Image via Complex Original
Soccer has long been hailed as the beautiful game. That’s because of the amazing goals, sublime assists, and the game’s overall grasp on seemingly every corner of the world. You couldn’t even get into the Boca Juniors steakhouse on Queens Boulevard for Argentina’s matches during this past summer’s World Cup, so imagine what it was like in Buenos Aires. But we digress.
The point today is to talk about the other side of the game. This is the side no one likes to see-unless you’re a sick sadomasochist-but has always been just as much a part of the game as the last-minute winners, dazzling midfield runs, and improbable victories. There is certainly a concerted effort in modern soccer to stamp out-no pun intended-the rash challenges, which leave ankles broken and ligaments in shreds, but that part of the game still very much exists. We took a look at some of the worst of the bunch throughout the years, because, well, even the dark parts of the game need a spotlight. From Martin Taylor taking out Arsenal’s Eduardo to Nigel de Jong's kung-fu kick on Xavi Alonso during the 2010 World Cup Final, check out The Nastiest Tackles in Soccer History in GIFs.
John Boye didn’t appreciate Clint Dempsey’s early opener.
Date: 6/16/2014
Match: Ghana v. USA
Competition: 2014 World Cup
Ground: Estadio Das Dunas, Natal, Brazil
Clint Dempsey kick-started the United States’ 2014 World Cup campaign by scoring a goal less than a minute into the opening match against Ghana. And shortly afterward, he received this high boot to the face, which left him bloodied and disoriented.
Maroune Fellaini shows the spirit of the Manchester derby to Pablo Zabaleta.
Date: 3/1/2014
Match: Manchester United v. Manchester City
Competition: 2013-14 EPL
Ground: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
The Manchester Derby is always a spirited encounter, but last March, Maroune Fellaini ratcheted the atmosphere up a bit with an elbow to the face of City defender Pablo Zabaleta. The best part has to be Fellaini’s post-match comments, in which he stated Zabaleta’s face ran into his elbow. Sure.
Jobi McAnuff nails Jack Wilshere in a very sensitive area.
Date: 12/17/2012
Match: Reading v. Arsenal
Competition: 2012-13 EPL
Ground: Madejski Stadium, Reading, England
Let’s be honest, unless you’re an Arsenal supporter, you probably don’t like Jack Wilshere, but that doesn’t give Reading’s Jobi McAnuff the license to pull this crap. Wilshere probably wishes he stayed in Vegas at the pool party.
Matty Taylor lands a boot to the mid-section of Raheem Sterling.
Date: 3/31/2013
Match: Aston Villa v. Liverpool
Competition: 2012-13 EPL
Ground: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
This is the first of two pretty naughty challenges Aston Villa players laid on Liverpool lads during this Premier League duel in March of 2013. Looks like some teams just can’t lose with dignity.
Ricardo Montolivo sees red after hacking down Christian Poulsen.
Date: 12/11/2013
Match: AC Milan v. Ajax
Competition: 2013-14 UCL
Ground: San Siro, Milan
Ricardo Montolivo isn’t a player who’s normally known for losing his cool, but how else could you explain this terrible tackle on Ajax’s Christian Poulsen during last season’s Champions League campaign? What could Poulsen have done to piss him off just 20 minutes into the match?
Nemanja Vidic is not a fan of Eden Hazard’s trickery.
Date: 1/19/2014
Match: Chelsea v. Manchester United
Competition: 2013-14 EPL
Ground: Stamford Bridge, London
Because when you’re losing 3-1 on the road in the 92nd minute, you’re not really looking to get the ball at all. Naughty, Nemanja. Very naught.
Thiago Motta is sent off for raking Frederic Sammaritano.
Date: 1/11/2013
Match: PSG v. Ajaccio
Competition: 2012-13 French Ligue 1
Ground: Parc des Princes, Paris
You may have gotten past Thiago Motta, Frederic, but the Brazilian-Italian wasn’t letting up that easily. A red card was appropriately brandished, and the match ended in a 0-0 draw.
Ashley Westwood confuses Jordan Henderson’s knee for the ball.
