The French clearly have a complicated relationship with their top footballers.
France Football have conducted a poll to find the country’s most hated footballer and there is no surprise who takes the top slot.
Former Italy centre-half Marco Materazzi is the resounding winner of the vote thanks to owning the chest into which France legend Zinedine Zidane buried his chest in the 2006 World Cup final.
Much like Ireland’s unfortunate memories of another Frenchman, Thierry Henry, fans of Les Bleus have not forgotten the incident which ended Zizou’s international career.
The rest of the list is perhaps more surprising, with a string of controversial French stars filling the rest of the top five.
Unpopular Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri comes in second, ahead of diminutive playmaker Mathieu Valbuena. The alleged victim in a sex-tape blackmail plot sits third in the rankings, while Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who has acknowledged his involvement in the plot, does not even make the list.
Franck Ribery’s association with an underage sex scandal is presumably partly responsible for his fourth place, while former Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra comes fifth due to his role in leading a players’ revolt against manager Raymond Domenech ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
The rest of the top ten reads:
6. Harald Schumacher
7. Thiago Motta
8. Fabrice Fiorese
9. Brandao
10. Emir Spahic
