10 Footballers Who Hated Their Manager

Throughout football history, there have been several high-profile instances where players and managers didn’t get along, leading to tensions, controversies, and sometimes even public clashes.

These strained relationships are often fueled by differences in playing style, management tactics, or personal egos.

While some of these disagreements were patched up, others became infamous, with players publicly voicing their displeasure or even forcing moves away from clubs.

Here’s a list of 10 footballers who reportedly had tensions or even outright disliked their managers, often leading to controversial or dramatic moments:

1. Paul Pogba and José Mourinho (Manchester United)

Their relationship became strained, and Pogba was dropped from the starting XI several times under Mourinho. Public spats and comments about their mutual frustrations were widely covered.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo and Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)

Ronaldo’s relationship with Ferguson was said to be tense towards the end of Ronaldo’s first stint at United, especially as he became one of the world’s best players. Ferguson reportedly clashed with Ronaldo over his desire to leave for Real Madrid.

3. Zlatan Ibrahimović and Pep Guardiola (Barcelona)

Zlatan was famously frustrated with Guardiola’s tactics and his role at Barcelona. He eventually left, claiming that Guardiola didn’t respect him and that he wasn’t used as he thought he should have been.

4. Diego Costa and Antonio Conte (Chelsea)

Costa and Conte had a famous falling-out when Costa was told by a text message that he wasn’t in Conte’s plans. The striker later revealed that he felt the manager didn’t want him, and their relationship soured quickly.

5. Samuel Eto’o and José Mourinho (Inter Milan)

Their relationship was strained during their time at Inter Milan. Eto’o was often frustrated with Mourinho’s management style, and although they did win the treble together, their relationship was reported to be rocky.

 

6. Wayne Rooney and David Moyes (Manchester United)

Rooney famously had a difficult relationship with Moyes, especially in Moyes’ first season at United. At one point, there were reports that Rooney had handed in a transfer request, which was reportedly driven by dissatisfaction with Moyes’ tactics.

7. Neymar and Unai Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)

Neymar’s relationship with Emery was strained, as there were rumors about Neymar not getting along with Emery’s rigid tactical structure. Neymar reportedly clashed with the manager over certain decisions, including who would take penalty kicks.

 

8. Arjen Robben and Louis van Gaal (Bayern Munich)

Robben had a well-publicized fall-out with Van Gaal during their time at Bayern Munich. Their disagreement reportedly stemmed from Van Gaal’s tough training methods and his decisions regarding Robben’s playing time.

9. Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli (Manchester City)

Balotelli’s fiery temperament often clashed with Mancini’s more disciplined approach. There were multiple incidents where Balotelli’s behavior and attitude towards the manager caused major tension, including a notorious training ground bust-up.

10. Yaya Touré and Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City)

While not as extreme as others, there were tensions between Yaya Touré and Pellegrini, particularly when Touré was dropped from the first team. Touré also felt that Pellegrini didn’t show enough appreciation for his contributions at City.

Did we miss out any? Kindly list them out in the comment section..