10 of the most outspoken footballers

#7: Roy Keane

Manchester United v Fulham — Some of Roy Keane's rants have gone down in football legend

One of the most combative midfielders of all time, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was as outspoken off the field as he was brash and driven on it. It’s hard to even choose where to begin when it comes to his various rants, as he’s hit out at so many players and clubs over the years – from his own teammates at Manchester United to opposing players at Arsenal and even his own fans.

Perhaps his most notorious rant was towards certain fans at United – believed to be fans who were given ‘corporate’ free tickets – as he claimed they were more interested in eating prawn sandwiches than what was going on down on the pitch. But then again, perhaps his tirade towards Ireland manager Mick McCarthy during the 2002 World Cup was more infamous – “you can stick your World Cup up your b*llocks” was the final line.

It would be Keane’s outspoken nature that caused him to leave United in 2005 – according to Keane, he fell out with boss Sir Alex Ferguson after lambasting him over his involvement with horse racing and then questioning the loyalty of Ferguson’s assistant manager Carlos Queiroz.

Since his retirement he’s not mellowed, either – he labelled the lack of trophies in the last decade for Tottenham and Liverpool as “embarrassing” when discussing the two clubs’ performances in the Champions League.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Sripad