Top 5 most intimidating footballers of all time

#3 Roy Keane

Roy Keane is now a football pundit.

A footballer who even Sir Alex Ferguson was scared of, Roy Keane was an absolute madman both on and off the pitch. The midfielder went to war every time he stepped on the field.

Keane was not technically gifted but his physical and mental attributes made up for his lack of ability on the ball. What stood out the most about the midfielder was his tenacity and sheer anger on the field. His opponents felt his presence on the field, and usually on their shins as well!

The Irishman never shied away from a fight, often instigating scuffles due to his rash tackles and physical style of play. Keane could also be seen hurling verbal abuse constantly at anything that moved on the pitch. His demeanor and stature made him a natural leader on the pitch, which was evident during his days at Manchester United.

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#2 Gennaro Gattuso

Gattuso was never afraid to get stuck in.

A pitbull in midfield, Gennaro Gattuso was a menace throughout his illustrious career. The Italian was one of the most feared players for both club and country.

Gattuso had to develop his technical ability on the ball over the course of his career but the midfielder's bullish style of play was what he built his reputation on. Although he was not the tallest on the pitch, the Italian was more often than not the strongest and most tenacious player, no matter who he played against.

His stamina and hard-tackling style of play made him the perfect destroyer in midfield and perfectly complimented the likes of Kaka and Andrea Pirlo's more elegant playstyles. The 43-year-old has now transitioned into the role of manager after retiring, having last coached Napoli during the 2020-21 season.

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#1 Jaap Stam

Stam cut a menacing figure on the pitch.

Not many things are more intimidating than seeing a 6'3" bald brute of a man charging at you with all his fury. But that's what most strikers had to see when they faced Jaap Stam during the nineties and early aughts.

The Dutchman cut a frightening figure on the pitch. Stam used to bully strikers, often scaring them with his unbridled anger. It was almost as if he loathed his opponents.

The lanky footballer was often seen rushing into fights and not scared to get physical with his opponents. Luckily for the Dutchman, he was also a top-class player, having the physical attributes, speed and game-sense to command his defense. These attributes made him undroppable for any manager he played under.