Date: 3/31/2013
Match: Aston Villa v. Liverpool
Competition: 2012-13 EPL
Ground: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
Here’s that second terrible tackle we mentioned from this fixture two seasons ago, and as you can see, this one is a bit worse than Matty Taylor’s high boot to Raheem Sterling. What the hell is wrong with you, Ashley Westwood?
Andoni Goikoetxea takes down Diego Maradona.
Date: 9/24/1983
Match: Athletic Bilbao v. Barcelona
Competition: 1983-84 La Liga
Ground: San Mames, Bilbao, Spain
All you need to know about this challenge is that it earned Goikoetxea the nickname, “The Butcher of Bilbao.” We think Maradona would be okay, though.
Harald Shumacher gets into a nasty collision with Patrick Battiston.
Date: 7/8/1982
Match: West Germany v. France
Competition: 1982 World Cup
Ground: Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain
Incredibly, Harald Schumacher not only received no punishment for this near-decapitation of Patrick Battiston, but West Germany were also awarded a free kick! Okay then.
Taras Stepanenko nails a Moldova defender with a karate kick to the head.
Date: 3/26/2013
Match: Ukraine v. Moldova
Competition: 2014 World Cup Qualifier
Ground: Chornomorets Stadium, Odessa, Ukraine
This might be the highest “high boot” in the history of soccer from Taras Stepanenko. World Cup qualifiers get intense, b.
Karl Henry is given his marching orders after sliding through Jordi Gomez.
Date: 10/2/2010
Match: Wigan Athletic v. Wolves
Competition: 2010-11 EPL
Ground: DW Stadium, Wigan, England
We really wonder what goes through a players mind when making a challenge such as this. Like, Karl Henry, you got problems with the wife or something? Somehow, Jordi Gomez was able to carry on in this match.
Valentin Eysseric receives an 11-match ban for this stamp on Jeremy Clement.
Date: 3/3/2013
Match: Saint-Etienne v. Nice
Competition: 2012-13 French Ligue 1
Ground: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, France
11 matches is probably appropriate for this horror-tackle by Valentin Eysseric on Jeremy Clement. Creating this list was kind of like the ultimate diet plan, if you know what we’re saying.
Lee Bowyer adds insult to injury against Gerardo.
Date: 12/12/2002
Match: Leeds United v. Malaga
Competition: 2003 UEFA Cup
Ground: Elland Road, Leeds, England
Lee Bowyer teaches Gerardo how the English do it, by first knocking the Spaniard right off his feet, and then putting his spikes in his face once he’s already on the ground. Don’t worry, Malaga won the match 2-1 on aggregate to dump Leeds out of the UEFA Cup that year.
Axel Witsel breaks Marcin Wasilewski’s leg.
Date: 8/29/2009
Match: Anderlecht v. Standard Liege
Competition: 2009-10 Belgian Jupiler League
Ground: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht, Belgium
Axel Witsel had a reputation in Belgium as something of a golden boy, but that all flew out the door after this horrendous stamp on Anderlecht’s Marcin Wasilewski. Wasilewski was sidelined for about a year after having his leg broken-though he incredibly returned to the game-and Witsel received an eight-match ban by the Belgian FA.
Martin Taylor sees red for ruining Eduardo da Silva.
Date: 2/23/2008
Match: Birmingham City v. Arsenal
Competition: 2007-08 EPL
Ground: St Andrew's Stadium, Birmingham, England
Martin Taylor maintained that this tackle wasn’t malicious, because, you know, he's from another planet. We bet Eduardo da Silva, the fans who sent Taylor death threats, and anyone with any morality would strongly disagree. Arsene Wenger is still pissed.
Benjamin Massing takes out Claudio Caniggia at the 1990 World Cup.
Date: 6/8/1990
Match: Argentina v. Cameroon
Competition: 1990 World Cup
Ground: San Siro, Milan
Claudio Caniggia evaded two previous tackles from Cameroon players as he charged up the pitch at the 1990 World Cup, but Benjamin Massing wasn’t about to get played like his teammates. A straight red was in the forecast after this wipeout.
