After
a masked Cesc Fabregas netted a late winner for Chelsea at QPR, we take a
look at some other famous footballers to have donned headwear on the
field...
Fernando Torres
Fabregas isn't the first Chelsea player to pull on a protective mask - Petr
Cech, Demba Ba and John Terry have all had to slip on a shield. However, one
of Fernando Torres' finest moments for the club came with his face partially
hidden by a mask. The Spain international scored a vital goal in the Europa
League semi-final second leg against Basel in 2013 to help Chelsea to the
Amsterdam showpiece.
Paul Gascoigne
England's maverick midfielder Paul Gascoigne broke his cheekbone when he was
elbowed by Netherlands captain Jan Wouters in a 1994 World Cup qualifier.
Gazza was forced to wear a rather rudimental face mask to protect the injury
for club and country for the remainder of the season.
Paolo Maldini
Suave Italian defender Paolo Maldini wasn't looking so stylish in 2003 after
breaking his nose against Inter in the Milan derby. The AC Milan legend was
laid low for a couple of weeks before returning to the field for the club's
Champions League quarter-final second leg against Ajax wearing a protective
mask.
Michael Ballack
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack was an imposing presence in the
centre of midfield even before a broken nose forced him to pull on a
menacing black mask. The protective shield - which matched up with his Bayer
Leverkusen strip - added to the air of intensity around him.
Jonas Gutierrez
Jonas Gutierrez has also worn a mask on the field - although the Newcastle
midfielder prefers a Spider-Man version to the typical protective gear. The
Argentina international has marked goals for the Magpies by pulling the mask
out of shorts - and promptly getting booked by the referee.
"It all started in Spain when I went to the cinema and a little boy asked me
to score a goal for him," he explained. "So I told him I would put a
Spider-Man mask on for him, as that was his favourite film. In the next
game, I scored so it carried on."
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