Biggest Football Controversies

Just when football thought it had seen its fair share of scandals, along comes the European Super League (ESL). A group of 12 men, with no consultation with players, managers, or supporters – with one of them sneeringly referring to those who have slavishly followed their clubs for years as legacy fans – decided to form a separate breakaway league. ...

Roy Keane is arguably one of the best players that Ireland has ever produced. A brilliant intelligent footballer, he was one of the best midfielders that the Premier League has ever produced, with a fiercely competitive spirt, and an indominable will win. He also had notoriously high standards, expecting the best of himself and all round him, Even now, as ...

In 2011 French football was engulfed in controversy when it was reported that the country’s Football Federation had approved a quota system to limit the number of black players and those of North African origin being eligible to play for the national team. It was alleged that a plan was in place to limit the number of non-white youngsters enter ...

Although the German Bundesliga remains one of the most respected in Europe, it has been affected by scandal at various points in its history. In 1965 Hertha Berlin were demoted for illegal player payments, and six years later Armenia Bielefeld suffered a similar fate and more than 50 players as well as coaches and match officials were suspended for their ...

Just over a decade ago, Richard Keys an Andy Gray, who had long been the voice of Sky Sports football coverage in the UK were forced to leave their jobs. The reason was because tapes were leaked to the media in which the duo made derogatory comments about a female linesman and other female figures involved in the football industry ...

The first international break of the season has been one to forget for the Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill. A facile 1-1 draw away against a makeshift Poland side on Tuesday night ended a horrible fortnight for the former Celtic manager. The embarrassing 4-1 loss in Wales last week was preceded by the capitulation in the World Cup play-off at home to Denmark last November. ...

  Image Credits It is fair to say that referee Mike Dean wasn’t on top of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s Christmas card following his decision to award a penalty against The Gunners in their draw with West Bromwich Albion. His decision was widely derided with Sky pundits Jamie Redknapp and Ray Parlour describing it as “awful” and “horrendous”, whilst Alan ...

The round of 16 match between the Netherlands and Portugal at the 2006 World Cup has earned notoriety for the sheer number of cards awarded by the referee for various infringements and is now referred to as the Battle of Nuremburg. The match was a stop-start affair due to the numerous times the Russian referee Valentin Valentinovich Ivanov blew his ...

Thiago Motta (Inter Milan vs. Barcelona, semi-final second leg, 2009/10) In one of the most infamous instances of a red card being dished out, Thiago Motta was sent off for a hand in the face of Barcelona midfield lynchpin Sergio Busquets. The Catalan went down on the turf as Motta got his marching orders. But what has stood out from ...

Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal vs. Chelsea) During the 2013/14 Premier League season, Arsenal were stripped 6-0 at Stamford Bridge, but apart from the harrowing scoreline the game is also remembered for one of the most bizarre red cards in football history. A penalty was awarded to the hosts after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tipped Eden Hazard’s shot around a post with his hand. ...