Sir Geoff Hurst does some last-minute shopping, Merseyside rivals Howard Kendall and Sir Kenny Dalglish pull a cracker and Bobby Moore enjoys a party with Terry Venables… Mail Sport archives winds back the clock with past Christmas pictures
- Mail Sport takes a look through the archives for Christmas photos from the past
- CLICK HERE to buy these photos – and many more – from the Ny Breaking archive
- It's tight at the top of the tree with Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa all dropping points… so who has won Christmas so far? – It all starts
It has become a tradition in recent years to see football stars flood their social media with festive images.
People like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah regularly share what they are doing on Christmas Day with their millions of followers.
Some people might wonder how footballers from a bygone era could spread their Christmas cheer at this time of year.
Luckily, there was always a willing photographer on hand to capture these moments, showing what Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Kenny Dalglish and more were up to over the festive period.
Mail Sport takes a look through the archives and sees how some of the game's legends celebrated Christmas.
Even Christmas could bring rivals together with Everton legend the late Howard Kendall (left) pulling a cracker with Sir Kenny Dalglish when they managed the Merseyside clubs
When Pep Guardiola was just a boy, it was John Bond (left) in the Man City dugout, the latter cooking a Christmas turkey with coaches John Benson and John Sainty.
Cameras have come a long way, as evidenced by legendary striker Jimmy Greaves turning his talents to photography during Tottenham's Christmas party at White Hart Lane
Greaves is in front of the camera this time at Tottenham's Christmas party as he dances with his teammates (from left to right – Tony Marchi, Terry Tyson, John Hollowbread, Greaves, Dave McKay, John White and Freddie Sharpe)
Bobby Moore (second from left) and wife Tina enjoy the company of Mr and Mrs Terry Venables at a New Year's Eve party in 1967
Cardiff City players saved some money in 1964 when they were donated their turkeys by the club's then chairman, Fred Dewey (John Charles pictured fourth left with his turkey)
Even footballers leave their Christmas shopping at the last minute as Geoff Hurst carries a shopping basket, a tree and his daughter Claire on his shoulders on December 23, 1968.
The late Sir Bobby Charlton shows off a stocking to his daughters Andrea and Suzanne as he enjoys a family Christmas as his wife Norma looks on
George Cohen, who died on December 23 last year, pictured with son Anthony in 1968
Seven-year-old David Powell – cousin of Fulham's Dave Mitchell – in the snow at Craven Cottage with a mince pie in 1962