In the modern era of the game, certainly in the last 25 years, footballers are mainly viewed as elite athletes. So players are often grouped into athletic categories, like the fastest runners, or the best dribblers. As professionals, they are seen as highly coordinated and capable sports people. These are players who have the ability to produce brilliance. Players who are relied upon to be consistent and able.
What is not talked about so often in football, are those at the other end of the spectrum. We are not talking necessarily about bad players here. Sometimes quite the opposite. This is about those who can have a tendency to get themselves muddled in certain situations, when under pressure. Players who, at times, can look awkward and, as a result, make errors that at times can cost their team. So listed and ranked here, are the 10 clumsiest players in football history.
Ranking factors
Calamity – even top-level players have it in them to make clumsy errors.
Physicality – clumsiness is often manifested in a lack of coordination in key moments.
Visibility – to be in these rankings, players need to have been clumsy in high-profile games.
Consistency – the number of times a player is involved in clumsy incidents.
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10 Franco Baresi
Italy
Baresi
For some, seeing Franco Baresi’s name on a list titled clumsiest ever footballers would be seen as sacrilege. This is an Italian who is seen as one of the best ever defenders. When he was playing for AC Milan in the 1980s and 1990s, and produced era-defining defending, winning back-to-back European Cups.
But, Baresi did have a tendency to score his fair share of own goals in his career. This alone sneaks him into the top 10. Baresi is in the top 10 players with the most own goals scored. Of course, the Italian is still an immense figure in the Italian and world game.
9 David Luiz
Brazil
David Luiz
David Luiz was a very capable footballer, albeit one of the most unorthodox players in history. He had skills galore, but he knew it. As a result, he took chances when sensible thought suggested otherwise. He also had some clumsiness in him.
There were times when his mazy dribbles out of defence saw him lose control of the ball and his solution was often to make a clumsy lunge at his opponent. This resulted in an occasional red card, which proves you can be clumsy and extremely daft at the same time.
Luiz did do many very good things in his time, but he was also guilty of extremely silly things too.
8 Nicolas Jackson
Senegal
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Nicolas Jackson’s task playing up front for Chelsea was never going to be an easy one. He is following in the footsteps of the likes of Didier Drogba. What is more, Jackson has had to learn ad hone his trade in the Chelsea first team and under the spotlight. There have been some teething problems and some pretty bad misses in front of goal that suggest clumsiness.
That occasional awkwardness in front of goal has drawn Jackson his fair share of criticism. Former Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel said the Chelsea have needed a more reliable goalscorer. Jackson may well develop into that player in the future.
7 Peter Enckelman
Finland
Peter Enckelman after scoring an own goal
Unfortunately for goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, his entire career is often condensed into one moment. That was the local derby between Aston Villa and Birmingham City.
Playing in goal for Villa and seemingly under no pressure, he miscontrolled a throw-in from a team-mate before the ball went into his net. It was certainly one of the worst own goals in Premier League history. It was also one of the clumsiest too. Had he simply missed the ball, the goal would not have stood, having come direct from a throw-in. It didn’t help that this was down at St. Andrews against Villa’s bitter local rivals.
6 Jamie Carragher
England
Jamie Carragher Liverpool
Today, Jamie Carragher is one of British TV’s most outspoken football pundits. He also had a tendency to be clumsy on the field of play. Imagine playing for Liverpool against Manchester United and scoring an own goal. Imagine doing it twice in a game.
That is exactly what Carragher did in a 3-2 defeat to United at Anfield in the 1999/00 season. The first saw him lose sight of his position and head in a United cross at the Kop end. He got himself into an almighty muddle when deflecting in a second. Clumsiness personified in just one game for the former Liverpool man. Carragher was certainly committed for club and country, but in being so, he was clumsy.
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5 Tony Adams
England
Tony Adams
Tony Adams was an Arsenal legend and a tough opponent. That was highlighted when Alan Shearer described Adams as the toughest player he faced. Adams went on to conquer a lot of demons to become something of a renaissance man.
Yet in his early days fans could be cruel, with some labeling him a donkey. Sometimes they would bray at him just like a donkey. He gave fuel to the fire by scoring a comical own goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United. He did also score Arsenal’s goal that day with a diving header, proving his leadership qualities. However, the donkey label stayed with him until Arsene Wenger came to Highbury and changed Arsenal's playing style.
4 Carlton Palmer
England
Carlton Palmer
Carlton Palmer was a whole-hearted player who got the very most from his career, earning England caps in the early 1990s. Some chose to mock Palmer for wearing the England shirt. They felt a player as clumsy as Palmer didn’t deserve such an honour. Palmer never shied away from such criticism. Even his former manager Ron Atkinson joined in the pile in, when he said of Palmer:
“He can trap a ball further than I can kick it.”
Palmer was certainly not afraid of hard work. It was probably his lanky appearance as much as anything that drew some to call him clumsy.
3 Richard Dunne
Ireland
Richard Dunne
Richard Dunne was prolific during his playing days when it came to scoring own goals. He put 10 through his own net throughout his career. That alone is a big red flag when it comes to extreme clumsiness. To double down on that, he also received eight red cards in the Premier League. Clumsiness special points are accrued for such a feat.
So, in essence, his own goal and the opponent’s shins were in mortal danger whenever Dunne was on the field. Certainly committed as a player, albeit with a high degree of clumsiness that will forever make him the stuff of sports questions at the local pub quiz.
2 Djimi Traore
France
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The former Liverpool defender is in the elite class when it comes to clumsiness. He scored an own goal in a Liverpool game with Burnley that defied belief. Under no pressure he tried to drag back a Burnley cross and only managed to divert the ball into his own net. It takes several watches to accept that this goal was scored by a professional footballer.
To make matters worse, it was the only goal of the game. At times, he looked as though he was simply unable to control his limbs. This led him into some incredibly clumsy behaviour over the years. However, he still managed to win the Champions League with the club in 2005, in one of the greatest comebacks of all time, when Liverpool overcame a three-goal deficit to beat AC Milan. It proved that miracles are possible.
1 Harry Maguire
England
Harry Maguire in action for Manchester United
It is true, Harry Maguire is a very easy target for criticism. He took an unfair amount of it during times in his career. Although there is no denying his clumsiness at times. He saw red in 2021 for a clumsy tackle which saw Manchester United lose 4-1 to Watford.
There was some friendly fire at times too. He once accidentally headbutted Cristiano Ronaldo while the two played together at Old Trafford.
There was a further dismissal for England, when Maguire was sent off against Denmark for what was described as a clumsy tackle. There is no denying Maguire is a committed player, but he is undoubtedly clumsy too.
It's true that Maguire has had some very good games in an England shirt. However, rightly or wrongly, he has become something of a figure of fun at times during his playing days, for his habit of getting into a bit of a muddle with the ball.
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