The dust is just beginning to settle from the Man United Tottenham game last weekend and I’ve decided that we should have a little look at the top 10 most devious footballers. The list doesn’t fail to entertain and reminds us of all those conniving and deceitful footballers through the years.
10. First up we have El-Hadji Diouf. The former Liverpool player was fined two weeks wages for spitting on a Celtic fan during the two clubs UEFA cup quarter final clash back in 2003. This was not the first time Diouf had been at the centre of such an incident. The previous November he was accused by West Ham fans of spitting at them. Police investigated however no further action was taken.
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9. Next up we have Wayne Rooney. Remember the Manchester United Chelsea match in January 2009. Cristiano Ronaldo had what United considered a perfectly good goal disallowed in the 45th minute – the assistant referee insisting Wayne Rooney’s quick corner was illegal because he failed to place the ball first.
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8. I’m a massive fan of this next player but his relentless diving has confirmed his place in the list. José Mourinho has also finally admitted that Didier Drogba, the Chelsea forward, is a diver. When your former manager who holds you in such high esteem stops defending you, then things must be bad! Check out this compilation.
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7. In seventh place we have Montenegro’s Mirko Vucinic. Devious might not be the best word to describe him but damn right silly is. During a qualifying game for the 2012 European Championships he scored and celebrated by putting his shorts on his head. He deserves recognition but only for his terrible choice of celebration.
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6. This one is a blast from the past. In 1990 Gary Crosby scored one of the most devious and controversial goals I have ever seen. After stopping a Forest attack Manchester City goalkeeper Andy Dibble stood in his 18-yard box with one hand on the ball, waiting to clear his lines. Just then Forest winger Gary Crosby nipped in from behind Dibble, headed the ball out of the goalkeeper’s one hand. Crosby then finished off by scoring a goal. Check this out!
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5. Starting off our top 5 we have Rivaldo. During Brazils World Cup clash against Turkey in 2002 Hakan Unsal kicked the ball to Rivaldo who was waiting to take a corner kick. Clearly hit in the leg the Brazilian fell to the floor obviously feeling the pain searing in his face. This consequently led to Unsal being sent off. However, after the game Rivaldo was fined £5180 for his devious ways.
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4. In fourth position we have Diego Simeone. “Before he was deified, David Beckham was a sack hanging from lamp posts.” He owed his unpopularity to Diego Simeone, who, flicked by Becks’s back heel in retaliation after a foul, toppled theatrically in England and Argentina’s World Cup match up in 1998.
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3. So here’s where peoples blood really starts to boil as we see three of the most devious footballers to ever grace the footballing world. Heurelho Gomes thought his team had been awarded a free-kick. The Spurs keeper puts the ball down accordingly, only for Nani to nip in and put the ball into an empty net.
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2. Its not surprising that this man finds himself on our top 10 most devious footballers. Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup is also known as the Hand of God. In the fifty first minute of the match the Argentinean Striker scored a completely illegal goal with the use of his hand. How devious is this?
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1. Henry was once known for being one of the best footballers in the world; however this image seems to have been tainted slightly since setting up William Gallas to score a massively controversial goal against Ireland. Henry intentionally handled the ball to set up William Gallas’s decisive goal against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup play-off match.
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So now you’ve seen the top 10 most devious footballers. What do you think? It’s inevitable that I have missed some, so why not comment and bring some to light. I must admit my favourite was the Gary Crosby goal for Nottingham Forrest, Pure devious Genius!
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