Class is something that is loved by everyone. Even if one is the adversary of another, a classy demeanor helps build an image that is admired by even rivals. In football, there are some players that are loved by even rival fans for their elegant personality.
The likes of Andres Iniesta, Raul Gonzalez, Ledley King and Iker Casillas are adored by fans of arch-rival clubs because of their soft-spoken nature. However, there are some others that are loathed.
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You can’t clap with just one hand, so when a player becomes the subject of dislike, it has to mean that an event in the past is what tampered the name of the player.
And here are 5 players who are disliked by rival fans…
Xavi Hernandez
The main inspiration behind this article was Xavi Hernandez. When he isn’t busy making sure that the size of the grass on the pitch is evenly mowed, he almost always makes derogatory remarks on the Real Madrid.
As a player at the peak of powers, he was the greatest midfielder in the world. He could dictate the tempo of the game like no other and it was because of him, mainly, that Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka dream became a reality.
However, as a person, his outspoken nature puts a frown on the faces of his rivals. In his most recent rambling, he claimed that Madrid played like a small team against Barcelona in their recent Clasico face-off.
This comment has enraged some parts of the Galacticos’ fanbase as they can’t fathom why he is talking about Real Madrid even after leaving Barcelona. It seems like you can take a Catalan out of Catalonia, but you certainly can’t take the Catalonia from a Catalan.
Gerard Pique
There is no need for an explanation about why he is here. Apart from being a football player, he leaves no chance to make fun of Real Madrid.
Be it using Twitter to troll the Galacticos or taking digs at them via comments, he tries to get the better of his archrivals at any given opportunity. As a player, he might have had his downsides, but when he gets going, his team automatically start winning trophies.
For instance, during his worst period as a player, Barca went through a trophyless campaign. However, as soon as he hit peak form at the beginning of January last year, the Blaugranas’ form also escalated and they went on to win their second treble.
However, despite his abilities as a player, his disrespectful ways have made him a figure of despise among many.
Sergio Ramos
A defender who has been a starter for Real Madrid for over a decade warrants the label of world class—and Sergio Ramos is just that. He might have his moments of madness, but on his day, he is one of the best defenders in the world.
One can never really forget his 92nd-minute equalizer against Atletico Madrid in the final of the Champions League in 2014—a goal that built the foundation for Real Madrid to win La Decima.
However, his hot-headed nature makes him a despicable figure to many—including his own team's fan base. Whenever he plays against Barca, his over-zealous nature forces him to commit vicious fouls, which works as a fuel to fire up the Cules even further.
Cristiano Ronaldo
He doesn’t even need a reason to be here. Not only Barca fans, but almost every other fan base in the world has jeered him at least once in their lifetime.
Be it in a remote stadium in the deepest corner of Europe or his own home ground at the Bernabeu, he has been the subject of countless boos in his career. But none more fierce than the ones he gets at the Camp Nou.
For someone who has won 3 Ballon d’Ors in an era of Lionel Messi, the term world class seems bleak when describing him—he is a playing legend for all that matters.
Yet, when one does her/his research on who is the most loathed player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo’s name will pop up every now and then.
John Terry
There are more reasons for the hatred that he gets than there is hair on my head. Be it courting controversies with his teammates(Read: Wayne Bridge) or supposedly using a racial slur against Anton Ferdinand or wearing a full kit to celebrate Chelsea’s Champions League glory despite being suspended for that game, he just loves giving people a reason to loathe him.
As a defender, however, he has already gone down as one of Premier League’s best ever. Despite being in his mid-30s, he still starts games for Chelsea at regular intervals. In fact, it was his artistic defensive performances that helped Chelsea reached the final of the Champions League in 2012—which they ultimately won.
And even though he is a world class player and Chelsea’s greatest ever defender, he remains the most hated Chelsea player for his off-the-pitch endeavors.
