Suarez and Other Footballers Involved in the Most Controversial Physical Assaults

Suarez assaulted a fellow player. Again. We take a look at which footballers have been involved in the most shocking incidents on the field of play.

Suarez’s legacy

Starting from the man himself, Suarez’s latest act may have taken place in America, but his reputation was cemented in Europe. In 2010, while playing for Ajax, he bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal, earning a seven-match suspension. Three years later, at Liverpool, he sank his teeth into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, resulting in a ten-game ban.

Then came the most notorious episode of all: the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. Since it was the third such offence, it led Fifa to impose a four-month worldwide ban that infamously delayed his start to his Barcelona career.

Eric Cantona’s Kung-Fu Kick

Perhaps the most infamous Premier League moment came in January 1995. Manchester United star Eric Cantona, already known for his fiery temperament, was sent off against Crystal Palace. On his way off the pitch, he launched a flying kung-fu style kick at a Palace supporter who had been abusing him from the stands. The shocking attack resulted in a nine-month suspension and a hefty fine. Cantona later described it as “a dream” to have retaliated, though the football world widely condemned the assault as one of the darkest moments in English football.

Zinedine Zidane’s World Cup Headbutt

One of the game’s most elegant midfielders, Zinedine Zidane, produced one of the most infamous acts in football history during the 2006 World Cup final. Playing in his last ever professional match, Zidane suddenly headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest after an exchange of words. The red card ended his adorned career in disgrace and the Frenchman walked past the Word Cup trophy with his head bowed.

Pepe’s Meltdown in Madrid

Portuguese defender Pepe built his career on toughness, but he crossed the line spectacularly in April 2009 while playing for Real Madrid. In a match against Getafe, he conceded a penalty and then brutally kicked Javier Casquero twice while the midfielder lay on the ground. Pepe also struck another Getafe player in the melee that followed. The Spanish football authorities handed him a ten-match suspension.

Paolo Di Canio’s Push on a Referee

Another unforgettable episode came in 1998 when Sheffield Wednesday’s Paolo Di Canio lost his temper after being shown a red card for fighting. Instead of leaving the pitch, he shoved referee Paul Alcock, who fell to the floor with his red card, looking absolutely shocked. Di Canio received an 11-match ban and was fined £10,000. The Italian forward later became a cult hero at West Ham, but the referee push remains one of the most shocking acts of dissent ever seen in the Premier League.