Top 10 Most Hated Football Players in the World

Diego Costa was born on October 7, 1988, in Lagarto, Brazil. He began his career at Braga in Portugal before joining Atlético Madrid in 2007. After loan spells at Celta, Albacete, and a transfer to Valladolid, Costa returned to Atlético in 2010 and became their top scorer during the 2013-2014 season, which saw the club win La Liga. In the summer of 2014, he moved to Chelsea for a transfer fee of £32.5 million. In his first season in the Premier League, Costa scored 20 goals and helped Chelsea win the League Cup and the Premier League title. Costa had previously been Atlético Madrid’s key striker, helping them win La Liga in the 2013-2014 season before his move to Chelsea.

Beyond his goal-scoring ability, Diego Costa earned a reputation for his violent playing style and penchant for creating controversy. Even during his time at Atlético Madrid, Costa accumulated several red cards for unsporting behavior, including violent tackles and excessive reactions toward opposing players. In the Premier League, he quickly became a target for media scrutiny, and it's fair to say that the press played a significant role in fueling his unpopularity in the UK. While he continued to perform well on the pitch and regularly scored, his increasing confrontations with players, referees, and his aggressive style of play, coupled with sensationalized media coverage, turned Costa into a hated figure among fans in the UK.

Sergio Busquets was born on July 16, 1988, in Sabadell, Spain. He joined FC Barcelona’s youth team in the 2005-2006 season and scored 7 goals in 26 matches for Juvenil A in the 2006-2007 season. Two years later, he moved up to the B team under coach Josep Guardiola, helping the team get promoted to the third division while scoring one goal in 31 appearances. During this season, he made his first-team debut, coming off the bench in the Catalonia Cup. On September 13, 2008, Busquets played his first La Liga match, completing 90 minutes against Racing de Santander. He scored his first goal for Barcelona in a 5-0 win over FC Basel in the Champions League on October 22, 2008. On December 22, 2008, he signed a contract extension until 2013, with a release clause set at 80 million euros.

Currently playing for Barcelona, Busquets is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. However, like his former teammate Dani Alves, Busquets has become infamous for his theatrical performances on the pitch. Particularly during El Clásico matches, his tendency to exaggerate fouls has drawn much attention. What started as occasional diving against Real Madrid has evolved into a frequent habit, with Busquets' dramatics tarnishing his reputation among fans.

Luis Suarez was born on January 24, 1987, and is one of the most prolific strikers to ever come out of Uruguay. He made his name at Ajax and Liverpool before joining Barcelona, becoming one of the most lethal goal scorers in football history. While at Ajax, Suarez primarily played as a supporting striker to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and later Marko Pantelić. When Martin Jol became Ajax's manager, Suarez was made captain, taking over from Thomas Vermaelen. In 2010, Suarez was named Dutch Footballer of the Year, finishing the season as the top scorer with 35 goals (49 in all competitions). That same year, he joined the exclusive list of Ajax players who scored over 100 goals, alongside legends like Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, and Dennis Bergkamp. On January 28, 2011, Ajax accepted a transfer fee of £22.8 million from Liverpool, and Suarez officially became a Liverpool player on January 31. On July 11, 2014, Liverpool confirmed Suarez's move to Barcelona for $111 million (£81.72 million). On September 24, 2020, he transferred to Atlético Madrid for €6 million.

However, Luis Suarez is also one of the most controversial players in football. The Uruguayan striker has accumulated a list of infamous moments in his career, including the blatant handball he committed in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals against Ghana, his racial abuse incident with Manchester United's Patrice Evra that resulted in an 8-match ban, and three infamous biting incidents while playing for Liverpool and Ajax. Additionally, in a World Cup qualifying match in 2013, Suarez punched a Chilean player in the face, but the referee failed to see the incident. Another stain on his career came in 2011 when he made an obscene gesture toward Fulham supporters. Suarez has also been known for his diving and unsporting behavior, earning him a reputation as one of the most disliked players in the world.

