Footballers behaving badly
By PA Sports
Last updated April 18 2006
You'd think the best footballers in the world could stay in line for a few weeks when given the chance to perform at the World Cup. Some don't though.
Over the years certain players have thrown away the opportunity with ill-advised moments of stupidity and downright disobedience. Some of them have survived, ashen-faced, to continue in the World Cup finals. Misbehaviour covers many areas - fighting, cheating, stealing, arguing, doping. But it's not just Maradona with a blemished past...
As England prepared for the defence of their trophy ahead of the 1970 tournament, captain Bobby Moore was arrested after being accused of stealing a bracelet from a shop in Bogota as his side got ready for the Mexico competition in Colombia. Of course Moore, a genuine role model of English sport, was soon cleared. But the farce created news across the world. Moore's embarrassment was bizarre. More common World Cup scandals involve fallings out, public spats and sometimes bare-faced fisticuffs. Fast-forward 32 years - 2002 was a particularly good year.
There was disharmony within the ranks of the Sweden squad when the World Cup was held in Japan and South Korea. After arriving in Asia for the finals, in-fighting marred the Swedes' preparations for the fast-approaching tournament when Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg went at it hammer-and-tong during training after a flare-up following a challenge.
An internal dispute also put paid to Roy Keane's World Cup participation that year when he and Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy had an explosive bust-up which resulted in the then-Manchester United skipper taking an early plane home. The pair were at loggerheads after the outspoken captain criticised the Football Association of Ireland's preparations for the tournament and when Keane's complaints surfaced, tension grew. The two argued bitterly at a team meeting in which McCarthy reportedly accused Keane of faking injury. Keane responded with a string of insults and took issue with McCarthy's managerial qualities.
The confrontational theme was continued by Slovenian loudmouth Zlatko Zahovic that summer. The talented midfielder fell out with coach Srecko Katanec after their opening match against Spain. The pair came to blows when Zahovic, then with Benfica, was substituted during the 3-1 defeat by Spain and was ranting and raving. He later apologised and Katanec announced he would quit after the tournament but the damage had been done. The playmaker was promptly packed off home and his absence ensured his team-mates followed him two matches later as the Slovenia side failed to progress past the group stages.
Towards 'the business end' of the tournament Brazil talisman Rivaldo was a naughty boy for different reasons. The viewing world collapsed in hilarity when, during the semi-final against Turkey, Hakan Unsal kicked the ball towards the corner flag in anger following a decision. Quick-thinking Rivaldo, not normally known for his theatrics, spotted an opportunity and when the ball hit him on the knee, threw himself to the floor holding his face. He was fined just over £5,000 for his gamesmanship but such a brief moment of opportunism stained the legacy of one of football's all-time greats.
Scotland's Willie Johnstone was sent home from the 1978 tournament in shame after testing positive for a banned substance. It may have been a blessing in disguise for 'Bud' following the humiliating defeat by Peru.
The most controversial superstar in the history of the game, Maradona, also fell foul of doping officials. In the twilight of what many argue was a wasted career, he had one last roll of the dice in 1994. It was his fourth World Cup but the crazed Argentinian aroused suspicion with a manic goal celebration after scoring against Greece. A subsequent drug test officially showed he had taken ephedrine and he was packed off back home immediately - one match short of a record 22nd finals appearance.
Less sinister but equally ill-advised and definitely more bizarre was Ilunga Mwepu's rapid rise to fame in 1974. With Zaire - who conceded 14 and scored none in three matches - 2-0 down against Brazil and the South Americans about to take a free-kick, Mwepu very randomly broke from the wall and blasted the ball upfield before the kick was taken. He received a booking and notoriety for his trouble, becoming a World Cup legend for all the wrong reasons.
