Top 10 Most Unprofessional Football Players in History
Football demands not just skill but also discipline and a strong mindset. Yet, many players have struggled with their attitude and professionalism on and off the pitch. Here are ten players known for their unprofessional conduct throughout football history.
10. Mario Balotelli (Italy)
Balotelli’s antics are well-documented, from lighting fireworks indoors to smoking during vacations. Reports surfaced in 2018 and again in 2020 of him returning to training significantly overweight, including a public statement from Brescia about his nearly 100kg weight. His cocky demeanor has made him one of the most arrogant figures in football, attracting criticism even from young talents like Phil Foden, who called him "a good player but with a bad attitude" at just ten years old.
9. Mark Bosnich (Australia)
Once a talented goalkeeper, Bosnich’s fitness and professionalism were constantly questioned. Paul Scholes remarked that after only a few shots in practice, Bosnich was exhausted. Sir Alex Ferguson recalled how Bosnich indulged heavily in food during matches and even ordered takeaways, despite efforts to keep his weight down.
8. Antonio Cassano (Italy)
Cassano never held back his opinions, famously excluding Cristiano Ronaldo from his top players list in 2024, claiming Ronaldo didn’t know how to play football. Cassano’s career was hampered by his lack of discipline, especially around food. While at Madrid, he reportedly gained 14 kilos from regularly eating Nutella straight from the jar, joking about the club's sponsorship and his indifference to it.
7. Winston Bogarde (Netherlands)
Bogarde’s time at Chelsea is infamous. After barely playing more than a dozen games in four years, he refused to leave the club despite being unwanted, pocketing a £40,000 weekly salary. Although some label him among the worst Premier League signings, Bogarde openly admitted he did not care about this reputation.
6. Jesse Lingard (England)
Lingard had mixed reviews across his career. He contributed to England’s World Cup semi-final run in 2018 but drew criticism for posting profane holiday videos on social media and displayed a mischievous streak, such as a 2024 incident where South Korean police investigated him for riding an electric scooter without a license. Some saw this behavior as reflective of Manchester United’s locker room culture during his tenure.
5. Ross McCormack (Scotland)
McCormack scored 100 goals for Leeds and Fulham, earning a £12 million transfer to Aston Villa. Yet, his stint there was marred by odd excuses like missing training because a broken electric gate trapped him inside his house. His manager was reportedly furious when McCormack informed him he’d be late after waiting over an hour for help.
4. Paul Gascoigne (England)
Gascoigne was brilliant at his peak in the early ’90s and remains one of Britain’s most creative players. Yet his off-field behavior was often questionable. For example, before England’s 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany, he was caught playing tennis at 1 a.m. Gascoigne described the tournament as feeling like a holiday, enjoying every moment, including table tennis and other distractions.
3. Eden Hazard (Belgium)
Hazard dazzled at Chelsea with some of the finest dribbling ever seen but failed to impress at Real Madrid, scoring just seven goals in 76 appearances. José Mourinho once said Hazard was "an amazing player with awful training," suggesting his lack of commitment during practice held him back from reaching greater heights.
2. Amr Zaki (Egypt)
Zaki joined Wigan on loan and scored 11 goals in 32 games, but manager Steve Bruce called him a nightmare to handle due to repeated lateness after international duty. Bruce claimed he had never dealt with someone as unprofessional in all his football career, though Zaki later expressed willingness to reconcile with the manager.
1. Stan Bowles (England)
Bowles is celebrated as Queens Park Rangers’ greatest player but was also notorious for his maverick ways. Shortly after winning the 1973 FA Cup, he once kicked the trophy into the air during warm-up, reportedly denting it. His routine involved spending hours in the betting shop before showing up just in time for matches, far from a model professional but undeniably gifted.
