Wednesday 18 October 2017 10:42, UK
From Graeme Souness to Ruud Gullit, via Joey Barton, Max Rushden looks at some of the most memorable footballing moustaches to celebrate the upcoming Movember....
Footballers and moustaches. There have been many. Some classic, some wispy, some fashionable, some at a time when no earthly human would have a moustache. This Movember, me and Paul Merson will be growing moustaches to raise awareness and funds for men's health.
We'll be joined in our endeavour by the rugby guys, Scott Quinnell, Sean Fitzpatrick and baby-faced Alex Payne.
Prostate cancer and testicular cancer diagnoses for men are startling, and we all know that men are still not good at talking about health issues.
"Movember is a great cause. Even though I will look stupid it's all about getting the awareness out there and I hope more people will do it as well. I did it three or four years ago and had a handlebar moustache. I am going to try and go with the old Ben Stiller Dodgeball moustache again, but if not I'll just go with the Graeme Souness."
Movember also focuses on mental health - once again an issue that needs to be spoken about more than it currently is.
We're all really happy to just raise as much awareness for everything Movember does and if we can help even a tiny bit, it'll be worth it - especially to see how whispy Alex's moustache is at the end of the month!
So to herald the start of Movember, here is my top 10. It is not an exhaustive list. It's not really in any order. It's not the first time this list has been done - but this hopefully covers the full range.
These are 10 moustaches that mean something to me. (It's important here to point out I wasn't allowed Tom Selleck, Merv Hughes or Geoff from Byker Grove, because apparently "they're not footballers".)
To sign up for Movember click here.
Perhaps it's just because this was my most common sticker from Panini '87, but when someone says footballer and moustache in the same sentence, I think of Alan Devonshire.
In terms of pure consistent form, this is glorious. At its peak, this moustache weighed more than two kilos.
We need a manager. There are some options - Vicente Del Bosque comes close...But Jorge's, at full length, covers more than his bottom lip, down to his chin.
They come as a pair. As with everything else, Rush's is just a tiny bit better.
Gets points for maintaining a moustache from player into management (please also see Sam Allardyce).
These days, he carries a stick on one around with him and puts it on at parties.
Some people can't grow moustaches, but they try. We needed a wispy one in the list, and Joey just pips Spurs' Chris Armstrong.
Most of the power behind that header in the Euro '88 final came from Ruud's moustache.
As with Selleck, I'm not allowed to pick the policeman from Allo Allo. So this is the next best thing.
Some people grow moustaches to keep in with fashion. Some people grow them to be anti-fashion. Some just had a moustache from birth. It is the constants in life that keep the world turning. And this moustache is just that.
No words needed for this one.
Which moustache is your favourite? Have your say in our interactive vote below...
