10 footballers you wouldn't want to fight with

Football is a game of respect and everyone should prioritise good sportsmanship before anything else. That is generally the motto of the sport which every footballer should proudly uphold. Easier said than done.With the intensity of the game comes heated moments where one can easily lose his cool and react without thinking about the consequences – be it out of anger, frustration or emotion, which in no way is justifiable. But it happens. And all these years, we have seen several players with short temperament easily lose control and commit themselves to unwanted confrontations, usually harmful to their reputation.In this list, we have sorted out those bad boys who have maintained their consistency in bullying or using harsh methods to take care of their opponents. And judging by their character, no one would want to mess with these guys. Here’s a look at 10 modern day footballers who shouldn’t be called to a fight.

#1 Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has a reputation for his volatile temperament on the football pitch. During the course of a game, the Spanish international often commits to rash tackles and what’s scary is that most of the times he is well aware of what he is doing.

Even though we have seen Ramos change his game a lot recently and concentrate more on the technical aspects of defending, the broader definition of him being a notorious tackler is still hard to shrug off. And the record number of red cards doesn’t help his cause one bit.

Who can forget El Clasicos during the Jose Mourinho era at Real Madrid? The 28-year-old was involved in several physical clashes, surprisingly with his international teammates including Carles Puyol, Xavi, David Villa and more.

It’s quite apparent that he loses the power to recognise the person he’s having disagreements regardless of the fact that they may be someone familiar. This video shows how he can lose his cool very easily.

#2 Joey Barton

The bad boy of English football! The one who always ends up in the news for his brawls and meaningless fights – Joey Barton. The former QPR and Newcastle midfielder has often been suspended for his poor display of sportsmanship on the pitch.

He has also served jail time for assaulting people and picking up fights on the streets. One of the most notable outbursts of frustration from the midfielder came in 2012 on the last day of the Premier league season against Manchester City.

City striker Sergio Aguero was on the receiving end of his anger release as he kicked the Argentine from behind and got himself sent off. The match was won dramatically by City in the end which gave them the title.

Barton is also very active on social media where he picks on players and often gets himself into arguments. As players do the smart thing and ignore him, you should do the same too.

#3 Franck Ribery

Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery is another player who can be an intimidating figure especially when he isn’t having a good day on the field. The Frenchman can be ugly when he loses it.

There were reports of him punching his teammate Arjen Robben in the dressing room after he had some kind of a disagreement with the Dutch winger. Ribery also lost his temper once against Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final where he slapped defender Daniel Carvajal who was having a good game and Ribery decided to bully the Spanish right-back.

Rash tackling, losing his head and taking it out on his opponents. Ribery has included of those in his playing resume.

#4 Francesco Totti

If there was any guy that Mario Balotelli learned not to mess with, it was Roma legend Francesco Totti. The Italian veteran forward committed a nasty tackle as he viciously kicked Balotelli from behind during a Copa Italia match between Roma and Inter Milan.

A kick that could have easily ended Mario’s career, Totti later realised that fact and admitted that he wanted to put his boot through his compatriot. He later revealed that he thought of quitting football after that incident.

That wasn’t the first incident in Totti’s diary of madness. The 37-year-old has stomped his feet intentionally on opponents, spit at players and even punched goalkeepers out of pure rage. He’s not the sophisticated Italian you would want to mess with.

#5 Diego Costa

Now, this guy is a cheeky one. He does fight a lot, always trying to get in the defender’s face in order to generate a reaction. But in front of an official, he acts out as the victim with the intention to get his opponent sent off. Diego Costa plays it smarter than any other player in our list.

And his reputation as a hot head on the field grew during his days with Atletico Madrid where the forward would often indulge himself in physical confrontations, but without getting himself sent off for his actions.

His most infamous moment was probably in the Madrid derby against Real Madrid where he constantly battled Pepe and Sergio Ramos, even spitting and trying to physically provoke the defending duo.

He has carried his fighting game to the Premier League too after he joined Chelsea. His last confrontation was against Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta who again saw a red card while he escaped. So if you are ever planning to take on the Spanish striker for his deeds against the club you support, make sure there are no police around or you will end up getting arrested.

#6 Wayne Rooney

How do you expect some regular guy to pick up a fight against a footballer who knows a thing or two about Boxing? So before you have a bone to pick up with Wayne Rooney, stay away from him.

Rooney has been a fan of boxing since his primary school days and even took up training for three to four years. He revealed some time ago that he thought of professional boxing as his backup career choice if football didn’t work out for him. He also admitted that boxing has helped him to be a better player on the field.

The Manchester United captain is far away from being a guy who looks for trouble on the pitch. But when he loses his temper, he can be as mean as it gets. Just ask West Ham United winger Stewart Downing.

#7 Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli is one of the craziest personalities you will ever see, not just in football but in any sport. The Italian forward has created controversy wherever he has set foot and never ceases to amuse people with his antics. He is one of the bad boys of the modern game.

And picking up fights over disputes is something that Balotelli often does. He has been involved in training ground fights, locker room disagreements and on-field altercations with his teammates and even his coach. Balotelli has already played in several clubs across different leagues in his career and he has been a menace for his team more than the opposition.

These Liverpool fans knew exactly what to do and had the presence of mind to restrain Balotelli knowing his penchant for reacting to violence with violence.

#8 Luis Suarez

Oh, where do we begin here? Biting, biting and biting again! Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, as world class and talented as he is, is one of the most dangerous players in the world to play against.

The former Liverpool man has bitten as many as three players in his career starting at Ajax against PSV Eindhoven (Bakkal), then at Liverpool against Chelsea (Ivanovic) and at the World Cup in Brazil against Italy (Chiellini). No one has been able to explain or back his bizarre actions on the pitch which honestly has left the footballing world baffled.

Although he has been punished for his deeds and apologised for the same on three occasions, judging by the repetition that occurs, there is no guarantee when The Cannibal decides to unleash his teeth and strike again.

#9 Pepe

Portuguese centre-back Pepe has been involved in so many altercations on the field during his career that fans have named him as The Animal. Since his move to Real Madrid from Porto, the defender has built up a reputation for being rowdy in his methods to stop the opponent’s attack.

Who can forget the disgraceful incident against Getafe in the 2008/09 where Pepe earned a 10-match ban for constantly kicking the opponent who was already down on the ground. On several instances, the 31-year-old has intentionally committed fouls that have seen him getting booked deservedly.

With fights against star players like Lionel Messi (numerous occasions during Clasicos) and Thomas Muller (at the 2014 World Cup), one can always count on Pepe to do something or the other and create unwanted fuss on the pitch.

#10 Zlatan Ibrahimovic

If Zlatan doesn’t approve of anything, do not disagree. That is one universal rule that football fans should follow these days.

For a player that has been blessed with so many breath-taking attacking qualities, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has always been criticised for not showing up for the big occasions. The Swede’s resume is all the more very impressive as he has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe like Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris St-Germain and Manchester United.

His personal problems have involved coaches, spats with referees, training ground bust-ups and controversial quotes in the media have earned Ibrahimovic a place on this list. He has often been accused of chasing big money deals and his lack of loyalty towards any club has been a constant source of criticism. He also belongs to a list of footballers who have trademarked their names.

Ibrahimovic lets his goals do the talking for him and his volley against England for the Swedish national team can never be forgotten. However, a Champions’ League Trophy continues to evade this controversial player who never backs down from a good fight.