The 10 most despised footballers in the world
Football is the greatest show on the planet. And no good show can exist without a charismatic villain. We adore Messi for his magic, and Kanté for his modesty and smile. But someone has to do the dirty work: break legs, steal men's wives, simulate hellish torment from a gust of wind, and infuriate fans with scandalous interviews.
Warm-up: Seats 10-4
Before we get to the main "bosses," let's take a look at those who have driven fans crazy with their antics for years:
-
10. Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine goalkeeper who turned penalty shootouts into a psychological circus. His dancing at the World Cup and obscene gestures with the Golden Glove infuriated literally half the planet.
-
9. Mauro Icardi. A man who broke the most important rule of male friendship. He stole the wife (Wanda Nara) from his best friend and mentor, Maxi Lopez, for which he became a complete outcast in his home country of Argentina—he was even denied a call-up to the national team at Messi's request.
-
8. Diego Costa. A walking provocation. He bit, spat, stepped on goalkeepers' hands with his studs, and did everything he could to ensure his opponents received a red card. A complete psychopath on the pitch.
-
7. Neymar. The most expensive player in history, whose talent was lost in simulations. His endless somersaults across the pitch after the slightest touch turned the Brazilian into the biggest football meme of the decade.
-
6. Pepe. During his heyday at Real Madrid, the Portuguese was a true butcher. The incident in which he knocked down Getafe player Javier Casquero and then began methodically and viciously kicking him in the back forever cemented Pepe's place on the list of football's thugs.
-
5. Joey Barton. English football's biggest criminal. He stubbed out cigarettes in the eyes of his youth teammates, beat up people on the street, spent time in prison, and broke opponents' legs.
-
4. Luis Suarez. A genius with vampire instincts. He bit opponents on the field three times during his career (most famously, Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup) and received a harsh ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.
3rd place: Artem Dzyuba. Toxicity, plums, and a long tongue.
How did a guy from Russia outshine the biting Suarez and the butcher Pepe? It's simple: Dzyuba managed to turn absolutely every fan group in his own country against him, adding to the global media scandals.
He is hated not for his rudeness on the field, but for his human qualities:
-
Blood betrayal: A product of Spartak Moscow's youth system, he scandalously defected to their bitter enemies, Zenit St. Petersburg, solely for money. Spartak fans cursed him forever.
-
Leaked Video Scandal: In 2020, an intimate video of Dzyuba masturbating exploded online. The incident made him the target of brutal ridicule, cost him the national team captaincy, and turned him into a walking meme.
-
Disrespect for coaches and colleagues: Dzyuba has managed to fall out with almost every coach he's worked with, from Valery Karpin to Sergei Semak. He regularly calls journalists and pundits "slapstick players," refuses to shake hands after matches, and acts as if he's Cristiano Ronaldo who just happened to end up in the Russian Premier League.
His arrogance, amid a fading career, is the perfect fuel for fan hatred.
2nd place: Sergio Ramos. The brilliant cynic
The Real Madrid captain is a man who would step over his own mother to win. Ramos holds the all-time La Liga record for red cards.
The whole world hated him in the 2018 Champions League final. Ramos, with a cold-blooded, wrestling hold, broke the shoulder of the world's favorite player, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Later in the same match, he sneakily elbowed goalkeeper Karius in the head, giving him a concussion. He laughed while Salah left the field in tears. Ramos is the Darth Vader of world football: brilliant, efficient, and utterly ruthless.
1st place: Mason Greenwood / Benjamin Mendy (All-Crime Team)
While the antics of Suarez and Ramos remain within the confines of the football field, first place is shared by people whose hatred has reached the criminal level.
English football has been rocked by horrific scandals in recent years. Mason Greenwood (Manchester United) went from being the world's most promising player to a complete pariah after his girlfriend posted audio recordings and photos containing evidence of brutal beatings and attempted rape. Sponsors terminated their contracts within 24 hours, and fans burned his shirts en masse. A similar fate befell World Cup winner Benjamin Mendy, accused of serial rape.
Even if the court drops formal charges due to witnesses' refusal to testify (as was the case with Greenwood), society and stadiums never forgive such behavior. This isn't just sporting hatred; it's absolute human disgust.
Football needs villains just as much as heroes. They generate emotions, make us scream at the TV, and make the victories of our favorite teams even sweeter when justice triumphs on the scoreboard.
