Top 10 Real Life Villains in Sports

#10: Roger Clemens

Baseball and PEDs truly have a dark and complex history. And in this case, our vote for Roger Clemens could just as easily have gone to Barry Bonds and his own fall from grace (xref). But Clemens wasn’t just a villain due to his use of performance enhancers; he was already known as a highly aggressive and intimidating force on the field. Clemens could’ve been playing totally without PEDs and he’d still make it onto our list. Regarded as a hot-headed, controversial, and generally a mean presence on and off the field, his demeanour made a whole lot more sense when it became clear he was juiced up to the gills.

#9: Tom Brady

Nobody likes a man who wins too much, right? Though Tom Brady is the most decorated quarterback to ever do it, Brady had some moments in his career that made it easy to root against him. His long-standing association with the New England Patriots meant that he was caught in the crossfire of the whole ‘Spygate’ scandal in 2007, although not directly involved. However, 2015’s Deflategate - the supposed strategic deflation of balls used by Brady to gain an advantage… that certainly did involve him. Maybe it’s just easy to hate on a G.O.A.T like him, but for all the love and respect Brady gets, there’s certainly another side to it all.

#8: Brad Marchand

With multiple fines, suspensions, and reputation as the dirtiest player in the NHL, Brad Marchand is the ultimate instigator. Described as the type of guy who you’d love to have as a teammate but absolutely hate to play against, Marchand takes pride in his ability to rattle the opposition. And if he needs to bend some rules to get the full intended effect, so be it. He is a rare example of a guy who fully accepts and embraces his role as a villain. And in many ways, even his victims have to respect his commitment. Marchand creates chaos and disrupts rhythms - and in that regard, he’s truly one of the best in the business, even if he’s despised for it.

#7: José Mourinho

When José Mourinho first landed on English soil to manage Chelsea, he did so with a Champions League title in his back-pocket and a massive chip on his shoulder. In his very first press conference, he lit the English media on fire by boldly declaring that his own self-belief was not arrogance, because facts are facts. He became known as ‘the Special One’. And boy, was Mourinho special. He has won two Champions Leagues, a bunch of league titles across Europe, while taking the reins at some of the sport’s most historically significant clubs. And he never once stopped playing the villain. Sure, he’s brash, cocky, and unapologetically blunt at times, but you can’t argue with the results.

#6: Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather well and truly cracked the code when it came to selling a fight. Being a hero to the masses is all well and good, but you can be such an incredible villain that people would actually pay to see you lose, that’s a different story. As a master defensive boxer, Mayweather would stifle some of the greatest fighters of his era, frustrating the fans to no end with a host of blockbuster fights that went to decision. But in his eyes, these opponents didn’t have the skills to make their fights exciting - so why shouldn’t he outpoint them and make them miss? Mayweather got in and out of the fight-game without taking a scratch - and became filthy rich as a result

#5: Dennis Rodman

We easily could’ve gone for a modern pick like Draymond Green, but when it comes to the truly great enforcers and workhorses of basketball, Dennis Rodman was the king. Not only was he rough and ruthless on the court, but he also split people right down the middle off it too. He was a determined defensive presence who frustrated his opposition endlessly during his legendary career. And in his personal life, he was a party animal, a style icon, he dated celebrities, and spent weekends on benders in Las Vegas. Looking back on it now, Rodman seems like a lovable rogue. But at the time, people absolutely despised him for it.

#4: Conor McGregor

Notorious by name, notorious by nature. Conor McGregor might be dealing with a host of legal issues and controversies these days, but during the peak of his fighting career, he was a villain for a very different reason. No fighter was safe from his trash-talk, and his desire to mentally break each and every one of his adversaries made for some of the most exciting fight-promos of all-time. Sure, it all got a little whiskey-soaked and aggressive towards the end, but no Mount Rushmore of villainous figures in the fight-game would be complete with a mention for McGregor. He split fans down the middle from his first UFC fight to his most recent, and that’s the hallmark of a true showstopper!

#3: Luis Suarez

Can you excuse biting a rival player once? Maybe it was the heat of the moment, or perhaps you were having a bad day. But when you make a habit of it, you’re a dirty player - and that’s that. Luis Suarez has a whopping total of three incidents in his career where he bit an opposition player. And though the first one was early in his youth, the other two were on the biggest possible stages. Not only did he shame Liverpool by biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in the Premier League, he then did the same while representing Argentina at the 2014 World Cup. Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini was the unlucky recipient of the bite - sealing Suarez’s place in infamy.

#2: John McEnroe

John McEnroe’s tantrums are the stuff of tennis legend. He was one of the finest players of his entire era in terms of skill and achievement and yet, his reputation for losing his cool is the thing that always springs to mind first. McEnroe was a hot-head, there’s no denying it. And when he took to the court, no umpire was safe. Who can forget his hilarious outburst at 1981’s Wimbledon Championship when he kicked off over a line call that he thought was wrong. Once he uttered that famous line ‘you cannot be serious’, his reputation as one of tennis’ most volatile figures was forever set in stone.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Nick Kyrgios

Tennis Star Who Is Never Too Far Away From A Meltdown

Bill Laimbeer

Laimbeer Personified the Infamous Bad-Boy Pistons of the ‘80s.

Manny Machado

The Baseball Star Who Seems to Like Being the Villain

Harbhajan Singh

Singh Is a Controversy Magnet Who Was Involved in Multiple Issues on & off the Field

Roy Keane

Hot-Head Captain Who Was Never Opposed to Intentionally Hurting Opponents

#1: Mike Tyson

There are very few sports-stars in history who have risen to the level of fame that Mike Tyson has. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Tyson was sitting on a podium reserved for the Michael Jordans and Maradonas of the world - bigger than sport itself. But to say that Tyson let the fame get to his head would be putting it lightly. He was a rock star without the leather pants and six-string, and as his acclaim grew, so did his ego. Multiple controversies outside of the ring were joined by some crazy moments before, during, and after fights. His call-out of Lennox Lewis, their brawl pre-fight, biting the ear of Evander Holyfield, the list goes on. Mike Tyson was and is the ultimate villain in sports.

Are there any sporting villains that we missed out on? Be sure to let us know in the comments!