football. Founded in July 1867, they are also the oldest team in the world, founded outside England and Wales. The club were an amateur side for the first 152 years of their existence.

Who is king of football now?

Lionel Messi is the king of football in 2022 after his stupendous previous season where he ended with 41 goals and 17 assists and then went on to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain for the 2021-22 season.

Where is Trevor Francis now?

Now working as a football speaker, pundit and commentator for Al Jazeera Sports and Sky Sports . Trevor Francis is an extremely sought after guest for corporate functions and football speaker events, his stories and insights providing plenty of entertainment for any audience interested in football.

How much did Steve Daley cost?

In September 1979, he was transferred to Manchester City for a fee of £1,437,500 – an English record, and equivalent to £7,328,000 in 2019.

Who signed Trevor Francis?

As part of our 1978/79 season series, STEVE MITCHELL recalls the eye-watering deal that shocked the nation. On February 9, 1979, England striker Trevor Francis joined Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in a deal worth over £1million; a British transfer record at the time.

Who was the first black man in football?

In 1920, Fritz Pollard became the first African-American to play in the NFL during its formative years. However, in the years after Fritz's departure, the NFL owners imposed a “gentleman's agreement” preventing the signing of more black players. The four men below are credited with re-integrating the NFL in 1946.