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Football is a team sport and successful teams need players who are all committed to the cause. To that extent, it's best for everyone involved if teammates are all on the same page and share amicable relationships with each other.
This effectuates better chemistry within the group and they won't be burdened with any unnecessary distractions. However, sometimes things don't exactly work out between players as the coach and the fans want them to.
Players not getting along with teammates is a bit of a rarity but it has happened and at times, the fallouts have been quite ugly. Without further ado, let's take a look at five high-profile instances where players have fallen out with their teammates.
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#5 Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United)
Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer were involved in one of the most incredible of on-field bust ups in 2005. We've seen opponents getting in each other's faces and even trading blows. But teammates throwing hands in the middle of a game was something that truly rocked the Premier League.
While playing for Newcastle against Aston Villa in April 2005, Bowyer got frustrated with Dyer for not passing him the ball. This led to the duo having an on-field argument which devolved into a brutal brawl. It was rather extraordinary to watch and the two players had to be separated by teammates and opponents.
Both Bowyer and Dyer were instantly shown the red card and were each handed a three-game ban. Speaking to Sky Sports in 2020 (via The Mirror), Dyer revealed that the pair have since made up and are great friends. He said:
"Lee was a fiery character. He was a great friend and someone I still speak to."
#4 Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
It's almost unthinkable to some that one of the greatest attacking duos of the modern era has had an on-field bust up. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery wreaked havoc down the flanks for Bayern Munich during their prime and shared great chemistry on the pitch.
But their relationship suffered a dent during Bayern's 2011-12 Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid. Robben and Ribery got into an argument over a free-kick and the latter reportedly ended up punching the Dutchman.
Speaking about the incident to Sky Sport News Deutschland in 2017, Robben said:
“We’ve always got on really well and it exploded between us once, but the incident only made us stronger.
“It was really a shame. We’ve played together for such a long time and experienced so much together. Actually it doesn’t tell the whole story, actually it is really just one incident in eight years.”
#3 Son Heung-Min and Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur)
Son Heung-Min is one of the most admired footballers in the Premier League. But even he has got into an on-field scuffle with a teammate. Tottenham Hotspur toiled their way to a dull 1-0 win over Everton in July 2020.
After the half-time whistle was blown, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris laid into Son for not tracking back. The Frenchman ended up shoving Son and the latter wasn't too pleased either. The pair had to be separated by teammates and the argument continued into the dressing room.
But they eventually buried the hatchet at the end of the 90 minutes. Spurs manager Jose Mourinho described the incident as 'beautiful' in true Jose Mourinho fashion in his post-match interview.
#2 Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole (England & Manchester United)
Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole were strike partners for both England and Manchester United. The pair played together 99 times but weren't exactly special together and that probably has a lot to do with the animosity they share. They had a grand total of 10 goal participations despite playing more than 5000 minutes together.
It started when Sheringham actively snubbed Cole as the latter made his England debut against Uruguay in 1995. Cole was being brought on for Sheringham and he reached for a handshake but the gesture wasn't reciprocated by the latter.
In an interview with the Independent, Cole said:
“You'll need to understand what was in my head at that moment to get even close to comprehending my reaction to what happened next.
“I was so nervous it was frightening. This was the culmination of a lifetime of ambition. You hear the cliche, 'It means everything to play for my country'. But trust me, it did."
He added:
“Not just for me, but for my family, my parents especially, who had endured all kinds of hardships to give us the chances we had. Becoming a pro had been incredible. Now the magnitude of playing for England was indescribable. The moment has arrived.
“I walk on to the pitch, 60,000 or so watching. Sheringham is coming off. I expect a brief handshake, a "Good luck, Coley", something. I am ready to shake. He snubs me.
“He actively snubs me, for no reason I was ever aware of then or since. He walks off. I don't even know the bloke so he can't have any issue with me. We're fellow England players, it is my debut and he snubs me.
But Sheringham told The Daily Mail (via The Sun) in 2019 that the pair have since shook hands and made peace.
"We never got on as players. You get on with some people in the workplace, but some you don't like and don't want to be around. That was the case with me and Andy. We just didn't click. But we've made our peace."
He added:
"He put his hand out and said, 'let bygones be bygones and put everything behind us'. I said, 'wow, I didn't expect that. No problem'. I shook his hand and that was that."
#1 Kylian Mbappe with Neymar and Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Things are starting to get ugly at Paris Saint-Germain if the latest reports are to be believed. According to MARCA (via ManagingMadrid), Kylian Mbappe wanted Paris Saint-Germain to get rid of Neymar Jr. this summer transfer window.
Mbappe was reportedly given new powers via his new lucrative contract and wanted to use it to get Neymar's contract with PSG terminated. PSG reportedly told Mbappe that he would be their centerpiece in attack if he decided to commit his future to the club.
Paris Saint-Germain could not find a buyer for Neymar in the summer. The Brazilian activated a clause in his contract to extend his stay until 2027. This has reportedly not gone down well with Mbappe.
The 23-year-old is unhappy with his role as the striker at PSG and wants to play behind the target man as he does with the French national team.
According to another report on MARCA (via Mirror), Mbappe is miffed with the fact that Lionel Messi enjoys a lot of power in the Parisians' dressing room. As a result of all this, Mbappe is now trying to force an exit from the club.
