5 great players who are poor role models

#2 Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez has bitten opposing players three times

Despite being one of the most talented players in the world for the past decade, Luis Suarez is also one of the most controversial, and his on-field behaviour means that nobody could ever see the Uruguayan international as a decent role model.

Even the tournament that saw him rise to prominence – the 2010 World Cup – saw him embroil himself in controversy, as he handled the ball in the Quarter-Finals against Ghana to prevent a goal. He was sent off, but Uruguay went through on penalties, causing him to celebrate like he’d won an Olympic gold medal. From there Suarez simply went from one controversy to another.

An incident while playing for Ajax in late 2010 saw him bite an opposing player – he was fined and suspended by his club, and the Dutch KNVB suspended him for seven games. During the suspension a transfer to Liverpool was agreed, and while he was brilliant on the pitch for the Reds, his two biggest controversies came during his time at Anfield.

First, there was an unsavoury incident during the 2011/12 season that saw him charged with racially abusing Patrice Evra of Manchester United, apparently using a racial slur on numerous occasions during the game. Suarez was slapped with an eight-match ban, but Liverpool stood by their man, only for him to drop them in hot water again when he bit Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and was hit with another lengthy ban – this time ten games.

2013/14 saw Suarez keep his nose clean for Liverpool, but during that summer’s World Cup he disgraced himself again, biting an opposing player for the third time – this time Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. Suarez was banned by FIFA for four months for the infraction, and during his time away he engineered a move from Liverpool to Barcelona. He’s been largely clean during his time at the Nou Camp, but with a man of his reputation, it’s surely only a matter of time before he muddies himself again. He’s simply a terrible role model despite his talent.