Fans of The Traitors will be delighted to see the series return for its second celebrity edition on Thursday night. And despite the excitement surrounding this year's cast, football fans might wonder whether we could do slightly better.
The Beautiful Game is no stranger to its own bit of cloak and dagger. It's not unreasonable to think there are more than a few footballing figures who might excel at sleuthing around the turret - as well as those who really wouldn't.
After all, half the fun comes from seeing those unaccustomed to lying flounder under pressure. Mirror Football has compiled a cast of football stars who would make for one stellar season of The Traitors, for one reason or another.
Goal-scoring instincts and morale boosters
Erling Haaland's boyish features hide the instincts of a killer - strictly in a goal-finishing sense, as his three Premier League Golden Boots attest. The Manchester City striker keeps a cool head in tense moments, and could succeed as either a traitor or a faithful.
Declan Rice would be the man to keep morale high after accidentally banishing a string of faithfuls. The Arsenal and England midfielder is rarely seen without a smile when not playing, though fibbing doesn't seem to be his forte, which could be a death sentence if he were named a traitor. His inexhaustible engine would come in handy during missions.
Jokers and entertainers
Jimmy Bullard has appeared on I'm A Celeb twice, Tipping Point, and had a stint on Celebrity Big Brother as a panellist. A trip to the Scottish Highlands would complete the UK competition show hat-trick. Seeing the former Wigan and Fulham joker capitulate while trying to lie his way out of a traitor's corner would make iconic TV.
David Luiz earned the nickname Sideshow Bob during his Chelsea career, and the ex-Brazil centre-back would work best as a late recruit to the traitors' team. His signature grin would be priceless after proving himself a faithful, only to turn on his former comrades at the last minute.
Thomas Muller routinely provided levity in an iconic Bayern Munich side that was otherwise all business. The German would remind fellow competitors it was all just a game, then steal in to reveal he was the grand deceiver all along - a classic misdirect.
Fan favourites and unlikely suspects
Jermain Defoe would relate to the average viewer excellently, and would be a dab hand at tasks. Peter Crouch's chemistry with Defoe would be impossible to disguise, given their prolific partnerships over the years. The BBC might even have to open a skylight in the turret to accommodate the 6'7" figure.
James Milner, the Premier League's appearance record-holder, has hung up his boots this year. Thrusting him into an environment where lying is obligatory would disprove the 'Boring Milner' moniker, though he'd likely be up for his morning jog around the grounds already.
Sol Campbell, the original Premier League traitor, would arrive with a reputation after famously swapping sides of the north London derby. He's also a wonderfully whimsical character who would leave the rest of the cast bemused.
Confidence and chaos
Zlatan Ibrahimovic would add supreme value in any environment. The Swede would be so confident in his own abilities that he'd reveal his identity as a traitor, believing he could still win regardless.
YouTuber Mark Goldbridge would provide comedic value among the assortment of verified stars, though Claudia Winkleman might struggle to keep her act together amid his complaints about getting wet. He'd probably still find some way to blame his exit on Manchester United's poor recruitment.
Michael Owen might succeed in accidentally bamboozling his rivals, and could pilot the helicopter that ferries contenders into the loch in the final. Ian Holloway, the Swindon Town manager, could even make a great guest host in Winkleman's place, rocking up to breakfast with a new iconic quote each morning.
