When looking at “footballers behaving badly”, there are two ways to go about it. Some footballers are relatively angelic on the pitch but have done terrible things off it. Cheating on their wives, hitting people, driving drunk, and actually murdering people are all on the criminal record of footballers. However, we like to keep things on the pitch, so our list will look at the players who behaved the worst on the pitch. Furthermore, there are some players in the lower leagues who have thrown punches, headbutts, and more on the pitch. Those players certainly played badly, but we wanted our list to be players you might have heard of. With that in mind, Win tips will introduce you to the worst-behaved footballers in the following article.
9 ffootballers who behaved badly
Eric Cantona
For Manchester United fans, Eric Cantona is the King. A catalyst who led the club to their first league title in nearly thirty years and was instrumental in establishing a dominance that lasted nearly two decades. Even rival fans will admit that Cantona was a great player and a fascinating enigma.
However, the Frenchman was also a bit of a dirty player. His nine red cards in his career (six in the Premier League) showed that Cantona struggled to keep his head above water. What happened after one of those red cards cemented the striker's place on this list. After being sent off, Cantona charged at an abusive fan in the infamous Kung Fu Kick incident that saw him banned for nine months.
Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is one of the best defenders of the modern era, and also the most successful. With Real Madrid and Spain, he has won everything... literally. Ramos's list of honours includes multiple league titles, the Spanish Cup, the Champions League and the Club World Cup. For Spain, he has lifted the World Cup and the European Championship.
However, throughout his career, Ramos's immense success has been diluted by his attitude on the pitch. Not dirty in the sense of literally breaking legs, Ramos is instead a sneaky, cunning, devious and cunning player who has been sent off 24 times in his career, the third-highest in history. His reputation continues, and Ramos is one of the most hated footballers currently playing.
Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio was a dynamic and skillful Italian striker who was capable of producing great skill and goals. Perhaps an inconsistent player, Di Canio had the potential to become a top name in European football but preferred to work hard and was frankly lazy. He was also prone to lapses in discipline, as you will see below.
Di Canio was not a repeat offender on the scale of Ramos or Cantona, he achieved something neither of them could. While playing for Sheffield Wednesday (evidence enough that he was a wasted talent), Di Canio made the bizarre decision to push the referee. While footballers shout at referees, touching referees is definitely not allowed. Di Canio ignored this to create one of the most shocking and hilarious moments of bad behaviour in football.
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Vinnie Jones
Unlike the others on this list, Vinnie Jones is not a mercurial talent, unless his talent is punching and kicking his way around the rugby pitch. Dirty sums up Jones, who to many is probably better known as the Englishman with the accent and manner of a tough guy who appeared in Hollywood films like Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, X-Men Last Stand and Gone in 60 Seconds.
For football fans of a certain age, Vinnie Jones was essentially a football “tough guy”, someone who would bully opponents and really hurt them with his hard tackles. Unassuming and uncaring, Jones never tried to hide his intentions when playing football. It’s no wonder he was sent off 12 times during his career.
Roy Keane
Roy Keane, former Manchester United captain, is a symbol of strength and determination in football. He is known for his strong playing style and is not afraid to confront any opponent. However, Keane's fierceness sometimes exceeds the limits of a normal player. He is not afraid to make strong tackles and sometimes, these tackles are dangerous. One of the most memorable moments in Keane's career was the situation with Alf-Inge Håland in the match between Manchester United and Leeds United, when Keane made a rough tackle, causing Håland to leave the field due to a serious injury. This action not only earned Keane a heavy penalty but also created a black mark in his career.
Despite his success with Manchester United, Roy Keane has disappointed fans many times with his aggressive attitude and lack of restraint. His rough tackles and clashes with opponents have made him one of the most controversial players in Premier League history. Despite being a warrior on the pitch, Keane has not always been loved, especially when his actions have crossed the line and led to some unsavoury moments.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane, considered one of the greatest players in football history, has built an illustrious career with outstanding achievements. He helped France win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, and also had excellent performances at Real Madrid. Zidane is loved not only for his natural talent but also for his elegant and skillful playing style. However, in his remarkable career, Zidane also experienced a dark moment that disappointed fans.
In the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, Zidane caused a shocking situation when he headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest after being insulted by his opponent. This action resulted in Zidane being sent off and being unable to help France achieve their goal of winning the championship. Despite a glorious career, this behavior left a big black mark in the fans' memories, making it impossible for many to forget that moment, even though Zidane won the Ballon d'Or and is a legend in the hearts of football fans.
Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez, one of the world's best strikers, is known for his impressive goalscoring ability and mischievousness on the pitch. However, his career has also been associated with many controversial acts that have disappointed many football fans. Suárez is not only known for his scoring talent, but also for his bad behavior on the pitch, especially the three times he bit his opponents. These attacks, such as on Branislav Ivanović, Giorgio Chiellini and Otman Bakkal, shocked fans and made him one of the most hated players in football.
Although Suárez has achieved many successes in his career, such as winning the Premier League with Liverpool and the Copa América with Uruguay, his violent behavior has left an indelible mark. Suárez's biting of opponents earned him heavy punishments, including lengthy bans, and created a bad reputation for himself in the eyes of the public. Although Suárez has since improved his behaviour, these incidents remain an integral part of his career, affecting how he is perceived in football.
Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona, an Argentine soccer legend, is known not only for his natural talent but also for his spectacular goals and exquisite control of the ball. Maradona led Argentina to glory at the 1986 World Cup, where he displayed extraordinary skills, including the "Hand of God," one of the most controversial moments in soccer history. However, Maradona's career was not only associated with outstanding achievements, but also with controversial behavior. From using stimulants, which led to a long ban from playing, to his infamous fouls, Maradona has always been a somewhat complicated figure in the eyes of fans.
One of Maradona's most controversial actions was during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England. During an aerial challenge, Maradona scored a goal with his hand in a clever way that went unnoticed by the referee. The goal sparked huge controversy and made Maradona a polarizing figure. Although he went on to win the match and send Argentina into the semi-finals, the moment has become synonymous with guile and a stain on the career of one of the greatest players of all time.
Neymar
Neymar, one of the most talented and outstanding players of the current generation, always attracts attention with his skillful technique and excellent scoring ability. However, in addition to his talent on the field, Neymar has also been the center of controversy many times, especially about his attitude and behavior. He is often criticized for diving and pretending to be fouled, in order to gain an advantage for his team. These actions make many people feel uncomfortable, especially when they are repeated in important matches.
With these controversies, Neymar has become one of the "hateful" players in the eyes of many football fans, especially those who love fair-play. Although he is still admired for his talent and success, Neymar's attitude on the field has disappointed many people. His diving and unfair behavior have somewhat reduced the respect he deserves. However, Neymar is still one of the brightest stars of modern football, although he always has to face criticism from opponents and fans.
General conclusion
Moments of "footballers behaving badly" not only tarnish the image of the players but also disappoint fans with their lack of restraint on the pitch. Although the talent of players such as Roy Keane, Luis Suárez or Neymar is undeniable, their controversial actions often become the focus of criticism. Cruel fouls, diving or aggressive attitudes not only affect the outcome of the match but also have a negative impact on the spirit of the sport. However, these moments are still an inseparable part of football history, highlighting the difference between talent and behavior of stars on the pitch.
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