Born:
Age: 44
Age in 2005: 31
Premier League Clubs: Bolton Wanderers (2002-08)
Position: Defender/Midfielder
The moment Iván Campo pulled into Bolton town centre, and took his first breath of air - a mix of the fresh scent from Jumbles Country Park in the north and the smell of chips from Wigan in the west - he knew he was home.
What was originally meant to be only a brief loan spell turned into a six-year stint with the Trotters, as the Spaniard would later declare that,
(Above: Adopted Mackem Julio Arca competes with adopted Trotter Campo for title of 'Weirdest Exotic Player at a Northern Club 2005')
Campo began his career in the third tier of Spanish football with Deportivo Alavés, where he began making a name for himself: El Pelos, meaning 'The Hair'.
He also did alright on the pitch, attracting the interest of big spenders Valencia, who bought him for free. However, it wasn't long before Real Madrid would snap up the defender in August of 1998, a few years before they began purchasing some of the world's top players, including Jonothan Woodgate, Thomas Gravesen and Julien Faubert.
Nevertheless, despite winning the UEFA Champions League with Los Blancos in 2000, The Hair found himself becoming a scapegoat for the club's problems, as people within the Bernabeau continually insisted that he cut off his unruly mop perhaps so that he would look, and therefore play, more like Roberto Carlos. Frustrated, Campo gave the Real Madrid board an ultimatum:
Soon after been transfer listed, free-spending Bolton Wanderers came knocking, buying Ivan The Terrible for free.
It was at the Reebok Stadium that the fuzzy-haired defender (who had now been moved into midfield) saw his most successful string of performances, including a 43-yard screamer against Tottenham Hotspur in the league.
He formed part of what became known as the 'Bolton Galacticos' due to the arrival of a number of high-profile signings and Nicky Hunt. Such was the enthusiasm around the Bolton camp that The Hair blurted out that he believed the club could qualify for the Champions League. Bolton were relegated from the Premier League four seasons later.
Where is he now?
After packing in football, Campo went in search of the same buzz that came from winning the Champions League by starring in an advert for a fruit drink.
What did he say?
"Sam Allardyce's man-management was the reason he was able to attract top talent such as Bruno N'Gotty"
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Source: 90min
