Love and hate are just a few of the factors that influence an individual's appreciation of any game. The beautiful one, football, is no different and boasts its own cast of heroes and villains. Although there are a few players who give their all on a field, while some others do it the hard way, by trying everything to gain an advantage, a small bunch of players cross the line on occasion and become villains.
Check out the list of the ten most hated footballers of 2011.
Number 10 – Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City and England):
Shawcross known for the notorious tackle that broke the leg (both tibia and fibula) of Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey, in 2010. Unsurprisingly, he received a red card for his actions, although he was later defended by both team mates and manager, Tony Pulis. True to his spirit, Shawcross has not let the 2010 incident change the way he tackles.
“He's a committed player, but he's never going to go into a challenge looking to hurt someone," Stoke player Rory Delap said, on Shawcross' tackle and sending off, "Everyone knew straight away what had happened. The referee [Peter Walton] said it wasn't meant, but because of the injury he had to send Ryan off.”
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Number 9 – Sergio Busquets (Barcelona and Spain):
Known as one of the toughest defensive midfielders in the modern game, Busquets, through 2011, has been referred to by supporters and fans as the one who does all the dirty work for his team. Some people believe that Busquets is very fond of faking injuries and complaining to get opponents into trouble. He may be one of the sole reasons why many fans are resentful about Barca’s gamesmanship.
Number 8 – Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham and Togo):
Adebayor has always been one of those players who has had burning issues with both club and supporters. After Arsenal signed him in 2006, he produced an excellent run of form and the Gunners were even close to winning the league but the success must have gotten to him and he started considering offers from other clubs in 2008, reportedly looking to move to one of Europe's elite clubs.
After he left for Manchester City in 2009, in a game where Arsenal met City, Adebayor created a furore by running almost the full length of the pitch to the Arsenal supporters and celebrating in front of them after scoring his goal. This was later criticized by Arsenal supporters. In addition, he stepped on Robin van Persie's face, in the same game. The player is now currently on loan with Tottenham Hotspurs, after failing to reach any agreement over playing time at parent club Manchester City.
Number 7 – Carlos Tevez (Manchester City and Argentina):
