For over a century now, soccer has cultivated much of our pride and joy. The beautiful game, along with music, peanut butter and Netflix, is humanity’s pride and joy. However, with all the cheers and smiles, soccer comes with a dark side and over here, rainbows and sunshine are replaced with shame and disgrace. How far into the rabbit hole are you willing to go?
Take the red pill and enjoy The18’s list of the most disgraceful soccer moments . . . just remember, you might not like what you find.
The 10 Most Shocking Moments In Soccer History
The 10 most shocking moments in soccer history, including Luis Figo's return to the Camp Nou.
In November 2002, Real Madrid’s Luis Figo was preparing for a corner kick against his former team Barcelona at the Camp Nou. It only took the Portuguese Ballon d’Or winner a few seconds before Barcelona fans chucked the severed head of a pig at him, a gesture of love in many cultures (we just don’t know which ones).
Figo had transferred to Real Madrid in 2000 after spending five years playing for the Catalans, a mover which rekindled the hateful rivalry between the two Spanish juggernauts. Referee Medina Cantalejo stopped the match and all 22 players were removed from the field after a failure to contain the fiery crowd by riot police.
Barcelona fans were also caught throwing lighters, bottles and cans while several Real Madrid players told the press they’d seen a knife on the pitch.
Finally, the world has proof that bacon is not always good for you! In Barcelona’s defense, how else would you support your team? Ugh, cheering and clapping is so 19th century, isn’t it?
Former Zenit and Feyenoord player Danko Lazovic has reportedly been spotted in a Hollywood café with Michael Bay, rumor has it the Serbian is set for the new Transformers movie. He’s obviously going to play a Toyota Prius that transforms into a weapon of mass disgrace!
During the Hungarian League championship final, Lazovic, playing for Videoton, clashed with a Budapest Honved player and then proceeded to reenact the most graceful rendition of Shakespeare’s Macbeth Falls Down The Stairs. It instantly brought tears to my eyes, what a heartwarming performance. Six minutes later, Honved scores the winning goal, something about karma and all that jazz we pretend to understand.
Oh, you’re not ready to scroll down yet? Still crying over that beautiful performance? Might want to Google Leeds United’s Adryan, a future Al Pacino if ever there was one.
Chile’s Bryan Carrasco had one genius plan during an U-20 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador: get punched in the face by an opposing player, have him sent-off and capitalize on a 10-man team. But first, the punch: how do you get another player to hit you? Easy, take his arm and do it yourself!
Carrasco stole Edson Montano’s arm and executed his master plan with a graceful slap to the face and even more graceful acting afterwards. The shameful act came out of desperation as Chile was losing 1-0 with 14 minutes left but, as shamelessness proves time and time again, it worked. The referee awarded Chile a free-kick, but they failed to score and Ecuador qualified for the last spot in the U-20 World Cup.
Ha! Who said hard work beats talent? You need both, and of course Carrasco’s career abruptly ended when he later went on to join the Looney Tunes as the newest character. I’m joking, I have absolutely no knowledge what happened after.
If you ever decide to step on a pitch mid-game and punch a player, causing him a cheekbone fracture, the very least you can do is not casually walk around with a cheeky smirk on your face. Petrulul Ploiesti fan Dragos Petrut Enache did just that to Steaua Bucharest’s George Galamaz and all hell broke loose.
The match was stopped before halftime as the rowdy crowd shot a flare that burnt Steaua Bucharest’s goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu. Now that’s a crowd!
If that isn’t madness, if that caused you no outrage, then perhaps seeing the local psychiatrist should be added to this week’s planner, no? You know where I live? Never mind then, carry on you wonderful lunatic.
Some foolishly say soccer is too rough for girls; those who know the Vinnie Jones of women’s soccer would say Elizabeth Lambert is too rough for soccer. Playing for the University of New Mexico Lobos, the feisty defender went full Terminator on the opposing team from Brigham Young University.
Lambert punched, kicked, elbowed and even jerked another player to the ground by her ponytail, flattening her like the merciless gladiator she was born to be. Funny enough, Lambert was booked only once that game for kicking the ball into another player’s face. Simmer down that laughter, you shameless goons!
Lambert was consequently banned by her university and they eventually suspended her from using all athletic facilities and programs. Note to our young lady readers: don’t be afraid to release your inner She-Hulk and tear down the obstacles in your life . . . just, you know, don’t get caught!
