9 Christmas Characters and Their World Football Equivalents
On countless occasions throughout the season, we compare world football players to each other in order to figure out who is better.
We are putting a twist on that concept for Christmas Day, as we searched for the football equivalent of nine Christmas characters.
Continue reading on to see which characters were compared to the stars of the beautiful game.
Grinch and Mario Balotelli
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Just like the Grinch, Mario Balotelli doesn't seem to be a very likeable guy.
The controversial forward doesn't care what others think about his actions, and it is a bit of a surprise he hasn't tried to burn down parts of a town like his green counterpart did in Whoville.
Balotelli has ravaged the ordinary citizens of England while at Manchester City and Liverpool by being involved in countless altercations. One of his most notable incidents came back in 2011, when he threw darts at a Manchester City youth player.
If he actually performed on the field, we would lay off Balotelli a bit. But right now we know him best for his miserable attitude and failure to stay out of trouble.
The Island of Misfit Toys and the USMNT
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The misfit toys in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer are a collection of dolls, stuffed animals and toys that no one wants.
From a spotted elephant to a Charlie-in-the-Box and everywhere in between, the misfit toys are a bit odd.
The United States men's national team has been pieced together like a bunch of misfits over the last 12 months, as they have featured plenty of dual-nationals and players out of position.
At the World Cup, the Yanks had seven dual-nationals on their roster as well as players such as Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones lined up out of position.
On a broader scale, the United States are not sure where they belong on the world stage. They have impressed us with wins against Ghana and Turkey in 2014, but they have also come up short since returning from Brazil.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Arjen Robben
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Rudolph and Arjen Robben have more qualities in common than you would think.
Both the reindeer and Dutch international are known for being one-trick ponies. Rudolph's only use is to light up the sky on Christmas Eve, while Robben is criticized for only using his preferred left foot time and time again.
The two are also made fun of quite often for their odd traits. When he was young, Rudolph was laughed at by the other young reindeer because of his nose, while Robben is a subject of many jokes because he only uses his left foot.
Rudolph and Robben may have one standout quality, but they both use it quite well.
Buddy the Elf and Miguel Herrera
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During the 2014 World Cup, we fell in love with Mexico boss Miguel Herrera for his wide range of emotions on the sideline.
One Christmas character who is not afraid to display his emotions is Buddy the Elf from the 2003 movie Elf.
While Herrera may not be dancing in a mail room or calling Miles Finch an "Angry Elf" anytime soon, he did provide us with a ton of joy through his endless displays of emotion in Brazil.
Kris Kringle and Stephen Quinn
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This comparison is as straightforward as they come.
Hull City's Stephen Quinn has sported a magnificent ginger beard throughout the English Premier League season.
Before he transformed into Santa Claus in Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Kris Kringle was the owner of a terrific red beard.
We're sure if we dug deeper, these two would have more in common. But the beards alone were enough to link these two.
Ebenezer Scrooge and Vincent Tan
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Not only does Vincent Tan look like a villain from a James Bond film, he is also world football's version of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Scrooge was a miserable human being who was hated by everyone before three ghosts visited him in his sleep.
Tan was responsible for changing Cardiff City's traditional blue kit to red before the 2012-13 season. The decision was a controversial one, as the Welsh side had worn blue since 1910.
Whether or not Tan turns things around like Scrooge remains to be seen, but there is hope that one day he will come to his senses.
Yukon Corneilus and Andrea Pirlo
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When we are first introduced to explorer Yukon Cornelius in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, he comes across as an odd international man of mystery.
We are not sure what to think of the ax-throwing adventurer who is in search of gold, but he was able to tame the Abominable Snowman.
If there is anyone in world football who can tame such a beast with his cool personality it is Andrea Pirlo.
It's also worth noting both of these gentleman have spectacular facial hair.
Heat Miser and Sepp Blatter
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Heat Miser is a character from the underrated animated flick A Year Without a Santa Claus.
In the hour-long special, the hot-headed fireball displays his love for the heat and fails to compromise on anything with his brother, Snow Miser.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter is one of the most hated people in all of sport, thanks to his failure to use common sense and his erroneous decision-making.
What makes him comparable to the Heat Miser is his affection for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Blatter stated this week that the nation will not be stripped of the World Cup despite all of the terrible allegations surrounding the country.
Ralphie Parker and New York City FC Fans
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In A Christmas Story, all Ralphie Parker wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot range model air rifle.
All the fans of expansion MLS side New York City FC want for Christmas is Frank Lampard in a NYCFC kit on March 8.
Because of Lampard's play while on loan at Manchester City, the chances of him suiting up for NYCFC in the club's first game against Orlando City are lower than the possibility of every kid waking up with a Red Ryder under their Christmas tree.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