Joey Barton was born on September 2, 1982, in Huyton, Merseyside. He began his football career at Manchester City in 2002 after working his way through their youth system. His first-team appearances increased over the next five years, and he played over 150 games for the club. In July 2007, he joined Newcastle United for £5.8 million. After four years at Newcastle, Barton moved to Queens Park Rangers in August 2011 and was loaned to Marseille in 2012. He returned the following season and helped QPR win promotion to the Premier League via the Championship playoffs. However, QPR was relegated, and Barton left the club at the end of the season. In 2015, he signed a one-year contract with Burnley, helping them secure promotion to the Premier League, but left for Rangers in May 2016. Barton was banned from football in April 2017 after admitting to betting violations, and after his suspension ended in June 2018, he began his managerial career with Fleetwood Town.

Barton played as a central midfielder and represented various high-profile clubs, including Manchester City, Newcastle United, Marseille, and Queens Park Rangers. He became notorious for his aggressive style of play, often engaging in fights and displaying erratic behavior. He was convicted twice for assault, including a six-month prison sentence for an altercation in Liverpool. Barton had numerous altercations, even with his teammates, earning a reputation for being a player with poor discipline and a history of reckless partying. His violent on-field actions led to countless red cards, and some of his victims required hospital treatment. Joey Barton’s behavior, both on and off the pitch, has earned him a place on the list of football’s most controversial and disliked figures.

John Terry was born on December 7, 1980, in Barking, London, England. Terry was named UEFA Defender of the Year in 2005, 2008, and 2009, PFA Player of the Year in 2005, and was selected for the FIFPro World XI for five consecutive years from 2005 to 2009. He was also the only English player to be included in the FIFA World Cup 2006 All-Star Team. As Chelsea’s most successful captain, Terry led the club to five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Europa League, and one UEFA Champions League. He is one of only five players to make over 500 appearances for Chelsea and is the club's highest-scoring defender of all time. In 2007, he became the first captain to lift the FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium after Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester United, and he also scored the first international goal at the stadium with a header in England’s 1-1 draw with Brazil. In his final season at Chelsea in 2017, he became the first player to captain a team to five Premier League titles.

After leaving Chelsea, Terry spent a season at Aston Villa in the Championship before retiring, losing in the 2018 Championship play-off final. He returned to Villa as part of manager Dean Smith’s staff, helping the team win promotion to the Premier League via the 2019 Championship play-off final. Terry is widely regarded as one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players and one of the finest center-backs in the club’s and England’s history. However, off the field, his reputation has been marred by scandals. Known for his lavish lifestyle, he became infamous for his wild parties, gambling, and, most notably, for his affair with his teammate's wife, which seriously damaged his image as a role model and captain in the eyes of fans worldwide.

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He is a football superstar, widely regarded as the best player in Argentina and one of the greatest in the history of Barcelona. Messi was the first player to ever win 5 Ballon d'Or trophies, along with numerous individual awards and records. While Messi is known for his exceptional skills, friendly demeanor, and discipline, his rivalry with Real Madrid fans, and specifically Cristiano Ronaldo supporters, has made him a controversial figure. The long-standing tension between the Barcelona and Real Madrid fanbases has turned Messi into a polarizing figure, often criticized and ridiculed by those who follow the opposing side.

As one of the most recognized athletes globally, Messi has been sponsored by Adidas since 2006, becoming their primary brand ambassador. He was ranked as the highest-paid footballer by France Football from 2009 to 2014 and was named the highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes in 2019. In 2011 and 2012, he was included in Time's list of the 100 most influential people worldwide. In February 2020, Messi won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, becoming the first footballer and first team sports athlete to receive the honor. Later that year, Messi became the second footballer to earn over $1 billion in career earnings. Despite his success, Messi has faced criticism, including accusations of tax evasion, international team setbacks, and questions about his character. Many of these critiques stem from rival fans, jealous of Messi's unparalleled success and his prominence in the football world.

Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He is a Portuguese football superstar who has enjoyed tremendous success with two legendary clubs, Manchester United and Real Madrid. Ronaldo boasts an impressive collection of individual and team honors, including 4 Ballon d'Or awards and 4 European Golden Shoes. Like Messi, Ronaldo has amassed a vast army of anti-fans. He is frequently criticized with familiar accusations such as "diving", "only scoring against small teams", "penalty merchant", "riding on his teammates’ coattails", and even "hypocrisy". However, despite the criticism, it’s impossible to deny that Ronaldo is one of the greatest goal-scorers in football history, an absolute legend of the game.

