Modern Football’s Hot-Heads

June 16, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; Portugal player Pepe head butts Germany player Thomas Mueller (right) and is issued a red card during Group G play during the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Mandatory Credit: Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports

Pepe

Perhaps not as terrible in red card accumulation as our next La Liga contender, but Pepe is surely considered one of the roughest defenders out there. For Portugal and Real Madrid alike, you will never see Pepe playing the game without shouting and waving his hands in anger. He is a passionate player, but sometimes lets his passion broil over. His current succession into the “hot-heads” club was during his altercation with Thomas Muller during the 2014 World Cup, where he was sent off for head butting the “hurt” midfielder.

He was rightfully red carded, but could have avoided the penalty if he has kept his cool–the media gave him not respect after the fact knowing that he could have been a vital part of Portugal’s journey further into the tournament. In his entire league career from Porto FC to Real Madrid he has had 59 yellow cards to date, 3 of which turned into reds. Ten of these yellow cards came out of his 2011/2012 campaign with the Galacticos.