When Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were at the height of their rivalry in Spain, the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final in Madrid was remembered for another reason: Inter Milan’s historic treble. At the Santiago Bernabéu, captain Javier Zanetti lifted the club’s third European Cup alongside fellow Argentines Walter Samuel, Esteban Cambiasso, and Diego Milito, who scored twice to defeat Bayern Munich. Led by the iconic José Mourinho, Inter returned to the top of Europe.
But among the stars, there was a teenager most fans had never heard of—Ben Greenhalgh, an 18-year-old Englishman who celebrated on the pitch with a gold medal around his neck despite not playing a single minute. His journey to Inter was unlike any other: he had won a reality show.
In 2009, while Messi and Ronaldo battled weekly for supremacy, Sky Sports launched “Football’s Next Star”, a reality TV competition aimed at discovering Britain’s next great player. More than 2,000 youngsters entered, but only nine made the final cut, selected by Inter’s youth coordinator Marco Monti.
The prize? A six-month professional contract with Inter Milan. Greenhalgh, from Orpington near London, won the contest and joined one of the strongest squads in modern soccer history, a team that went on to win the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Champions League in the same season.
Training with legends
For Greenhalgh, it was a dream come true. “I was training with players I used to play as on FIFA,” he later told The Sun. “Running alongside Lucio made my legs turn to jelly, and when Quaresma passed me the ball, it felt surreal.”
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Though Mourinho never gave him minutes on the pitch, Greenhalgh still experienced unforgettable moments: being in the locker room at Camp Nou after Inter eliminated Barcelona and celebrating the Champions League triumph in Madrid. Since he was part of the traveling squad, UEFA awarded him a winners’ medal, making him the only English player in Inter’s history to win the trophy.
Life after Inter
After a short loan spell at Como, where he scored eight goals in 12 matches, Greenhalgh struggled to find stability in professional soccer. He played in lower leagues in England and Scotland before eventually moving into semi-professional soccer.
Remarkably, he also pursued other passions. He worked as a Cristiano Ronaldo body double, copying the Portuguese star’s movements for commercials. Later, he even stepped in as a double for Diego Costa, though he recalled the striker being less than cooperative.
By 2021, Greenhalgh found a new home at Margate FC, a small English club, where he combined playing with coaching duties. When head coach Reece Prestedge left in 2024, Greenhalgh was promoted to manager, all while still scoring goals on the field.
A unique legacy
At 32, Ben Greenhalgh embodies a rare story in soccer: a player who went from reality TV to lifting the most prestigious trophy in club football. While his professional career may not have reached the heights of Messi or Ronaldo, his Champions League medal, golf career on the PGA circuit, and coaching journey ensure his name remains unforgettable in football folklore.
