10 Footballers You'd Want on Your Side During a Fight

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Football is a sport where aggression and strength can be very important. If you want to be a winner, you have to be mentally and physically tough.

Some players are especially tough. They are the glue that hold a team together, but they are also the guys referees keeps an eye on during the match.

These are the guys you'd want by your side if you were going into a dark alley.

Wayne Rooney

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Wayne Rooney is a one of the strongest and hardest players in the world, and he is known for his short temper. He's not the type of guy you'd want to play a practical joke on.

He's not afraid to speak his mind, even though it's gotten him sent off by the referee, and fined by FIFA several times.

Oguchi Onyewu

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Oguchi Onyewu is a 6'5" defensive powerhouse, born in Washington D.C. He plays for Sporting CP in Portugal and is known for his toughness and strength.

While he was playing for AC Milan, he was tackled by teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic during practice, and Onyewu was not happy with the hard challenge. He got back up and choked the 6'5" Swede, and the two had to be separated. 

Roberto Carlos

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Roberto Carlos is a 5'6" Brazilian that you would think couldn't hold his own in a fight. Well, you'd be wrong. He is one of the most powerful defenders in history, and one of the best wing backs ever.

Along with his ridiculously powerful shot, he has a running speed of 34 km/h, powerful curling trajectory shot of 170 km/h and hand throwing shot of 36 meters.

Didier Drogba

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It's a defenders worst nightmare when Didier Drogba in sprinting towards them. No wonder, he is so strong that taking the ball from him is virtually impossible for many. 

He's also tough as nails. After fracturing his ulna in his right arm, Drogba played with a cast on only 11 days later in the World Cup in South Africa.

Nemanja Vidic

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Vidic is one of those rare defenders that's willing to risk his body to save the ball. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson named him captain. Every team needs someone like that, not just for football.

His style of no-nonsense defending makes him arguably the best central defender in the world. Manchester United fans have a song where they sing that Vidic will "murder you."

Walter Samuel

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Samuel is a scary looking dude. Inter Milan captain, Javier Zanetti, a player with 20 years of professional football in his resume, referred to Samuel as the "hardest player" he has played with.

He has also earned his self the nickname, "The Wall."

By the looks of it, Samuel is a guy who is not afraid to take some punishment.

Pepe

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Pepe is known very well for his tough tackling, great marking skills, and his dirty style of play. He's gotten in fights numerous times and has been sent off by the referee when he makes his hard challenges.

During the 2009 La Liga season, Pepe was involved in an incident with a Getafe player. Pepe brought his opponent down being subsequently sent off. He then proceeded to kick the fallen opponent twice, once on his shin and once on his lower back.

He also pushed his head into the turf and stamped on him several times. He also struck another player in the face. Eventually he received a 10-game ban.

Nigel De Jong

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Call me crazy, but kicks like these would make me want this guy on my side during a fight. Xabi Alonso was lucky not to have some broken ribs after this.

Nigel was even luckier not to be sent off. Maybe referee Howard Webb was afraid that Nigel would be waiting for him by the parking lot after the game. I wouldn't blame him.

Elizabeth Lambert

I doubt many people know the name Elizabeth Lambert. She's a soccer player at the University of New Mexico. She doesn't even play professionally, but I just had to put this here.

What do you think this woman would do if she was actually in a fight? She is one mean lady!

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

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Ibrahimovic is the No. 1 player I'd want helping me in a fight, not because he is 6'5" inches tall. Not because he has one of the most powerful kicks in the world.

But because he is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He can probably do some serious damage with those long and powerful legs. Like cracking someones skull, or breaking a few ribs.