11 Most Controversial Players in Football History [Ranked]

Football and controversy are two things that go hand in hand. Whether it be the implementation of VAR, if a manager should be sacked from their job, or debatable refereeing decisions, you would be hard-pressed to find a weekend of fixtures where there isn’t one controversial moment.

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Sometimes, though, it’s not the surrounding narratives that cause chaos. It can also be the players. While the vast majority live the professional lifestyle on and off the pitch, others struggle with the limelight or are too free-spirited to stick to the rules in what is ultimately a team sport, or simply develop a somewhat whacky view of the world. This can be said of these 11 men, as GIVEMESPORT brings you the most controversial footballers in history.

11 Most Controversial Footballers – Ranked

Rank
Players

1.
Joey Barton

2.
Mario Balotelli

3.
Luis Suarez

4.
Paolo Di Canio

5.
El-Hadji Diouf

6.
Diego Maradona

7.
Eric Cantona

8.
Kevin Muscat

9.
Vinnie Jones

10.

11.
Carlos Tevez

11Carlos Tevez

‘Welcome to Manchester’

Carlos Tevez’s arrival to English football was not exactly the most smooth sailing given the questionable deal that saw him join West Ham United alongside Javier Mascherano. Once he had proved his quality, Manchester United came calling, where the Argentine had his most successful season during the 2007-2008 campaign.

When his loan deal was up in 2009, Tevez opted to sign for cross-town rivals Manchester City rather than commit permanently at Old Trafford. As a result, the infamous ‘Welcome to Manchester’ banner was born, and a long-time feud with his former employer ensued. However, he would later find himself on gardening leave at the Etihad after refusing to come on for manager Roberto Mancini a little over two-years later.

The now retired forward was also known to turn down international call-ups and has also been caught in sexism scandals and driving without a license away from the pitch.

10Duncan Ferguson

The striker was once sent to prison for headbutting an opponent

If you ever wondered why a teenage Wayne Rooney was so aggressive when he burst onto the scene, a lot of it can be attributed to his idol. Duncan Ferguson was a no-nonsense centre-forward with a mean streak about him. The Scot has eight Premier-League red cards to his name, the joint most in history, adding to his hardman persona.

10Duncan Ferguson

The striker was once sent to prison for headbutting an opponent

If you ever wondered why a teenage Wayne Rooney was so aggressive when he burst onto the scene, a lot of it can be attributed to his idol. Duncan Ferguson was a no-nonsense centre-forward with a mean streak about him. The Scot has eight Premier-League red cards to his name, the joint most in history, adding to his hardman persona.

The Welsh international was an integral part of Wimbledon’s ‘Crazy Gang,’ who found success by bullying their opponents into submission rather than playing the best football. On the field of play, there was no line that Jones wouldn’t cross, something that would become abundantly clear to Paul Gascoigne when the pair first faced off.