A new statue of John Rudge, captured in his iconic “Dickie Bird” stance, was unveiled this week at Vale Park, immortalizing his legacy. Known for his invaluable contribution to Stoke City, where he served as director of football for 14 years, Rudge is perhaps even more beloved at Port Vale, where he managed for nearly two decades. Since the statue’s unveiling, hundreds of fans have already made their way to the Hamil Road stand to pay homage, and countless more are expected to follow for years to come, honoring this figure who holds such a special place in local football history.
Football statues are a cherished feature in the city, and this one by Ipstones-based sculptor Mike Talbot joins an esteemed lineup. Talbot, also the artist behind the Roy Sproson statue at Vale Park, has once again captured the spirit of football for the community. Over at Stoke’s bet365 Stadium, two notable statues also stand: one of Gordon Banks, proudly holding the Jules Rimet trophy, and a striking 9-foot tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews. This latter sculpture, in the northwest corner of the stadium, shows Matthews in three stages of his life, depicting the journey from budding talent to global football icon. Many consider this tribute to Matthews among the finest in the football world.
Football great Gordon Strachan once remarked on how the Matthews statue profoundly moved him. Visiting Stoke City with ITV, Strachan was struck by the magnificence of the monument, saying that it “blew him away.” When he returned alone that night to see it illuminated, he felt sure that Matthews himself would have appreciated the honor.
The Matthews statue, created by local sculptors Carl Payne, Julian Jeffrey, and Andrew Edwards, was unveiled in 2001 by Kevin Keegan and Matthews’ daughter, Jean Gough. Designed to reflect the legendary winger’s career, the £150,000 statue stands proudly at Boothen End, visible from the A50 and overlooking the old Victoria Ground. Keegan, then managing Manchester City, expressed the special honor it was to unveil such a tribute, recognizing the statue as an extraordinary homage to Matthews’ contributions to football.
In that same spirit, we’ve gathered a list of 10 of the best football statues worldwide. These monuments, each with unique, evocative designs, celebrate the heroes of football in styles beyond the typical stance of “a man with a ball at his feet.” Which ones resonate most? And are there others we should add?
1.Tom Finney at Preston North End
2.Carlos Valderama at Santa Marta
3.Roy Sproson at Port Vale
4.Bob Stokoe at Sunderland
5.Gordon Banks at Stoke City
6.Sir Stanley Matthews at Stoke City
7.Zinédine Zidane vs Marco Materazzi at Doha
8.Lev Yashin at Dinamo Moscow
9.1966 World Cup final linesman Tofik Bachramow at Baku
10.Colin Harvey, Alan Ball and Howard Kendall at Everton
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