Ranking the top 6 footballers you wouldn't pick a fight with

Football is a sport where the players, fans, and support staff often get carried away with emotions. Sometimes they engage in mockery, arguments, and fights. The modern game has become extremely intolerant of bad behavior and tussles on the field.

Some players do not seem to care about the rules, and they engage in physical or verbal duels. They have earned a reputation of being intimidating and fierce.

Here are six such players who you would not want to meet in a dark lane, let alone on a football ground.

#6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Orlando City SC v Los Angeles Galaxy

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is known for his short temper and has been reported in the press for his rash behavior on the field. His hard tackle and fiery approach to the game has put him into a lot of trouble, numerous times. He is 6'5" tall which enables him to clatter into many opponents. On top of it, he holds a black belt in Taekwondo.

Ibrahimovic has a habit of picking fights with his teammates. One such incident is his fight with AC Milan team-mate Oguchi Onyewu, which he described in his book as a matter of "life and death."

#5. Didier Drogba

Shrewsbury Town v Chelsea - Capital One Cup Fourth Round

Didier Drogba was one of the stronger and bigger players in world football. He was 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighed almost 185 pounds, which was adequate to scare any opposition player. He was handed a six-game European ban after he confronted the referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo in the Champions league semi-final match against Barcelona.

Drogba was also charged with violent conduct for throwing a coin at the Burnley supporters while making an offensive gesture towards the fans.

#4. Nemanja Vidic

Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League

Nemanja Vidic was a typically muscular central defender. He stood tall at the heart of his team's defense and never shied away from confrontations or challenges. The big Serb was never taken lightly by the opposition. He weighed around 180 pounds and stood 6 foot 2 inches tall. His brutal tackles evoked a feeling of fear in the rival teams.

Vidic believed in the famous saying in football - Stop either man or ball.

#3. Paul Scholes

Charlton Athletic v Manchester United

They regard Paul Scholes as one of the greatest players of his generation. There have been moments in his career, however, when his judgment was clouded with extreme anger. He was a hard tackler, occasionally too hard a tackler.

In tight situations, he had a tendency to make reckless and dangerous challenges to win the ball. He was famous for his two-footed challenges.

In total, Scholes received 4 red cards and over 90 yellow cards.

#2. Pepe

Real Madrid v Club Atletico de Madrid - UEFA Champions League Final

Pepe is famous for his overly-aggressive behavior on the field. He received a 10-game ban for attempting to kick Javier Casquero’s skull twice. Pepe was also involved in an incident where he stepped on Lionel Messi's hand in a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

In a Real Madrid game against Villarreal, he confronted the referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero and accused him of "robbery." He has been lucky to have survived quite a few incidents without reprimand.

#1. Steven Gerrard

England v Russia - Euro2008 Qualifier

Steven Gerrard was loved by the Liverpool fans for being an animated and fierce player. His off-field behavior earned him a reputation of being a nasty player.

In 2008, he was charged with assault after a brawl in the bar. The fight was captured on CCTV, but the police dropped all the charges.

Before that, Gerrard was thought to have engaged John Kinsella, a martial arts expert and boxer to ward off extortion from Liverpool gangster, George Bromley Jr.