The top ten players who have had to deal with abuse from their own fans…
The abuse continues to rain down on Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Last night, the Spaniard was constantly jeered by the Santiago Bernabeu crowd, following a difficult start to the season.
SEE ALSO:
Casillas Madrid Exit – Stopper responds to Bernabeu boo boys
Top 100 Sexiest Football WAGs In The World 2014.
Tom Cleverley Initiation – Man United outcast sings Stand By Me at Aston Villa
The European Champions have lost two of their first three league games this season, and while the pressure was eased on manager Carlo Ancelotti and his team by a comfortable 5-1 Champions League victory over Basel, the club’s captain is still feeling the strain.
Of course, it’s not the first time a teams fans have turned on one of their own, as this top ten will adhere too:
10) Chris Brunt (West Brom)
England goalkeeper Ben Foster has been forced to speak out regarding ‘pathetic’ booing of West Brom’s club captain. The Northern Ireland international was jeered as he left the pitch to be replaced by Sebastian Blanco during the 2-0 defeat to Everton last weekend, despite playing for the club since 2007.
9) Mario Gomez (Germany)
Fiorentina hitman Gomez shrugged off insults from the Germany fans, saying: “I’m always their scapegoat.” The Viola forward was absent from the World Cup – and most of last season – due to injury and missed several opportunities in a friendly defeat to Argentina during the recent international break.
8) Tom Cleverley (Manchester United)
Cleverley quit United for Aston Villa last month after becoming a target for the Old Trafford boo-boys. He said: “If any footballer gets a bit of stick off their own fans they are going to be hurt. Football is a game of opinions and you can’t please everyone. I am happy to get away from some of the negativity. Whenever you are not winning trophies at Man United the players are going to get some stick.”
7) Gabriel Obertan (Newcastle United)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew recently asked the boo boys to give Gabriel Obertan a break, and it seems that the Magpies fans have taken notice, and are now directing their abuse at Pardew instead. The ex-United winger has shown flashed of his potential during his time in the North East, but has generally cut a frustrated figure throughout much of the last two years.
6) Frank Lampard (England)
In 2007, at the heart of Steve McClaren’s dismal reign as England manager, fans of the national team were searching for a scapegoat. Inexplicably they turned to the legendary Chelsea midfielder, who was chastised for being lazy, greedy, and for preventing midfield partner Steven Gerrard to make the most of his potential.
5) Ashley Cole (England)
Already an unpopular figure after the dramatics of his move from Arsenal to Chelsea, Cole face the wrath of his own fans after reports he’d left his wife Cheryl a broken woman following an alleged fling. He proceeded to roll one of the worst backpasses in history to allow Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl Kukeyev to find the net. England would recover to win 5-1.
4) Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United)
When Ferdinand was banned for eight months for missing a drugs test in 2003, United stood by their man and paid his wages. And the fans stayed true. However, those same fans were less than happy when Ferdinand, now back with his boots on and in the first team, stalled over a new contract worth a reported £100,000 a week with Chelsea in apparent hot pursuit.
3) Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry declared he was leaving the club for Liverpool in the summer because he wanted to win things. Sadly, a series of events conspired to keep the England midfielder at Villa Park despite already burning his bridges by slamming Villa boss Martin O’Neill in public.
2) Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal)
The infamous substitute who was substituted. According to reports, when he neatly dispossessed fellow Gunner Kolo Toure and rolled the ball to a Wigan player, they decided enough is enough and launched a verbal broadside in the form of good old-fashioned boos. Arsenal would still win the match 1-0.
1) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Despite 685 appearances for the club he has served since 1999, Madrid fans have thrown aside their allegiances and vented their anger at the goalkeeper’s recent performances. Teammate Sergio Ramos has already spoken out about the incident, and believes that the boos are ultimately effecting him.
SEE ALSO: Best teenagers in world football