Every football fan has a hero—a player they like and revere. Conversely, some players evoke conflicting yet equally potent feelings. These are the players that football fans despise.
The dirtiest football players in history include some of these players. However, some players in this group may not be dirty, but they have done something in the game that has permanently tarnished their reputation and made them a target for opponents (and occasionally even their own fans).
Because of their mutual dislike, these players have the power to bring football fans together. The top ten villains in football history are listed here!
10Kevin Muscat
Australia
Kevin Muscat has occasionally been characterised as being more akin to a gangster and extremely nasty. Peter Crouch, a former striker for Liverpool and England, claimed that Muscat was the only player that frightened him.
“I was asked by my seven-year-old who the dirtiest player of all time is. I immediately went to YouTube, typed in Kevin Muscat, and allowed him to witness the atrocities. He got it. One-off Kevin Muscat horrors are available. The finest and worst of Kevin Muscat are now available to you. It’s frightful.
There was significant discussion about the former Millwall, Wolves, and Crystal Palace defender’s tackling. After his career ended due to a broken leg from a Muscat tackle, former Charlton Athletic player Matt Holmes eventually received £750k in a court settlement.
9El Hadji Diouf
Senegal
Not only did many spectators despise El Hadji Diouf, but other players also held him in low regard. Several of his teammates were among them. When it comes to identifying the Liverpool acquisition that he disliked the most, former captain Steven Gerrard is certain. El Hadji Diouf, to put it briefly.
Diouf, a sour and argumentative player for Liverpool, was involved in a shady incident at Celtic Park. After spitting at a Celtics supporter, he was fined.
It seems like Gerrard and the former Senegal international are still in love. “When I arrived, I showed [Gerrard] he was nothing at all,” Diouf stated in a 2024 French TV appearance. He was nothing. I asked him to tell me which major tournament, the World Cup or the Euros, people consider him for.
Opposition supporters nationwide regularly taunted the Senegalese for an entire 90 minutes, and he was hated by his own teammates. Additionally, the winger had no problems with doing his part.
8Sergio Ramos
Spain
Sergio Ramos was brilliant, but occasionally he could be petty and downright filthy. He is among the top 15 players in football history in terms of the number of red cards received. 29 times he was sent off. He appeared to enjoy playing the villain. When playing that precise role, one game immediately comes to mind.
The Champions League Final was in 2018. Mohamed Salah of Liverpool was taken down after 26 minutes following a foul call by Ramos, who seemed to catch the Egyptian’s arm beneath his own and knock him down. Ramos seemed to know what he was doing, and Salah was unable to continue. Then, Ramos has not been forgiven by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp:
“I don’t like him as a player. It was a vicious action. We all know that he gladly took it, even though he obviously can’t see that it’s hurting his shoulder. I never had players like that, and when I did, I made sure they departed because I couldn’t comprehend their mindset.
7Nigel de Jong
Netherlands
Even though Nigel de Jong was a good player, one incident in the 2010 World Cup Final seems to have characterised his career. He essentially karate kicked Xabi Alonso in that moment, escaping a red card and harming Dutch football’s reputation in the process.
The former Manchester City midfielder was unpopular with many for that World Cup incident and is regarded as one of the hardest players of the Premier League era. Since the Netherlands has always been known for their free-flowing complete football, this tackle nearly seemed disrespectful to his nation’s football history and represented their unconventional win-at-all-costs strategy going into the competition.
Johan Cruyff, the Dutch legend, was not pleased at all:
“It hurts me that Holland chose an ugly path to aim for the title.”
6Slaven Bilic
Croatia
In the 1990s, Slaven Bilic played for a very good Croatian squad. He was a talented ball-playing defender who was competitive. Bilic’s play-acting lost Laurent Blanc a spot in the final when his country played France in the 1998 World Cup semi-final.
The Croatian essentially ran into Blanc as Bilic and Blanc fought for position. In response, the Frenchman shoved Bilic, who threw himself to the ground while pretending to attack, and was dismissed for his misdeeds. Lilian Thuram scored two goals to give France the victory, although the excitement was somewhat dampened by the fact that one of their best players did not make it to the championship game. Bilic’s play-acting caused this, and the former West Ham manager has now apologised for the event.
5Diego Maradona
Argentina
One of the greatest number 10s in history is Diego Maradona. Maradona won Napoli to their first-ever Serie A championship and served as an inspiration for Argentina when he led them to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. More than anywhere else, Maradona is more likely seen as a villain in England.
This is for his involvement in what is referred to as God’s Hand. Maradona scored what is regarded as the goal of the century in Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal matchup with England after the Argentine sprinted from within his own half.
In stark contrast, he handled the ball past Peter Shilton to score his other goal in that game. He made sure Maradona will always be viewed as a villain by England fans by tricking the referees into believing it was a brilliant header.
4Andoni Goikoetxea
Spain
Andoni Goikoetxea was dubbed the Butcher of Bilbao in 1983 following a vicious tackle on Diego Maradona. The Argentine’s ankle was shattered. Athletic Bilbao, who had won La Liga twice in 1983 and 1984, were a very formidable team at the time.
In an attempt that never quite worked out, Maradona was at Barcelona. His ligaments were torn, but his ankle did heal. Maradona recalled the tackle with clarity:
“I just heard the sound, like a piece of wood cracking, felt the impact, and realised right away what had happened.”
He chose to store the Adidas boots he used to commit the foul in a glass case even though he insisted he didn’t intend to harm Maradona.
3Pepe
Portugal
Pepe was unquestionably one of the 21st century’s dirtiest players. Not only filthy, but also obstinate and occasionally cunning. It’s amazing to consider that he was previously Sergio Ramos’s long-time centre-back partner and was likely the more evil of the two.
Sneakiness is a much less popular trait than dirty players, even though some fans may tolerate them because they wish they played for their team.
Pepe is practically a verb for villain, always engaged in a cycle of play-acting, simulation, histrionics, and a strategy that seemed to be entirely based on winding up the adversary. Without a question, he had an amazing career, but he achieved it while making a lot of followers around the world laugh.
2Luis Suarez
Uruguay
One of the best number nines in football history, Luis Suarez was an incredible player. He was also a master at playing the villain in pantomime and winding people up.
He denied Ghana a spot in the World Cup semi-final in South Africa in the most horrifying manner imaginable, if biting opponents—which he did multiple times—wasn’t enough. In the final minute of extra time, with Uruguay and Ghana knotted at one, Suarez stopped the ball from crossing his team’s game line with his hand.
Uruguay won the match on penalties after Asamoah Gyan was unable to score. Suarez has declined to issue an apology after being caught on camera yelling in celebration of the missed penalty as he was led down the tunnel:
“I’m not sorry for it. I’m sorry if I hurt any players, but I was sent off for the handball. I didn’t miss the penalty, therefore it wasn’t my responsibility.”
1Harold Schumacher
West Germany
Goalie Harold Schumacher, who was at best heartless but ultimately extremely careless, is most remembered for his vicious foul on France’s Patrick Battiston during the 1982 World Cup semifinal between France and West Germany.
When Schumacher sped off his line, Battiston went through on goal. The West German goalie turned his back and leaped up onto Battiston, keeping the Frenchman’s eyes on the ball.
Battiston lay on the floor in a still lump. His teeth had been knocked out, he was unconscious, and he had three broken ribs. Remarkably, the referee did not penalise Schumacher. Not even a foul was called. French captain Michel Platini, however, did not know whether his teammate was still alive. Schumacher did not impress him at all:
