Most of his professional life had been spent unremarkably, teaching history in universities and compiling a 74-part encyclopedia of China.

ECONOMIST: Liang Congjie

City, on the other hand, hasn't won the English title since 1968 and played unremarkably for the better part of four decades until Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the Abu Dhabi royal family bought the team in 2008.

CNN: England's game of year draws attention from across pond