Everyone loves to see a tough guy representing their team, who are known for their tenacious defense and ferocious tackles. We've listed some of the most famous tough guys in the Premier League here.
Roy Keane
Former Manchester United captain Keane is notorious for his tough-guy image, and his altercation with Patrick Vieira and his revenge tackle with Haaland Sr. are just two examples. His ferocious nature was enough to terrier anyone, with former referee Mark Clatenberg saying: "When I first met Roy Keane, I was still smiling. He yelled at me for a corner kick and I was sure it was a goal kick but because he yelled at me, I gave a corner. I was really stunned by him. ”
Vinnie Jones
Any news highlight in the early years of the Premier League could have been Jones launching a tackle but only receiving a yellow card and official warning. In 1995, he even reached out to reporters, biting the nose of Daily Mirror reporter Ted Oliver, and three years ago he angered the FA by posting a Christmas video titled "Football Tough Guys".
Stam
Stam is impressive with his bald head and fierce eyes, and he is notoriously difficult to deal with as a centre-back.
Stuart Pierce
His relentless style of play led Matt Le Tissier to describe him in his autobiography as his most formidable opponent ever, while Pierce was so tenacious that he once continued to fight with a broken leg. He was injured in the first half of the game against Watford and tried to play in the second half after half-time but was stopped.
Neil Rudock
"I just wanted to break one of his legs, not two." He told talkSPORT that there was an accident during a reserve team match where Andy Cole was found to have fractured his left and right legs, although one of the injuries may have been an age-old problem. Rudoch enjoys playing on the field with the likes of Vieira and Cantona, and he also broke Peter Beardsley's jaw in a farewell match in 1995.
Patrick Vieira
Vieira's rivalry with Manchester United captain Keane is written into Premier League legend, with the two famously clashing before stepping foot at Haibry Stadium in 2005. The clash begins when Vieira sprays water bottles at Keane, who also utters the famous line "See you on the pitch".
Thomas Graveson
Perhaps a low-key tough guy in the Premier League era, Graveson earned the nickname "Mad Dog" during his time at Everton. He was missed when he traveled to Real Madrid, whose tackle on Robinho in training angered head coach Fabio Capello.
Robert Huss
In January 2013, Robert Huss suffered a head injury less than three minutes into Stoke City's game against Wigan, but the German didn't get a stitch until 90 minutes into the game. He hates pretending to be injured: "Pretending to be injured, it's not good for any sport," he told The Times in 2018.