Can Neymar match our five favourite singing footballers?

With Barcelona star Neymar set to release his first album anytime now, talk at Ladbrokes News HQ has been of past efforts by footballers looking to make it big in the music world.

As Neymar looks to become the first person to win the Champions League and a Grammy (maybe) in the same season, he joins a long list men who have temporarily ditched the boots for the mic.

Football ability and vocal talent certainly don’t go hand in hand, but we reckon this little fivesome are worthy efforts…

Hoddle and Waddle

This is so 1980s.

Then Tottenham team-mates Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle paired up in 1987 to release ‘Diamond Lights’.  A far cry from their punditry, this was a heartfelt and brooding number, with lyrics such as:

“Standing in the rain
Cold electric sky no diamond lights
Now I’m on my own
So alone, oh darling’.

Woah guys. That’s deep.

To be fair they actually made it to number 12 and performed on Top of the Pops.

Andrew Cole

Outstanding. ‘Nuff said.

Well, OK, not quite ‘nuff said. At the peak of his powers in 1999, Man United goal demon turned his head to rap.

Giving off a Will Smith/Fresh Prince 1990 vibe, we particularly like the line ‘United forever, whatever the weather’.

Cole left for Blackburn in 2001. Outstanding.

Clint Dempsey

Continuing the rap theme is former Fulham hero Clint Dempsey.

Going by the name Clint ‘Deuce’ Dempsey, the American loves his hip-hop.

Paul Gascoigne

If Paul Gascoigne’s career were to be compared to the Himalayas, then 1990 was his Everest.

Capturing the world’s attention with his wondrous talent, Gazza took to the mic with ‘Fog On The Tyne’.

Entering at number two in November that year, it was only beaten by the Righteous Brothers’ and ‘Unchained Melody’.

John Barnes

You thought we’d forgotten, didn’t you?

The pinnacle of footballing rap. Ladies and Gentleman, John Barnes.

We know you know all the words…

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.