Euro 2016: Five hot-heads to watch out for, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dele Alli

Who will be taking up a lot of the referees' time in France this summer?

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)

The mercurial Swede has talent in abundance. He’s scored in every minute of a football match (1-90), he’s won the league title with every club he’s joined in his first season there, he’s played over 100 games for his country and his transfer fees have accumulated to a staggering £126.7 million.

Needless to say, Zlatan is one of the best strikers in the world – the only problem is that he knows it, he knows it more than anyone else. While not one to get overly violent, Ibrahimovic earns his title as a hothead with his very demeanor, both on and off the pitch.

Not afraid to speak out when affronted, nor one to shy away from a controversial statement, Ibrahimovic does what he wants when he wants. Similarly, no one can stop him from saying things that might get him onto the back pages, or in trouble with officials.

After Sweden’s elimination from Euro 2012, Zlatan dismissed the rest of the tournament, “I don’t give a s*** who wins, I’m going on holiday.”

His patience with his national team has often been uneasy, with his levels of confidence it must be hard to play alongside him, and sometimes it seems as if he doesn’t even need them “I can play in the 11 positions because a good player can play anywhere.”

Marouane Fellaini (Belgium)

The midfielder/desperation-time-striker is not one to please the neutrals, nor his own fans at times. With his elbow never shy of greeting the opposition’s faces (ask Robert Huth), Fellaini has an aggressive playing style that borders on dangerous at times.

While outbursts directed at referees are unfortunately not a rare occurrence in football nowadays, Felliani doesn’t seem to accept any call against him, or his team, as a right one. United fans have never been wholeheartedly behind the Belgian, his transfer fee of £27.5 million enraged them (as did the manager who signed him to be fair).

Forums on United’s fan pages seem to reach a general consensus, with one user expressing his dismay, “I don't recall a player who comes anywhere near this guy for malicious, dirty play. His level of intent with those elbows is constant; he stamps downed players and is always close to a red or retrospective suspension.”

Should Belgium end up with 10 men don’t be surprised to see Fellaini’s now-blonde afro marching down the tunnel.

Pepe (Portugal)

Pepe has earned himself a reputation for play-acting (Getty)

Google “Pepe, dirtiest player” and over 40,000 results will pop up in just under a second. Madrid’s centre back is known for a bad tackle, but sometimes “bad” doesn’t come close to describing Pepe’s actions. Stamps, head-butting, potential leg-breakers – Pepe’s done it, and more than once.

In 2009, Pepe was sent off and retrospectively banned for 10 games after kicking Getafe captain Francisco Casquero not once but twice. Afterwards he punched Getafe midfielder Juan Albin, and swore at the fourth official. An incident which led to Pepe admitting that he didn’t recognise himself, and that he’d have to reconsider his future in football.

Fast-forward to 2016 and he’s tried a new approach – namely, diving. His “performance” against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final (which his side went on to win) led to calls for a retrospective banning.

However, unbelievably, Pepe has never received a direct red card in his time at the Bernabéu. Even his sending off against Getafe came as the result of a second yellow, something that has only happened on two other occasions.

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)

Arsenal’s new £30-million-man has a reputation for enjoying a bit of a scrap. Last season the Swiss star managed to accumulate 3 red cards in the first 15 matches of last season, the pick of the bunch coming from when he kicked out at Darmstadt defensive midfielder Peter Niemeyer.

Former manager, Max Eberl, was forced to answer for Xhaka’s poor disciplinary record, saying: “He’s exposed to many provocations, which he has to face and, he needs to learn.” Having set the record for the youngest player to receive 5 red cards in the Bundesliga, Arsène Wenger will be hoping that he controls his temper when in the Gunners’ famous red and white.

With Switzerland placed in a tricky group alongside Albania, Romania, and hosts France, national coach Vladimir Petković will hope that Xhaka manages to control his temper if the team are to progress to the knockout stages.

Dele Alli (England)


 Alli's temperament has got the better of him on several occasions recently 
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Alli is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most promising up-and-coming players. After a fantastic breakthrough season with Tottenham, Alli has earned an England call-up and will almost certainly be a starter for Roy Hodgson’s men.

However, for all of his skill and brilliance, Alli’s lashing out at Fiorentina midfielder Nenad Tomovic and West Brom’s Claudio Yakob (where he seemingly punched the player in the midriff), has shown a dirty side to the Spurs man.

In last month’s friendly win over Portugal, Alli’s temper was once again on show when he was riled up by experienced centre-back Ricardo Carvalho. In a match that had nothing riding on it Alli was seen to be heated numerous times in the match.

After the match Lee Dixon claimed that with Alli’s short fuse, he would’ve been able to get him sent off in just 17 minutes. While that obviously can’t be proved, group rivals will surely have noted Alli’s hotheadedness, hopefully that won’t come to haunt the Three Lions.