Status message
Football players and the sport itself wouldn't be where they are today without their fanbase. It would just be impossible to have one without the other; football needs fans, and fans need football. But not everything is ponies and rainbows; when players don't live up to fan expectations, the relationship can go sour within 90 minutes.
We came up with a list of players who have had a love-hate relationship with their fanbase.
Cristiano Ronaldo
You would think that Cristiano's fans would have never booed the four-time Ballon d'Or winner and arguably one of the best players in history; well, you are wrong! After breaking records with Real Madrid, when CR7 wasn't at his best, he would get called out by his fans from the stands.
This was one reason Cristiano ended up going to Juventus; he always felt disappointed that many Madridistas had "amnesia."
Gareth Bale
Since Bale arrived at Real Madrid with a record transfer, fans were tough on the Welsh. Either because he wasn't scoring goals or injuries over his seven years as a Galactico, fans whistled him too many times. After leaving on loan to Tottenham this summer, Bale opened up about being whistled by 80,000 Real Madrid fans, and its consequences on his confidence as a player.
Giovani Dos Santos
After delivering a not-so-good 2018 season scoring only three goals in 14 matches, LA Galaxy fans went hard on Dos Santos. At the squad's shirt 2019 presentation, the Mexican was booed by fans, propelling his move to Club América.
Gerard Piqué
After being part of the golden team that brought the first and so far only World Cup to Spain in 2010, you would think that Piqué is liked all over the country, well due to complicated political reasons, that is not the case. The Barça star has been vocal about Catalunya's independence from Spain, which has strained his relationship with "La Roja" fanbase. Piqué has been booed many times with the national team, and since 2018 he officially quit the squad.
Mesut Özil
When Özil arrived at Arsenal from Real Madrid, expectations were high. Seven years later, the road has been kind of rocky with the team and its fans. The German has been whistled, booed, and criticized many times by the Gunners fanbase who wants him to earn his $ 450.000-week salary. At one game against Manchester City, Özil got so upset about the booing that he took off his gloves and kicked them into the stands after being substituted.
Granit Xhaka
Özil is not the only Gunner booed by his fans. Granit Xhaka took the love-hate relationship to another level after fans started cheering when he was substituted at a match. To make things worse, he was booed as he walked off the pitch. The Swiss didn't take it very well and started insulting fans and angrily removed his jersey. He later apologized and said that he was harassed for weeks on social media, with fans even threatening to cut his legs. The whole drama eventually cost him his captain's armband.
Luis Figo
Back in the 90s, Figo's career bloomed at Camp Nou. For five seasons, the Portuguese star was a key player and captain at Barça. The culé fans idolized him until he switched teams. But, not just any team! In 2000, he joined Barcelona's most hated rivals: Real Madrid. The first time Figo went to play to the Camp Nou as a rival, his ex-fans went nuts. Up to this day, people say they have never heard anything like that at the stadium. The situation got so out of hands with fans throwing Figo objects from the stands - even a pig's head - that Carles Puyol had to ask fans to calm down.
