Football’s showbiz unveilings: Maradona, Alan Shearer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and more

After confirmation that Neymar has made his world-record move to PSG from Barcelona, the footballing world now awaits what has been billed as the most showbiz transfer unveiling of all time.

In this age of bizarre social media announcements – whether it’s kidnapping new signings or devising fake Whatsapp conversations – all eyes are now on PSG as fans get a first look of the Brazilian in their club shirt.

Here, we look through the ages at the biggest transfer unveilings…
Naples’ new resident

One of the first stadium unveilings of its kind, Napoli’s Stadio San Paolo was packed out on July 6, 1984 for the arrival of Argentine maestro Diego Maradona from Barcelona following a tumultuous time at the Nou Camp.

It was a world-record fee of £6.9m, and from the minute he arrived, Neopolitans saw Maradona as one of their own.
Over 70,000 turned out to welcome him to southern Italy, and in the following few weeks, Maradona was mobbed around the city.

Maradona’s stint matched the welcome, and the fee. He spent seven years in Naples, winning Serie A in 1987 and 1990, as well as a Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup title.

Shearer comes home

In the same car park where Kevin Keegan had stood just 18 months earlier justifying the departure of Andy Cole to disgruntled Newcastle fans, July 1996 saw the Geordies welcome a new hero.

Another world-record deal, Newcastle picked up Alan Shearer from Blackburn to begin a 10-year stint yielding 206 goals.
The defining image? Perhaps the two giant inflatable Newcastle Brown Ale bottles either side of the £15m man…

MLS’ first galactico

Goldenballs emerged, wading through a sea of ticker tape in a grey suit, to a hero’s welcome in 2007 as MLS got their first superstar of the 21st century.

When David Beckham made his first reference to the game he plays he said „foot..“ before correcting himself and saying „soccer“, adding: „I’ll get used to that at some point, I’m sorry“.
He added: „I think that potentially in the US soccer could be as big as everywhere else in the world.“

A huge statement worthy of such an unveiling, and 10 years later, Beckham has no doubt improved the image.

World-record Ronaldo arrives

A packed-out Bernabeu turned up to welcome the world’s most expensive player in 2009, with 80,000 fans matching the £80m price tag Real Madrid paid Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo emerged in full kit, socks rolled up as high as possible, and gave the crowd a heart-felt speech whilst stood next to eight replicas of the European Cup. He would go on to add three more to Real’s collection.
Real will open the doors of the Bernabeu for most unveilings these days, most recently Theo Hernandez and his bizarre keepy-ups, but Ronaldo’s glamorous welcome was a sign of things to come.

Zlatan’s landmark move

Why unveil your biggest signing in a stadium when you can do it in front of the Eiffel Tower?

Forget sponsors and packed-out stands, PSG gave Zlatan Ibrahimovic the backdrop to end all backdrops in 2012 as fans and a few bemused tourists welcomed him to the French capital.
The towering striker lived up to the billing, scoring 156 goals in 180 games.

Four years later he joked he would only stay at PSG if they replaced the Eiffel Tower with a statue of himself. He duly left for Manchester United a few months later…

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