Former Tottenham and England star Glenn Hoddle has recounted the time he received 26 stitches for a clash with the toughest opponent he faced in his career.
The 68-year-old had an illustrious playing career, featuring over 350 times for Spurs, along with 53 caps for England, and spells with Monaco, Swindon, and Chelsea.
Hoddle's success translated onto the managerial stage, taking on his former sides Swindon, Chelsea, and Tottenham from the dugout, as well as the England national team, Southampton, and Wolves.
While he is now known for his time as a pundit, the former star has reflected on his career, with one player named as the toughest he faced.
Glenn Hoddle's Toughest Opponent
During his playing days, Hoddle faced off with plenty of tricky opponents, but one was tougher in the physical sense than a lot of the others he took on.
The 68-year-old recently discussed his career with the i Paper, citing Jiri Sloup as the one he struggled against the most, receiving stitches from the encounter. He said:
"The toughest opponent I faced was a player called Jiri Sloup I’ve got 26 stitches in my forehead to tell you about him.
"It was the second leg of the UEFA Cup tie against Bohemians Praha, and it was pretty evident after two minutes this fellow was trying to kill me. Dingy, old place we were playing in. The floodlights were dreadful. The pitch wasn’t great.
"I remember Ray Clemence threw me the ball, bless him, and I was on my own for a second or two. I could see Sloup coming at me out of the corner of my eye, so I thought I’d flick it round him and spin the other side.
"He hit me like an express train. His elbow caught me in the head. I tore my groin, so I got stretchered off. So that was an experience. He was probably the hardest bloke I played against. I wouldn’t want to play against him every week."
Tottenham went on to draw the game 1-1, with Hoddle substituted off just before halftime, a tie they ultimately progressed past with a 3-1 triumph on aggregate.
Tottenham Relegation Impact
Tottenham's struggles this season could see them relegated, with a final match decider awaiting them in the Premier League over the weekend.
If Spurs drop to the second tier, it'll be the first time in almost 50 years that the club have suffered relegation from the top-flight, marking a dark day.
The last time was in 1977, in a squad that Hoddle happened to be a part of as a teenager, which he has outlined as his biggest regret from his career.
He said: "Getting relegated with Tottenham was my lowest point. I was only 18, and we got relegated in 1977. That was the lowest I’ve ever felt without a shadow of a doubt, because it was my team.
"I’ve supported Tottenham since I was eight years old, and to think I was in a team that got relegated was crucifying for me as a youngster.
"But it was good for me in the end, because I learned from it a lot and I learned how to cope with adversity. Some people, they’re great when they’re winning. The minute it goes the other way, they don’t know how to deal with that.
"If I could turn back time, that would be the one, because I would approach things so differently now."
It remains to be seen whether that same regret could face a few faces in the current Spurs team, and whether any of them could then go on to have the legacy of Hoddle for themselves.