Back
10 Dirtiest Footballers Since 2000 [Ranked]
Jan 25, 2025
Summary
Sergio Ramos is the dirtiest footballer in the 21st century with a total of 297 cards, including 29 reds and 268 yellows.
Xabi Alonso, known for his football intelligence, received a total of 201 cards, making him 10th on the list of dirtiest players.
Javier Mascherano, despite his impactful career, earned a spot on the list with 213 cards, including 12 reds for dirty play.
Every elite football club needs certain players who aren't afraid to do the dirty work and put in a rough challenge every once in a while. Not everyone can be Lionel Messi, so teams also need someone who won't let anyone get past them easily, but also isn't afraid to mouth off at officials and opposition players whenever necessary.
Those players can be the difference between winning silverware and not, but there are some stars that have taken that role to a whole new extreme over the years. Some figures are actually known solely for how dirty they were on the pitch and they were shown more cards during their career than you'd find in a Hallmark shop. According to data PopFoot and Transfermarkt, here are the 10 dirtiest footballers in the 21st century.
The 10 dirtiest footballers of the 21st century
Ranking
Player
Yellow cards
Red cards
Total cards
3Shares
0Comments
10Favorites
17Likes
No content at this moment.