The year’s most controversial, petty, and egocentric soccer players

Paul Pogba - Throughout 2018, France's Paul Pogba has shown that he is no big fan of his Manchester United coach, José Mourinho. But no one knew he could be this quick: within an hour of Mourinho getting sacked on December 18, 2018, Pogba released a since-deleted post on social media where he seemed to be smiling over the situation.

2 / 31 Fotos

Zlatan Ibrahimović - Sweden's Ibrahimović would make the cut most years, but his tweet welcoming basketball star LeBron James to Los Angeles (where Ibrahimović plays for LA Galaxy) seals the deal for 2018: "Now LA has a God and a King! Zlatan welcomes @KingJames."

3 / 31 Fotos

Giovani dos Santos - Well at least we know Ibrahimović is respected in Major League Soccer. It was actually his LA Galaxy teammate, Mexican international Giovani dos Santos, who was voted "most overrated" by current MLS players. So, not exactly Mr. Popular...

4 / 31 Fotos

Antoine Griezmann - It's never a good look when you campaign hard to win an individual award. After winning the World Cup with France and the Europa League with Atlético Madrid, Antoine Griezmann gave many an interview suggesting he should win the Ballon d’Or for being the best player in the game.

5 / 31 Fotos

Diego Costa - The Hispano-Brazilian is no stranger to outbursts. One standout moment in 2018 was when he yelled at club teammate Griezmann for siding with Barcelona's Samuel Umtiti (who is Griezmann's teammate on the French national team) during a match. Costa shouted, "I'm your teammate!"

6 / 31 Fotos

Isco - Spain's Isco went from Real Madrid golden boy to having problems with fans, teammates, and his coach. He recently refused the captain's armband during a game, and now all signs point to a transfer in the near future.

7 / 31 Fotos

Cristiano Ronaldo - Many wonder if the Portuguese star (now at Juventus) will ever fully come back from the rape allegations against him that surfaced in 2018. He's still on form while on the pitch, but this story promises developments.

8 / 31 Fotos

Lionel Messi - Barcelona darling Messi is often thought of as being down-to-earth, but he, along with Ronaldo, skipped the latest Ballon d’Or ceremony. Perhaps rightfully so, winner Luka Modrić called the Argentine and Ronaldo out on this.

9 / 31 Fotos

Arturo Vidal - If you're unhappy with your team (and coach), don't take to social media with your complaints. In since-deleted posts, Chile's Vidal seemed to suggest he was upset by his lack of playing time for his new club, Barcelona.

10 / 31 Fotos

Dani Alves - Brazil's Dani Alves is another player who would make this list most years. In 2018 he was actually relatively tame, but saying you'd move back to your former club (Barcelona) tomorrow if they asked you, or that you'll make it to the Premier League one day, is not the best way to show your current club (PSG) your devotion.

11 / 31 Fotos

Ousmane Dembélé - After his big transfer move from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, the Frenchman was always going to have eyes on him. But he hasn't made it easier on himself by repeatedly showing up late to training. Bad form that could actually contribute to... bad form.

12 / 31 Fotos

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - With Borussia Dortmund already having lost star players, Aubameyang could have handled his departure to Arsenal a lot better. The Gabonese international tried on multiple occasions to force his exit, including missing a team meeting. He's since apologized to the club and fans.

13 / 31 Fotos

Mesut Özil and İlkay Gündoğan - Arsenal's Mesut Özil and Manchester City's İlkay Gündoğan, who are both of Turkish descent, posed with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's autocratic president, ahead of the World Cup. The move sparked controversy, but they were also victims of racism in the aftermath. Özil retired from the German national team as a result, but Gündoğan has stayed on.

14 / 31 Fotos

Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri -

The World Cup also spelled controversy for Arsenal's Granit Xhaka and Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri. After scoring for Switzerland against Serbia, both celebrated by forming a double-headed eagle with their hands, like the one on the Albanian flag. Shaqiri was born in Kosovo, while Xhaka was born to Albanian parents from Kosovo. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

15 / 31 Fotos

Dejan Lovren - Pointing out that you're "one of the best defenders in the world” and that "[Sergio] Ramos has many more mistakes than me" is generally bad form. But after making the Champions League final with Liverpool and the World Cup final with Croatia, we almost can't blame Lovren for boasting.

