The 10 Most Hated People in Football

The 10 Most Hated People in Football

Football is a game that unites the world. However, despite this, it can often be seen as very similar to a pantomime, featuring heroes and villains.

Hatred in football doesn’t always come from on-pitch ability. Sometimes it’s betrayal, greed, arrogance, or moments of infamy that seal reputations.

Here at Football Park, we look at 10 of the most hated figures in football history

Sepp Blatter

Former FIFA President

When the conversation turns to corruption in football, one name dominates: Sepp Blatter. Serving as FIFA president from 1998 to 2015, Blatter presided over an era defined by scandal.

From bribery allegations to the controversial awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, his reign came to symbolise the rot at the heart of football’s governing body.

If there was one moment of levity, it came in 2015 when UK prankster Simon Brodkin stormed a news conference and threw a stack of fake banknotes while saying, “Here you go, Sepp.”

The image of Blatter grimacing whilst a shower of banknotes fell around him has become a defining snapshot of football’s corruption era.

Swiss federal prosecutors have ended their case against former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA president Michel Platini. pic.twitter.com/u2Qa2M9Tsv

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 28, 2025

The Glazer Family

Owners of Manchester United

When it comes to football ownership, few names provoke as much anger as the Glazer family. In charge of Manchester United since their leveraged takeover in 2005, the Americans have overseen two decades that many fans see as a slow descent into chaos.

The Glazers have invested none of their own money into the club, yet consistently extracted millions in dividends. For supporters, they are the embodiment of greed.

They have been the cause of a number of protests throughout the years, most notably in 2010 with the green and gold movement, where match-going fans wore scarves in the original colours of Newton Heath—Manchester United’s previous name.

20 Years ago today (12/05/2005) The Glazers bought United:
They borrowed £604m to buy United
They Loaded the £604m on the club (Debt)
After all these years that debt is now up to £731
There’s been £834M paid in interest so far
And they have taken over £1 Billion in dividends pic.twitter.com/aYyFAQ8UoE

— Eddy (@EddyMarkmufc) May 12, 2025

Sergio Ramos

Footballer for Real Madrid and Spain

On the surface, Sergio Ramos is one of the best and most decorated players of all time. A career currently spanning 22 years, he played most of his time at Real Madrid but also enjoyed spells at PSG, Sevilla, and now currently Monterrey.

But despite this, Ramos is hated by many across the footballing world.

Red-carded tackles, brutal fouls, and his infamous tackle on Mohammed Salah in the 2018 Champions League final have left many to see him as nothing more than football's best thug.

Admired by teammates, despised by rivals.

Jurgen Klopp looks back to Sergio Ramos' 'brutal' foul on Mo Salah during Liverpool's Champions League final vs. Real Madrid in 2018 👀 pic.twitter.com/QzosoB1yqG

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 31, 2024

Diego Maradona

Footballer for Napoli and Argentina

One of the greatest players of all time, Diego Maradona, is remembered by many as a beautiful footballer who could dribble past any defence.

But for one nation in particular, he is worse than the Devil himself. That nation, being England, of course.

At the 1986 World Cup, Maradona scored one of the most infamous goals in football history.

In the 46th minute, as the match remained goalless, Maradona reached up from a cross and scored with his hand, not his head. This moment remains as one of the most iconic in football history.

His genius cannot be denied, but nor can the controversy that defined him.

22nd June 1986
Argentina 🇦🇷 2-1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
1986 World Cup quarterfinal
📍 Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

The day Diego Armando Maradona served up his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century’, the two separated by only 240 seconds!pic.twitter.com/yUiUgNjCSp

— 📚 Dame Bola (& Tears at La Bombonera) (@BomboneraTears) June 22, 2025

Diego Costa

Footballer for Chelsea and Spain

If football had a pantomime villain, it would be Diego Costa.

Constant fouls, countless yellow cards, but his goalscoring ability at Chelsea and Atletico Madrid was unmatched.

Surprisingly, Diego Costa was only sent off one time at Chelsea, but for an outstandingly bad reason.

In a 2-0 loss to Everton in the 2015/16 FA Cup quarter final, Costa butted heads with Gareth Barry before biting the Englishman.

The former Spanish international will go down in history as one of the Premier League’s biggest villains.