If you’ve ever wondered what the Beast from Beauty and the Beast does in his spare time, well, let’s just say he fancies a little footie every now and then. Eric Cantona, the Frenchman extraordinaire and self-proclaimed King of Manchester, isn’t the type of person who hides how he feels. If you ask Cantona how his day went, then you can expect one of two answers: “Oh, fine, merci” or, “Who sent you? Was it Liverpool? I’ll bash your head in.”
In an angry explosion, Cantona launched those goal-striking legs onto Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons’ face . . . and then proceeded to punch him once or twice . . . because Cantona.
When asked about the incident, former Manchester United director Maurice Watkins said, “People have said this is the most famous common assault case in the history of the English legal system."
If Cantona kicked me in the face, I would never wash it again and I’d charge $10 to anyone who wanted to look at me. Nonetheless, kicking people because you’re a grouch should bring anyone shame . . . until enough time passes by, then you can brag about it all you want because it’s kinda cool, honestly.
A courageous father, driving with his 14-year-old daughter alongside Carragher’s Land Rover, goaded the former Liverpool defender with a “2-1” remark in reference to Liverpool’s loss to Manchester United. Carragher, with no verbal retort, pulled down his window and spewed out a spit that easily rivals any natural disaster, even though legend says that’s how a scouser talks but who knows.
The father, in reference to his daughter being spat on, says “Nice”, as any proper parent naturally would.
Carragher said he “apologized personally to all the family this evening” but Sky Sports is adamant in keeping their decision of suspending the commentator. Lest we forget that in the beautiful game, spitting yields a mandatory suspension, why should Carragher, who retired in 2013, be treated any differently? Especially as he’s in the broadcasting business and last we checked, Sky Sports isn’t the Bill O’Reilly Show.
Honorable mention: Holland’s Frank Rijkaard spitting on West Germany’s Rudi Voller during a match between the two in Italy’s 1990 World Cup.
In four years, Luis Suarez managed to be transferred to three different teams. He also bit three different people which garnered three different suspensions, but who’s keeping count? The Uruguayan cannibal started his biting streak playing for Ajax in 2010 when he bit PSV’s Otman Bakkal and Suarez was banned for seven matches, stripping him of his captaincy as well.
In 2013, playing for Liverpool, Dracula’s direct descendent bit his second victim, Branislav Ivanovic, on the arm. The English Football Association suspended Suarez for 10 games and fined him.
In 2014, during a World Cup match between Uruguay and Italy, the Hannibal Lecter of soccer struck again. His third victim was defender Giorgio Chiellini, when Suarez plunged his teeth onto the Juventus veteran’s shoulder. Once again, Suarez was fined and punished severely with a four month ban, including a suspension for nine international matches.
Suarez was also banned from partaking in any soccer related activity like entering a stadium, training with teammates or playing competitively at any level.
He later transferred to Barcelona and made a public apology never to bite anyone again. See, kids, you can get away with anything as long as someone rich has your back!
This is animal cruelty at its finest, or worst, you get the point. Argentina’s CS Bella Vista, after the horrendous dog throw, kicked Jose Jimenez out of the team and promised he’ll never play for them again.
In 2013, a stray dog innocently wandered into the pitch and the poor thing had no clue what would happen next. Jimenez, thinking he’d done everyone a favor, picked the dog up and tried to throw him over a chain-link fence to the crowd. He ended up tossing the little canine straight onto the fence, only to watch it fall and smack the ground. The Referee immediately red-carded Jimenez for his cold hearted treatment of the dog.
Dogster, the canine enthusiast website, dubbed Jimenez as “bonehead of the week” when the incident happened. Probably the only honor the old fleabag got, and I’m not referring to the dog!
Most Shocking Moments In Soccer History
After scoring the winning goal for AEK Athens against Veria, the Greek midfielder Giorgos Katidis celebrated in the most unspeakable way: with a Nazi salute. The Greece Football Federation instantly issued Katidis a permanent ban.
Permanent, to the Greek federation, obviously meant until we forget about it since Katidis returned to Greek soccer a few years later where he played for Veria. Yes, the very same team he Nazi saluted against.
In his exile, Katidis was taken by Italy’s Novara Calico, a Serie B team, where Italian media called him the ‘Greek Di Canio’ in reference to Paolo Di Canio, former Sunderland manager, who also celebrated with a Nazi salute during his time at Lazio.
Katidis now plays for FK Olympia Prague where the incident seems forgotten and people are cheering him again. That’s an unexpected turn, to think that people can still forgive. How disturbing.
