Genuine hard men in modern football

[Josep Dowling]

After discussing what Arsenal need to improve it seems many fans feel they need someone with a backbone, a leader, a Patrick Vieria.

But I can’t actually think of any in modern day football. Can anyone think of a hard man footballer in the top leagues in Europe?

They don’t have to necessarily be a nutcase like Gattuso. But certainly have leadership qualities and lead by example.

I’d say from the Premier League, Vincent Kompany and that’s about it.

 

[Summit]

Vincent Kompany and that’s about it.

bailly?

 

[duffer]

Kompany? Never thought of him as a hard man

Scot Brown is a bit of a throwback. Here is him getting hacked a few days ago. Not many in the prem would've reacted like this...

 

[VivaObertan]

Zlatan, Valencia from our current team.

 

[Kazi]

Icardi

 

[Ganklabb]

Arturo Vidal

 

[ShadesOfTomato]

Xhaka

 

[SwansonsTache]

Considering he was trusted with the house keys ahead of his older brother, I reckon Granit Xhaka would be up for the responsibility.

 

[el3mel]

Can't think of anyone. Zlatan isn't playing anymore to consider him an option and Kompany is too injury prone.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Kompany? Never thought of him as a hard man

Scot Brown is a bit of a throwback. Here is him getting hacked a few days ago. Not many in the prem would've reacted like this...

I said top European Leagues

 

[Jaybomb]

Rojo
Fellaini
Ibra
Shawcross
Huth
McClean
McCarthy
Mawson
Maguire

They’re all big strong lads who usually get stuck in.

 

[Blackwidow]

Arturo Vidal

I do not see Arturo Vidal as leader even if you could categorize him as a fighter and maybe hard man. Maybe for Chile - at Bayern he is not.

Van Bommel was for me the genuine leader type hard man - somebody that led the duels to show the opponent until here and not further and to set a sign. Vidal is a different type of player even if he always is near the cards as he has the tendency to come a little late.

 

[breakout67]

Nemanja Matic

 

[Pexbo]

Juan Mata

 

[bebeanderson]

Neymar imo. Dude gets kicked all game and keeps going forward.

 

[Canagel]

Zlatan is definitely a leader although he can rub some up the wrong way. Not really many I can think of.

 

[Charles Miller]

Kompany? Never thought of him as a hard man

Scot Brown is a bit of a throwback. Here is him getting hacked a few days ago. Not many in the prem would've reacted like this...

You can see Scot has tiny hands. Thats why he needs to create that tough persona.

 

[DJ Jeff]

How did the thread get this far without mention of the only real modern hardman, Mascherano! Guy tore his anus making that amazing tackle on Robben in the WC Semi and played on. Should've been our Keane replacement.

 

[Jinn]

How did the thread get this far without mention of the only real modern hardman, Mascherano! Guy tore his anus making that amazing tackle on Robben in the WC Semi and played on. Should've been our Keane replacement.

He's got a weak one, over used and not taken care off.

 

[Vidic_In_Moscow]

Kompany? Never thought of him as a hard man

Scot Brown is a bit of a throwback. Here is him getting hacked a few days ago. Not many in the prem would've reacted like this...

Do we have stricter drug laws in England

 

[SER19]

Kompany Jesus Christ

 

[marukomu]

Hendo is yer man.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Hendo is yer man.

There aren't any. I'm not saying there aren't genuinely tough players who can handle themselves but I think players known as hardmen, footballing skill aside, have died out in this era.

 

[United never give up]

Roy Keane is the "hardest" player of all time

Infact, he's the toughest sportsman in history

 

[devilish]

Do you remember Gattuso, short tough guy who won CLs and a World cup? Well according to him, Kessie is a better player then he was. He wasn't referring in terms of being a hard man. However players like him rarely give such a praise to others unless they share most of the characteristics they had.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

Roy Keane is the "hardest" player of all time

Infact, he's the toughest sportsman in history

No, he isn't.

 

[Moonred]

Motta

 

[Isotope]

Ronaldo is always hard.

 

[balaks]

Roy Keane is the "hardest" player of all time

Infact, he's the toughest sportsman in history

Toughest sportsman in history?!? He wouldn't last 2 rounds against a professional boxer.

 

[breakout67]

Toughest sportsman in history?!? He wouldn't last 2 rounds against a professional boxer.

He was a good amateur boxer, so he probably would with a bit of training.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Kompany? Never thought of him as a hard man

Scot Brown is a bit of a throwback. Here is him getting hacked a few days ago. Not many in the prem would've reacted like this...

That's ace. I saw Celtic play Aberdeen a few times at Pittodrie when I lived in Aberdeen. Brown is like a panto villain up there. They hate him and he loves it. I do like seeing players who thrive in a tough atmosphere than those who buckle under it.

I was at this particular game where he did this, starts a move with a meaty two footer, scores at the other end and then celebrates infront of the home crowd amid bits of pie being launched at him.


Then he sauntered back to the halfway line right along the touchline really slowly, chest puffed out, more pie thrown at him.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

He was a good amateur boxer, so he probably would with a bit of training.

Four bouts in the novice league when he was a kid? I'm not sure about that.

 

[mufc1445]

Rumours were that Irwin was the hard man at O.T.

 

[VorZakone]

Ramos is actually pretty hard IMO. Never shies away from 50/50 duels and never showed any kind of fear in arguments. Even pointed once to Pinto 'lets take this to the tunnel' and he looked dead serious about it.
I know Ramos dives, but that's all tactical. When shit does get real Ramos never backs away.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

I don't know if Kompany is the type of hardman to go round having a go at everyone - probably not, he seems quite nice - but he was the only player on the pitch last night with short sleeves and no gloves. Everyone else had one, the other, or both. Hard. He probably ran home from London in his kit afterwards. Trains are for sissies.

But if you header the ball whilst it is in the ground inches from the studs of an oncoming striker, then you're double hard.

Kompany - quite hard. Jones - proper well hard.

 

[Karlos PFC]

I agree with Ramos, Kompany and maybe just maybe.. Zlatan. The rest are just great players. Not all great players are suitable to be captains or to be considered leaders. I certainly don't think that CR or Messi are. They sure are the top 2 players maybe ever and they sure get a ton of respect but that doesn't make you a leader (maybe Zlatan fits in here somewhere as well).

Leaders that inspired the whole team around them and were hugely respected even from fans of other teams like Keane, Maldini, Totti, Hierro, Puyol, Kahn, Mathaus and others, were pure class from a football and mentality point of view. Sadly I can't think many nowadays.

Xhaka?, Hendo?, Motta? LOL
Who's next Danny Boy?

 

[shamans]

Azpilecuta or however you spell his name.

 

[Heath.1967]

Gattuso no doubt , world class hard man in football who was the integral part of the CL and WC winning team

 

[Fitchett]

Is Lee Cattermole still playing?

 

[RedCurry]

Fellaini