Diego Costa’s only red card for Chelsea pic.twitter.com/fUBxz5XCP0

— Archives (@CFCRetro) August 29, 2025

Pete Winkelman

Former chairman of MK Dons

In English football, few figures attract more venom than Pete Winkelman.

The man behind Wimbledon’s relocation and rebranding as Milton Keynes Dons in 2004, he became a symbol of everything fans fear about modern football, commercial interests trumping tradition and community.

Winkelman, who was based in Milton Keynes, championed the move despite a furious backlash. For Wimbledon supporters, the decision ripped the heart out of their club and remains one of the most controversial episodes in English football history.

Yet the fans had their revenge. Out of the ashes, they built AFC Wimbledon, a supporter-owned club that rose rapidly through the leagues. Today, just over two decades on, AFC sit a division above MK Dons.

Everyone re-located? Pete Winkleman will go to bed with a smile on his face tonight pic.twitter.com/ykcicwVnRk

— Brannagans magic hat (@heyit5sam) October 12, 2023

Harald Schumacher

Footballer for FC. Koln and Germany

The German goalkeeper is responsible for one of the worst tackles in human history.

In the 1982 World Cup semi-final, Schumacher collided with French defender Patrick Battiston. Colliding in the air, Battison was immediately knocked unconscious and later slipped into a coma.

Michel Platini later said that he thought Battison had been killed, as he "had no pulse and looked pale."

In 2002, the French elected him as the most hated person in France, one position above Adolf Hitler.

#OnThisDay @ #Spain82

One of the most infamous moments in the history of football

Harold Schumacher knocked Patrick Battiston unconscious in the World Cup Semi Final. Amazingly, no foul was given just a goal kick

🎙from Barry Davies

🎥 @1968Tv👍pic.twitter.com/vCmXaRDTI0

— 80s&90sFootball ⚽ (@80s90sfootball) July 8, 2024

Joey Barton

Footballer for QPR and England

A loathing figure on and off the pitch, Joey Barton resembles more of a thug than any football player.

His list of wrongdoings is as long as that of Santa Claus. Here is a shortened list of some of the worst things he has done.

• Assaulted teammate Ousmane Dabo, leaving him unconscious and hospitalised
• Assaulted a man in Liverpool by punching him 20 times, once again leaving another person unconscious.
• Stubbed a lit cigarette in the eye of youth player Jamie Tardy, causing major psychiatric deterioration in his health
• Assaulted his wife whilst drunk

All of this does not even mention his comments on his brother's killing of Anthony Walker. Barton stated on a podcast that “My brother lost 17 years of his life from 17, because his mate, who was his cousin at the time, thought it would be a fantastic idea, when they were having a f****** scrap, to pull an ice axe out and swing it into somebody, and it stuck in his head.”

This is factually incorrect, as the supposed ‘scrap’ was a racist attack.

Anthony Walker was a Black British student of Jamaican descent who was murdered with an ice axe by Michael Barton, brother of Joey Barton, in an unprovoked racist attack.

Joey Barton needs to close his beak and sit this one out… pic.twitter.com/hhqmfktiuN

— Michael Morgan (@mikecmorgan) March 19, 2025

Luciano Moggi

Italian association football administrator

The architect of the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, Luciano Moggi, became Italy’s most hated football executive.

The Juventus directors' role in influencing referees saw the whole of Italy shocked, and Juventus stripped of their title and relegated to Serie B.

Moggi was handed a five-year and four months imprisonment sentence, before it was later revoked.

The scandal began to unravel in May 2006 when intercepted phone conversations between Juventus' general manager Luciano Moggi and various football officials and referees were leaked to the Italian media. pic.twitter.com/x7VYoILJNX

— Context Football (@ContextFC_) September 19, 2023

Jose Mourinho

Manager of Chelsea and Real Madrid

A striking figure in the football scene, Jose Mourinho is equally adored and hated.

The ‘Special One’ is a serial winner, but his arrogance, mind games, and touchline feuds have made him one of the most polarising managers in football history.

He is loved by fans of the teams he coached, but to rivals, he is hated.

Absolute vintage José Mourinho antics

Fenerbahçe had a goal disallowed for offside and Mourinho put his computer with the replay of the goal in front of the TV cameras. He was booked for it. pic.twitter.com/gJHb8fjFeX

— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen9) September 29, 2024