Ronaldo received a red card and a 2-match ban for kicking his opponent.×Proofread Football is no game for the faint hearted. Drama, on field and off is the essence of the beautiful game and everyone connected to it a part of the theatre that ensues.The intensity of a football match which so often brings out the best of the fans and the players is more than capable of bringing out the worst in them too. The cocktail of supercharged emotions garnished with the high drama seeps into the players making them act beyond the comprehension of normal footballing logic.Even the football Gods as we know them, are not immune to the effect. In fact the highly competitive nature, which makes a Zlatan, a Ronaldo or a Messi the players they are, makes them susceptible to on-field antics driven by the will to win or just pure whim.Here are five instances of football superstars losing it on the field.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2012
Zlatan is the automatic selection in the list. The long list of antics, each crazier than the last, leaves us spoilt for choice.
From planting karate kicks on his opponents in matches to fine tuning his combat skills on his team-mates during practice. Zlatan has done it all.
The free scoring Swede likes to dominate defenders and isn’t shy on picking a feud with the referee. Nothing less can be expected from a man whose name has been inducted into the Swedish dictionary. Zlatanera is officially the Swedish word for ‘to dominate.’
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In this case, a naïve fourth referee tries to take away Zlatan’s bottle of water before he was done with it. The result; he got the Zlatan death glare especially reserved for Pep Guardiola and anyone who thinks Zlatan isn’t the best footballer in the world.
The kicker being that the match was Zlatan’s return for PSG against Troyes after serving a two match ban for kicking the opposition goalkeeper on the chest. PSG won 4-0 with Zlatan scoring two and assisting the other two.
Not giving up a drop of water without a fight. That’s Zlatan for you.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo in 2010
It’s hard to find a player who’s more composed than Ronaldo infront of the goal. But when things are not going his way, the not-so-mild-mannered Portuguese is known to be quite volatile.Ronaldo is a physical specimen and never shied away from using it on the field, often ending up in physical battles with the opponent which sometimes take a turn for the worse. He doesnot hold back with his own team-mates either, readily sharing an unkind word or two with them if he feels they aren’t performing adequately.
El Clasicos are intense occasions as it is and being 2-0 down to Barcelona didn’t help Ronaldo’s cause when the then Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola decided to delay a throw in by pushing the ball away.
Ronaldo responded push Guardiola away in response, triggering the traditional El Classico player’s brawl. Madrid lost 5-0 in the end.
#3 Lionel Messi in 2013
Arguably the best player in the world alongside Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is not someone you would normally associate with on-field antics.However the little magician has developed his own violent streak, brought about by years of LaLiga and scores of intense El Clasicos.The 5 feet 6 inch attacker hardly possesses the physical presence of a Zlatan or a Ronaldo. But even the baby-faced Argentine has submitted to his emotions time and again and made it clear that he’s not going to back down from a fight. Possibly playing against the likes of Pepe and Sergio Ramos in one of the most emotionally charged derbies in the world will do that to anyone.The 1-1 draw at Bernebau in 2013 was particularly nerve wrecking with challenges flying in. Messi decided to hurl a spit ball at the Real Madrid bench in protest.
#4 Franck Ribery in 2014
The Bayern Munich winger perhaps wears his heart on his sleeve with his approach on the field; typical of the French idea of passion. The insatiable drive makes him a nightmare to play against on a football field. Ribery is no stranger to controversies and famously punched Bayern Munich team-mate Arjen Robben in the half time of a 2-1 Champions League win against Real Madrid.However Ribery is more infamous for dishing out slaps when things start going against him on the field. Head up to youtube for Ribery’s slap compilations.In Bayern’s 2014 Champions League semi-final exit to Real, Ribery can be seen planting one of his famous slaps on Daniel Carvajal. He took it one step further with an inconspicuous slap to team mate Jerome Boateng.
#5 Wayne Rooney in 2008
Any coach propagating the idea of being cool and composed on the field is trademark of being a great player, should be tearing up his coaching handbook if he had to coach Wayne Rooney. Aggression fuels Rooney’s performance on the pitch and everyone knows it.The less desirable effects of Rooney’s aggression is no secret either. The England captain never had any qualms over giving a piece of his mind to the officials or diving into an ‘old fashioned English’ tackle.Rooney’s temperamental approach to the game has landed him in trouble in quite a few occasions. However this attempted elbow on Stoke City’s Abdy Faye in handshaking distance from the linesman takes the cake. Surprisingly, he wasn’t sent off.
