Over the years, it seems Love Island’s producers have certainly been fan favourites of adding a semi-pro footballer or too into their casting lists.

Since the show began back in May 2005, the reality TV series has featured several stars from the world of sport, including Tyson Fury ’s brother and professional boxer, Tommy Fury. 

But as the new series kick started again this week, it seems the producers have enlisted a another footballer for the show.

From a League One star, to a seasoned Premier League 2 player, Mail Sport ranks the 11 best Love Island footballers.

11. Aaron Simpson 

Season seven islander Aaron Simpson is set to become a free agent this summer after helping Salisbury gain promotion earlier this season.

The 27-year-old’s footballing journey began in 2017, with the footballer, who hails from Kent, joining the Wolves academy.

FHe’d go on to enjoy spells with some established clubs, including Portsmouth, Kilmarnock and Sutton United – while also making 35 appearances in Premier League 2.

Sadly, Simpson’s time in the Villa lasted for only a matter of days, with Simpson being dumped out after just 10 days.

10. Tyrique Hyde

Having began his footballing career back in 2016 with Dagenham and Redbridge U18, Hyde would go on to play for several clubs around the National League, including Colchester, Dartford and Dulwich Hamlet.

He would join Lewes in 2022, but became the first of two Lewes players to put a pause on their playing career to join up with the television show.

He’d couple up with Ella Thomas, with the pair coming third in Series 10.

After the series, he’d get straight back to where he left off, joining up with Faversham Town and was also spotted earlier in May battling against Danny Dyer in the Sellebrity Soccer match at West Ham United.

9. Toby Aromolaran

One of the show’s most recognisable figures, Aromolaran made headlines for his relationship with Chloe Burrows.

Sadly they are no longer together after the pair were crowned runners-up in Season Seven. He would later return for Love Island: All Stars earlier in 2024, where he would couple up with fellow former contestant Georgia Steel. They left the villa as a couple but are sadly no longer together, with Aromolaran calling it a day.

Meanwhile, Aromolaran has returned to playing football, having previously enjoyed a successful career playing in the non-league.

Before first taking part in Love Island in 2021, he played in the Isthmian League. He began his career back in 2016 while playing for Tilbury, making a goalscoring debut against his former side Thurrock. The forward would go on to score 15 times across 82 appearances before leaving in 2018 to join Loughborough University. He’d subsequently play for Basildon United, Cheshunt, Witham Town, Tilbury again and Coalville Town.

On July 31 2020, he’d join up with YouTube side Hashtag United prior to going into the villa, and has continued to play for the side since returning to the UK and has scored 18 goals in 74 appearances for the club.

8. Ronnie Vint

Vint entered the villa last week and appeared to catch the eyes of more than one lady inside the villa. 

The defender, 27, began his career playing for Dartford, and has since gone on to enjoy several loan spells with Dulwich Hamlet. 

In 2023, he joined Sussex side Lewes, but had to put a pause on playing for the club to appear on the reality show. 

He is also the second player to leave Lewes to go on the show after Hyde

7. Michael Boateng 

Mike, a former semi-pro footballer, enjoyed two spells on Love Island, featuring in Series Six in 2020 as well as also featuring on the Love Island Games in 2023.

In Series Six, he’d couple up with Priscilla Anyabu but would be dumped from the island on day 41 of the show.

The footballer, who hails from London, Joined Sheffield United’s Academy in 2013, signing from non-league side Handsworth FC. Here he was team-mates with Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He would sign a scholarship at the Blades before being loaned out to Emley AFC. He was later released by the club.

‘I have a few footballer friends from my football days,’ he explained to the i Paper. ‘Dominic Calvert-Lewin played with me at Sheffield United.’

6. Finley Tapp

The 2020 winter Love Island champion Tapp has enjoyed an excellent playing career, notably playing for both Football League side MK Dons and Oxford City in the National League South. 

Tapp began his playing career with the Dons before enjoying a brief spell on loan with Staines Town. He’d later join up with Oxford City, before taking a break from football to appear on Love Island. 

He’d go on to couple up with Paige Turley and the pair would go on to win the series. Following his success on the screen, he jumped back into football, joining up with National League North side Banbury United. 

5. Luke Trotman

Trotman is one of few players to have played at international level on this list.

He is also another player to have seemingly put a pause on their playing career to appear in the television show.

The 26-year-old finished as a runner-up in Love Island Series Six alongside Siannise Fudge.

Prior to that, the former right-back had previously played for Darlington in National League North.

He had also enjoyed spells with Nuneaton, St Neots Town and had also been contracted to Luton Town, after rising through the club’s academy.

During the 2018-19 season, Trotman would be called up to play for England C, where he would feature in international games against Wales and Estonia.

Despite having had a promising football career, playing 71 times in National League North, it appears he is yet to return to playing semi-pro football.

4. Scott van-der-Sluis 

The addition of Van der Sluis means we now have a goalkeeper, and could perhaps form a pretty good 11-a-side team out of the players included on this list.

The shot stopper appeared in the most recent series of Love Island back in 2023. He’d also go on to appear in Series Five of Love Island USA but was dumped out of the villa on both occasions.

Born in Wales, Van der Sluis is a boyhood Liverpool fan but signed for Manchester United when he was young and spent a year playing in the club’s academy before also moving to Liverpool and Swansea.

He’d graduate from the Swansea academy before going on to play for Merthyr Town, Runcorn, Bangor and the City of Liverpool.

3. Dennon Lewis 

Having graduate from the Watford academy, Lewis would go on to play for Woking, Crawley, Falkirk and Boreham Wood. 

In fact, the right winger even has a rating of 63 on Fifa 18! Lewis has played across the National League, Scottish Championship and in League Two. 

Lewis appeared on Season Five, entering the villa mid-way through the series but was dumped only four days later. 

2. Tom Clare

Macclesfield announced in March that their striker Tom Clare had returned to the club until the end of the season following his spell in the Love Island Villa.

The 24-year-old started his playing career in Barnsley’s youth academy before joining Bradford on a free transfer in 2019.

He has gone on to play for Boston United, Buxton, Pontefract and Macclesfield. In fact, he was permitted by the club in 2023 to join up with the television show for Love Island Series Nine in 2023 mid-way through the season. He’d return again to take part in Love Island: All Stars in 2024 reaching the final with Molly Smith.

The pair left the Villa a couple and are apparently still together, having posted several snaps of themselves on Instagram enjoying a trip to Dubai earlier this year.

1. Mike Thalassitis

Thalassitis, who appeared in Love Island Series Three tragically passed away in March 2019, aged 26.

The series took place back in 2017, with Thalassitis entereing the villa on day 12. He’d couple up with Olivia Attwood before being dumped from the show. He would later return to couple up with Tyla Carr.

Thalassitis was one of the most experienced footballers to have taken part in the show and boasted the most impressive c.v. of any baller to enter the villa.

Thalassitis played for a wealth of clubs during his career, most notably making five appearances for Stevenage in League One. He’d also played for Hayes and Yeading and Cambridge United.

He had been playing for Margate at the time he made his appearance in Love Island, and was given the backing to go back into the villa by the club’s chairman, Alistair Bayliss.

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