Ronaldo, alongside Messi, is one of the few players who face constant scrutiny no matter what they do. When he scores, he’s criticized; when he doesn’t, he’s ridiculed even more. If he scores from a penalty, it's called a cheap goal, and if he misses, he faces even harsher backlash. Even his charitable efforts are called hypocritical, yet if he doesn’t give to charity, he’s attacked for that as well. In short, no matter what, Ronaldo's anti-fans find ways to turn every action into a reason to attack him. The bitter rivalry between Ronaldo’s and Messi’s fans, as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona supporters, continues to fuel endless debates and controversies. These ongoing hostilities need to end because they could ultimately tarnish the careers of two of the best players ever to play the game, along with the beautiful values that football should represent.

Ashley Young was born on July 9, 1985, in Stevenage, England. Currently playing as a left-winger for Manchester United, Young is infamous for his theatrical dives and skillful attempts to earn fouls and yellow cards. Over the years, he has often faced boos from his own fans at Old Trafford for his antics on the field. Young has become a target for heavy criticism from both the media and social networks, largely due to his reputation for simulation. As a result, he has earned the title of one of the most disliked players in football.

In a Champions League match against Real Sociedad at Anoeta on November 6, 2013, Young once again made headlines for his dramatic fall inside the penalty box. His convincing dive fooled the referee, Nicola Rizzolli, who awarded Manchester United a penalty amid protests from the home side. Unfortunately for Young, Robin van Persie missed the penalty, and the match ended in a 0-0 draw for the Red Devils.

Pepe was born on February 26, 1983, in Maceió, Brazil. At the age of 18, he moved with a friend from his youth team at Corinthians Alagoano to Portugal to play for C.S. Marítimo's B team on Madeira Island. After one season, Pepe was promoted to the first team for the 2002-2003 season, where he continued to impress and earned a starting spot under coach Mitchell van der Gaag. Under the guidance of new coach Anatoliy Byshovets, Pepe was experimented with in multiple positions, from defense to midfield and even attacking roles. He scored a memorable goal against Sporting Braga, securing a 1-0 win for Marítimo. Before the 2003-2004 season, Marítimo allowed him to train with Sporting Club de Portugal, with hopes of a transfer, but the deal fell through due to contract disagreements between the clubs.

Pepe eventually became a mainstay at Porto and is now a key player in Real Madrid's defense. Known for his aggressive, sometimes violent playing style, Pepe has been involved in numerous controversial moments on the field, including malicious tackles and even physical confrontations with opponents. A notorious example was his intentional stamp on Lionel Messi's hand during the 2012 season. Pepe is often the target of media criticism and is known for accumulating red cards. Fans have even given him the nickname "Butcher Pepe" due to his brutal reputation on the pitch.

Daniel Alves was born on May 6, 1983, in Bahia, Brazil. He is considered one of the best and most expensive right-backs in the world. Alves has played for top clubs including Sevilla FC, Barcelona, and Juventus, achieving significant success and numerous titles at each of these teams. Alves was loaned from Bahia to Sevilla FC for the 2002-2003 season, after impressing at the World Youth Championship. In June 2006, Sevilla agreed to sell him to Liverpool, but the deal fell through after the two clubs couldn't agree on a price. In December 2006, Alves extended his contract with Sevilla until 2012, enjoying a highly successful 2006-2007 season, winning the UEFA Cup. In the summer of 2007, Chelsea made multiple attempts to sign Alves, but Sevilla rejected all their offers.

In February 2008, Alves finally left Sevilla to join FC Barcelona for a record-breaking €34 million for a defender. He immediately became an indispensable part of the Barcelona squad, playing as the starting right-back. Alves made his Barcelona debut in a Champions League qualifier against Wisła Kraków. Despite his successful first season, he missed out on playing in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, where Barcelona won 2-0 against Manchester United. Apart from his talent, Alves is also known for his theatrical antics on the field. His exaggerated dives and falls have often earned him free kicks, but they have also tarnished his image, and he has become a frequent target of mockery from fans worldwide. He is even considered one of the most notorious players for simulation in world football.