16 Football Players You'd Happily Let Your Daughter Marry

Football is and will always be a mixed bag of talent and backgrounds.

Some players are renowned for being abusive, dirty and willing to do anything in order to put you off their game, whilst others are polite, professional and passionate about the way they go about their business.

You might say you'd never let your daughter go anywhere near a footballer, but everyone knows that parents only have so much control over their offspring.

Here are 16 players—some former, some present—that probably wouldn't have you too worried if they ever proposed to your daughter.

Arsenal nice boy Theo Walcott is an ideal candidate for marrying your daughter.

Theo predominantly favours a clean-shaven look and keeps himself in good shape even during the offseason—he's never likely to be out boozing late on the weekends.

Walcott has never made the headlines for anything outside of football and seems to be well grounded and professionally minded.

Unfortunately, if he were to ever do anything wrong, you'd never be able to catch him due to his impressive pace.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry recently signed a two-month loan deal with the London club, and he has already repaid Arsene Wenger's faith with a match-winning FA Cup goal.

The enigmatic Frenchman is known for his cool approach and typical French flair, something that would likely sweep your daughter off her feet if they were to meet.

Henry could get away with murder with that cheeky grin.

This article on Michael Owen shows that the footballer has amassed a decent fortune during his playing days, but the comments at the end of the article show the public's perception of the man.

Dan Factor writes: "Oh leave Owen alone. He’s a nice guy and one of the decent blokes of the game."

I'd have to agree with Dan that Owen certainly does come across that way, and with all the injuries he has suffered over the past few years I expect him to be retiring sooner rather than later.

Owen will therefore have more free time to look after your daughter and treat her with the money he has banked over his career.

If Owen ever did anything wrong that warranted chasing him down the street, you'll only have to run 20 yards before the 2001 Ballon d'Or winner pulls a hamstring and crumples to the floor in a heap.

Manchester City midfielder David Silva is only 5'7" and pretty thin, therefore you'd be confident that if he were to ever upset your daughter, you could probably beat him in a fight.

The Manchester City player is taking the Premier League by storm this season, and the mere fact he is at Man City means his wages must be pretty incredible.

That means he should never come asking for a loan.

Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa has to be another contender for someone you'd let your daughter marry.

With the unibrow he has sported all his career, your daughter will be assured that no other woman would ever consider going near the Portuguese defender whilst he sported such a facial monstrosity.

If he ever were to pluck it, it would be grounds for concern.

Bosingwa is seemingly a favourite under new Chelsea manager Andres Villas Boas after playing in all but three of Chelsea's league games so far.

Italy and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini is one of the few footballers who resisted overtures and money to continue playing at one club for the whole of his career.

Maldini's time at Milan spanned 25 seasons and 900 games, and he didn't retire until he was 41 years of age.

Maldini has the commitment and faithfulness you'd want from anyone wanting to marry your daughter, but the only problem is that Milan may always be his first true love.

As the story goes, Olivier Kapo's boot boy asked the footballer if he could keep the player's boots at the end of the season as a souvenir for 10 months worth of cleaning.

Kapo had already taken his boots home from the club and subsequently handed the young man the keys to his £30,000 Mercedes instead.

When the youngster declared he couldn't afford the insurance, Kapo paid for a year's worth himself so the kid could drive it.

That's the kind of generosity that is missing in the world of penny-pinching footballers, and his selflessness would earn a tick in any father-in-law's box.

Much like Paolo Maldini, Jamie Carragher is a one-man club and that club is Liverpool FC.

If Carragher gave the same commitment and passion in his marriage to your daughter then she would likely be a happy lady.

Carragher owns a number of sports bars in Liverpool, which would mean you could likely get a free dinner and pint of ale whenever you wanted.

Not a bad little kicker for walking your daughter down the aisle.

Scott Parker is known for being an honest and hardworking midfielder, so you'd have to assume he applies that same mentality to his relationships.

Parker is a great professional who has probably gone through most of his career being hugely underrated.

The England man is currently plying his trade at Champions League-chasing Tottenham Hotspur.

Linvoy Primus has a stand named after him at Fratton Park thanks to his services to Portsmouth Football Club.

Primus is involved in Christian charity work and once walked the entire Great Wall of China in order to raise £100,000 for the charity Faith and Football.

Sounds like a pretty nice chap to me.

Whilst once accused of cheating on wife Victoria, Beckham should have learnt his lesson by now and settled down as he's gotten older.

Having him as a son-in-law would ensure your daughter would be financially set for life and living in a great country in a huge house.

Beckham is also friends with Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise, which might mean occasional movie premiere tickets become available.

It's just hard not to like David Beckham.

Former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick has the unfortunate reputation of being one of football's "less attractive" players.

Thankfully, that means he's less likely to go picking up women from local bars.

Whilst this is an old picture of Chadwick, his looks have only improved slightly.

Chadwick is now playing for MK Dons in England's League One division.

The reason for Nani's inclusion is simple.

Should Nani ever annoy you as a son-in-law, you could blow in his general direction and watch as the Portuguese winger flings himself to the floor whilst simultaneously clutching his knee and screaming. He would then roll around for 10 minutes holding his forehead and glancing towards the exit in an attempt not to make eye contact with you because you know he is faking it.

Whilst Nani does this, you can rectify whatever the problem was in the first place before waving a pre-made yellow card in his direction.

Nani would then immediately jump up and carry on with his day.

Great for you, but perhaps not so great for your daughter.

Almost everybody who's ever met Ruud van Nistelrooy agrees that he one of the nicest blokes around.

This blog is a testament to the lasting impression he made on one journalist after a period of interviews, and he seems the type of person who you'd welcome into your family.

RVN was a pretty good footballer too back in his day. His best years are clearly behind him now, but Ruud still turns out in La Liga for Malaga FC.

Jamie Redknapp is one of football's good guys.

The retired former Liverpool and Tottenham player has four major trophies in his cabinet which include the 1995 League Cup, 2001 UEFA Super Cup, 2001 FA Cup, and the 2001 UEFA Cup. All were won with Liverpool.

Football runs in the Redknapp family, with his dad Harry manager of Spurs and cousin Frank Lampard a legend at Chelsea.

Redknapp married pop singer Louise in 1998 and is now a pundit for Sky Sports.

Redknapp would be a loyal family man who would likely produce a future footballing talent in your family if you were to let him.

When Gary Speed passed away, it sent shockwaves around the footballing world.

People were trying to understand why someone who seemingly had everything you could want would end his own life.

One thing that became clear from the tributes for Gary Speed was that he was the nicest person you could ever wish to meet.

The likes of El Hadj Diouf, Titus Bramble, David Unsworth and Gordon Strachan led the praising of one of Wales' finest individuals.

If he were alive today and Gary Speed wanted to marry your daughter, you ought to be one proud and happy parent.

One thing about footballers is that they can quite often be misunderstood.

Take one look at Craig Bellamy on the football pitch and you've probably already formed a negative opinion about him, yet the Welsh forward has opened an academy in Sierra Leone for underpriveleged children.

For all Mario Balotelli's headline antics, he has donated money to his local church and given bullying advice at primary schools.

Footballers are easy targets for criticism with their huge wages and flash images, but until we can look at ourselves and can honestly say we're the perfect human being, then we ought not to criticize another.

Follow me on Twitter @petercwebster and click here to read about the nine latest players linked to Liverpool FC.