Kado Aoci is knocked out with a clothesline.
Date: 8/21/2013
Match: Peninsula Power v. Brisbane Wolves
Competition: 2013 Canale Cup
Ground: A.J. Kelly Park, Queensland, Australia
If this is how they roll in Australia, we might take it off our travel list. The Peninsula Power player must have had the match confused with his rugby tournament later in the week. Yikes.
Ryan Shawcross leaves Aaron Ramsey in a world of trouble.
Date: 2/27/2010
Match: Stoke City v. Arsenal
Competition: 2009-10 EPL
Ground: Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, England
This tackle on Aaron Ramsey was so bad that Ryan Shawcross was left in tears. Bro, it was your fault! Ramsey missed a year after suffering a double fracture on this play, and Shawcross received an extremely lenient three-match ban for his tackle.
Callum McManamann’s tackle on Massadio Haidara is beyond cringeworthy.
Date: 3/17/2013
Match: Wigan Athletic v. Newcastle
Competition: 2012-13 EPL
Ground: DW Stadium, Wigan, England
Astonishingly, Callum McManamann received no punishment for this dreadful tackle on Newcastle’s Massadio Haidara. McManamann steams into the challenge, gets nothing on the ball, and leaves Haidara to be stretchered off by the medics. A half-time brawl ensued following the challenge, and referee Mark Halsey apologized to Newcastle manager Alan Pardew for admittedly missing the tackle, but none of that helped Haidara.
Graeme Souness takes revenge on Gheorge Rotariu.
Date: 3/16/1988
Match: Rangers v. Steaua Bucharest
Competition: 1987-88 European Cup
Ground: Ibrox Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Graeme Souness has the audacity to point to his leg to intimate that he was clipped first. Bruh, give us a break. You nearly killed Gheorghe Rotariu.
A 21-year-old Eric Cantona fly’s through Zakarian on his debut.
Date: 8/5/1988
Match: Auxerre v. Nantes
Competition: 1988-89 French Ligue 1
Ground: Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps
Eric Cantona made a career as a brilliant footballer, but one who was never far from controversy. See his encounter with one very unlucky Crystal Palace supporter. At least people knew what they were getting with Cantona from the start. The Frenchman committed this horrific tackle in his very first professional match for Auxerre.
Nigel de Jong somehow stays on the pitch after putting his studs into Xabi Alonso’s chest.
Date: 7/11/2010
Match: Netherlands v. Spain
Competition: 2010 World Cup
Ground: Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa
Howard Webb would say at some point after the 2010 World Cup final that he was wrong to allow the Netherlands’ Nigel de Jong to stay on the pitch following this kung-fu kick challenge on Spain’s Xabi Alonso. Spain would go on to lift the trophy a little while after this assault, but, come on, how did Webb only brandish a yellow card at the time?
WARNING: The next slide is brutal. Like, you might vomit.
Oupa Ngulube has his leg snapped by Felix Muamba-Musasa.
Date: 5/5/2009
Match: Carara Kicks v. Mpumalanga Black Aces
Competition: South African Premier League
Ground: Goble Park, Bethlehem, South Africa
Not that any of these tackles are particularly nice, but this challenge from Felix Muamba-Musasa on Oupa Ngulube is stomach-churningly horrific.
Roy Keane ends Alf-Inge Haaland’s career.
Date: 4/21/2001
Match: Manchester United v. Manchester City
Competition: 2000-01 EPL
Ground: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
We come to it at last. The nastiest tackle in soccer history occurred back in 2001, when Manchester United’s Roy Keane ended the career of Alfe-Inge Haaland during a hotly-contested Manchester Derby. Where else would this challenge occur? Keane received a straight red card for flying through the leg of Haaland like it wasn’t there, he deserved a much worse punishment. This is about as bad as it gets, folks. Keane would later say in his autobiography that he was waiting to get Haaland ever since the Norwegian mocked him while he injured his cruciate ligaments during the '97-98 campaign. That's some serious pent-up anger.
