World Football: Villains of 2010

The highs and lows of 2010 have been extreme to put it mildly. From gun toting separatists in Africa last January to an Octopus called Paul in June and possibly the greatest team of all time in November, 2010 has been a year to remember, or forget depending upon which team you follow.


Here, we look at some of the villains of the last 12 months. Some stories have been covered by every media outlet under the sun and some have just slipped past their mighty radars.

However, each and every one is just as important as each other as they thread a careful weave through the labyrinthine tapestry that is the footballing year of 2010.

Neymar Needs To Follow Lionel Messi's Example To Avoid Ending Up Like Gazza

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is without doubt the most famous 18-year-old footballer on the planet. The prodigious striker has many suitors. However, following a bust-up of biblical proportions with his manager last week, it would appear as if Chelsea dodged a bullet when their £25 million offer was turned down.

The famous incident with Dorival Jr. came about after the youngster was taken down for a penalty against Atletico Goianiense. With Neymar having missed Santos' last three penalties, Dorival decided to chose another player for the vital spot-kick.

As the penalty was scored Neymar berated Dorival and his team mates on the bench from a height in a tantrum that a two-year-old would have been proud of. Everyone was shocked, from team mates to opponents, especially his manager.