16 / 31 Fotos

Sergio Ramos - Speaking of the Spaniard, his rough approach to the game hit a climax during the Champions League final in 2018. In Real Madrid colors, he ended up injuring Mohamed Salah, ruling him out of the rest of the match. The hate for Ramos intensified immediately.

17 / 31 Fotos

Mohamed Salah - Surprised? Well, Egypt's Salah did pose with Chechnya leader and reported human rights abuser Ramzan Kadyrov in 2018. Salah was also given honorary citizenship.

18 / 31 Fotos

Domagoj Vida - The Beşiktaş player landed in hot water after two videos surfaced of him stating “Glory to Ukraine!” following his win with Croatia over Russia on Russian soil at the World Cup. Vida previously played for Ukraine's Dynamo Kiev.

19 / 31 Fotos

Eden Hazard -

Everyone wants to win the Ballon d’Or, but Chelsea's Eden Hazard believes "you need to be selfish" to do so. "But I’m not like this, not at all. I’m just who I am," said the Belgian. Not convincing, and just not a good look.

20 / 31 Fotos

Radja Nainggolan - "I'm not going back to the national team again. I said that if I don't go to the World Cup, I'll quit, and I'm a man of my word," said Belgium and Inter Milan player Radja Nainggolan. First, renouncing your national team rarely ever looks good. Second, Nainggolan's bad habits off the field, which include smoking, have always made his commitment questionable.

21 / 31 Fotos

Adrien Rabiot - Rabiot refused a spot on France's World Cup standby list in 2018 after not making the final 23-man squad. And now he looks set to quit his club team, PSG, effectively sidelining himself.

22 / 31 Fotos

Edinson Cavani - Neymar's been largely to blame for the tension with Cavani since moving to PSG, but it takes two to tango. And seeing Cavani's form for Uruguay against Neymar's Brazil in a 2018 friendly seemed to cement that both have something to prove.

23 / 31 Fotos

Neymar Jr. - No one is surprised to see Neymar on this list. His diving in Russia made him the meme of the World Cup.

24 / 31 Fotos

Hatem Ben Arfa - In April 2018, France's Ben Arfa actually celebrated his one-year anniversary of not playing for his then-club, PSG, complete with a small cake and candle. Petty much? He's now signed to Rennes. Probably for the best.

25 / 31 Fotos

Jesé Rodríguez - Stoke City (to which the Spaniard was on loan from PSG) granted Jesé Rodríguez compassionate leave in April of 2018, only for him to go AWOL. He was reportedly back in Spain to see his sickly son, the same child his ex-girlfriend accused him of ignoring in favor of his friends. Seriously, what is up with PSG players?

26 / 31 Fotos

Mario Balotelli - Italy's Balotelli is another one who's no stranger to headlines. He missed the start of pre-season for Nice in 2018, likely because he was tempted by another club. Considering Nice is where he revived his career, it showed a lack of gratitude.

27 / 31 Fotos

James Rodríguez - The Colombian has made it known he's unhappy with his diminished playing time at Bayern Munich. The team has also struggled domestically, with Rodríguez reportedly saying, "This is not Frankfurt," in reference to his new coach Niko Kovač's former team. You just don't say these things.

28 / 31 Fotos

Raheem Sterling - Ahead of the World Cup, the England and Manchester City player debuted an assault rifle tattoo on his leg. Many criticized him for glorifying gun culture, yet he defended the tattoo as having "deeper meaning." According to Sterling, he will "never touch a gun," but "shoot with [his] right foot," in honor of his father who was shot dead.

29 / 31 Fotos

Robinho -

In November of 2017, an Italian court sentenced the Brazilian international to nine years in prison for his part in the alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman in a nightclub in 2013. Where is he as of early 2018? Playing for Turkish side Sivasspor.

30 / 31 Fotos

Mexican national team - What were many members of the Mexican squad up to before the World Cup? Apparently hosting "around 30 prostitutes" at a farewell party that lasted about 24 hours. Yup, 2018 was wild!

31 / 31 Fotos

The year’s most controversial, petty, and egocentric soccer players

Less-than-beautiful moments in the beautiful game

21/12/18 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Soccer

In a year that saw a dynamic World Cup, an exciting Champions League final, and the Copa Libertadores hosted outside South America for the first time, it's no surprise that soccer's big egos and bad boys also showed up strong. In the cases of many, it was business as usual. But others have some very serious allegations hanging over them.

Pettiness? Ego? Controversy? In soccer? Pfft, doubtful! But just in case, check out this list of players who made headlines for the wrong reasons in 2018.