Team chemistry is arguably the most important ingredient required for a team’s success. On-pitch co-existence is crucial, and for 90 minutes, all players must be operating on the same wavelength. However, this isn’t always the case.
Here are five teammates representing the same nation team who legitimately hated each other.
#5 John Terry and Rio Ferdinand
We don’t blame the English fans when they speak of their golden generation with a tinge of sadness. England’s golden generation failed to win any trophy. Rio Ferdinand believes this was because of was their inability to put club rivalry behind their backs whilst on international duty.
The hatred the players had for each other within the English squad was real. As is evident from the autobiography, the former West Ham player shared fractious relationships with Lampard, Terry and Gerrard. Ferdinand and Lampard who shared rooms at West Ham for 5 years between 16 and 21 didn’t speak a word following their transfer to the rival clubs.
He was eventually charged with “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour in reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Ferdinand.” Rio wrote – “I’ve never actually spoken to John about the case. I no longer talk to him, but even three years later I find it impossible to forgive or forget the pain he put us through.”
Pique mocked the Los Blancos after they were eliminated from the Copa Del Ray for playing an ineligible player. Pique’s tweet in reaction – shown above – didn’t have a single word.
This rift with club colleague Blaszczykowski supposedly stemmed from the pair’s opposing political beliefs – the specifics of which never came to light. It is believed that Kuba is a supporter of the Civic Platform, while Lewandowski is much closer to Law and Justice.
Lewandowski over many interviews stressed that he would not be willing to give up his captaincy. After regaining fitness, Jakub wasn’t recalled to the squad. Poland daily Gazeta Wyborczalater reported that the coach had taken the decision in an effort to maintain the harmony of the dressing room. The winger spoke out against the decision stating he was ‘hurt’ in conversation with Bild.
Mauro married Wanda less than six months after the divorce between Lopez and Nara. It got even worse after the younger striker started posting photos of Lopez’s children on Twitter and got them all tattooed on his arm after becoming their stepdad. According to an Argentine journalist, the Mafia got involved and even threatened to break 25-year-old Icardi’s legs.
Gokhan Tore, a former Chelsea youngster who now plays for Besiktas, had allegedly been fuming over an alleged affair between his former girlfriend and Toprak’s friend. He was determined to get even – even if his team-mates were in the way. Accompanied by a gangster, Tore forced his way into Toprak and Calhanoglu’s room.
“I was hit and then I was lying in a corner. He then came up to me and said: ‘Don’t move or I will shoot you. I was curled up in the corner of the room, I couldn’t move, I was scared for my life.”
Following this, Töre did not return to the national team until October 2014, when Bayer Leverkusen suspiciously claimed that both Çalhanoğlu and Toprak were injured. The following month, despite both players regaining full fitness, they were both left out by manager Terim for a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Kazakhstan as Töre remained.
