Lent.az
They were said to be unstoppable, only possible to stop by fouling them.
The world's most technical, creative and dangerous players inevitably became magnets for fouls.
Lent.az reports with reference to foreign media that these were the ones who were under maximum pressure from rivals in world championships, and the numbers show how often defenders chose to foul as the only way to survive.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 58 fouls. Initially, he was a classic winger selected along the flank; later he became a striker whose runs and maneuvers around the penalty area forced defenders to commit fouls.
Neymar - 60 fouls. His dribbling and sharp changes of direction have always created contact - although his reactions to tackles have become a meme, he has actually been fouled more than others.
Jairzinho - 64 fouls. One of Brazil's legends from the 1970s: his fast breaks from the flank forced defenders to hold him back at all costs.
Lionel Messi - 65 fouls. From 2006 to 2022, he literally got "stuck" between the lines, thwarting every attempt to break through the defense. His low center of gravity made fouls almost inevitable.
Diego Maradona - 152 fouls. An absolute record. At the 1986 World Cup, defenders were "switched" in turn to keep Diego in check. He was fouled twice as many times as any other player in tournament history.
