Players who went From World Cup hero to new club flop

After impressing at the World Cup, your club buys a player who looks like the real deal. The season starts and you’re genuinely excited until, after a few dreadful appearances, you tell your friends that he “probably just needs a few games to bed in.”

Except, it never happens. A waste of money has replaced what looked like a world-class talent and the player is swiftly shipped out.

But which footballers—who were stars for their respective World Cup nations—turned out to be the worst buys at club level?

Denilson: Sao Paulo to Real Betis

After appearing in every game of the 1998 World Cup with Brazil and, as winner of the 1997 Confederations Cup Most Valuable Player award, the Sao Paulo winger was one of the most exciting young players around.

Signed by Real Betis for a world record-breaking fee of £21.5 million, it looked like Denilson was going to be a hit at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

However, perhaps it was the price tag that hung heavy around his neck, but things did not turn out as planned. Denilson struggled to become a regular starter, and in his second season with Betis, the club were relegated into the Segunda Division.

The Brazilian returned to Flamengo on loan before returning to Betis in January 2001. The club were promoted back into the Primera Division, but Denilson was sparingly used—most often as a substitute.

A World Cup-winner in 2002, Denilson went to Bordeaux on a free transfer in 2005.

El Hadji Diouf: Lens to Liverpool

On May 31, 2002 Senegal shocked World Cup holders France with a 1-0 win on the opening day of the tournament.

A day later, it was announced that Liverpool had signed the African Footballer of the Year, El Hadji Diouf, on a five-year deal.

Although he wasn’t signed directly on the back of his exploits in Japan and South Korea, Reds fans had reason to get genuinely excited about their new buy as he turned in some excellent performances en route to Senegal’s eventual exit in the quarter-finals.

However, the promising World Cup star turned out to be quite the flop.

Diouf scored a brace in his second Premier League game for Liverpool before going on a barren stretch until March, where he registered just one more. The following season Diouf did not find the back of the net once in 26 top-flight appearances.

The Senegalese striker was eventually sold on to Bolton Wanderers in August 2004, having made 69 appearances (in all competitions) for Liverpool.

Diouf will be best remembered for spitting at a Celtic fan during a UEFA Cup tie at Celtic Park.

Kleberson: Atletico PR to Manchester United

He may not have put pen to paper with Manchester United until July 2003, but it was Kleberson’s performances at the 2002 World Cup that attracted the Old Trafford side.

Upon signing, the then-24-year-old told BBC Sport:

To be the first Brazilian to sign for United is special. This is the biggest opportunity of my life. I had offers from other clubs but they weren’t Manchester United. What I promise the fans is to give my all on the pitch from the outset.

Two injury-hit seasons followed, and the World Cup-winning midfielder managed just 26 appearances for United, before being sold on to Turkish side Besiktas in the summer of 2005.

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