10 Biggest Fake Tough Guys in World Football

World football has its tough guys, and then it has guys that wish they were the tough guys—simply posing as hard men when in reality, they're far from it.

I think it's time we started to call out those guys.

It might not always be the big things, and it might not always be 100 percent of the time, but world football still has plenty of fake tough guys around, and these are the men most guilty of that.

Read on to see the top 10 (not in any order) fake tough guys in the world.

And please, don't take this list too seriously.

Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United

Veteran Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand seemingly has the makings of being one of the genuine "tough guys" in world football given his dogged determination and persistence.

But really, the Englishman is far from it.

I mean, anyone who feels the need to abuse both referees and Fernando Torres (for seemingly no reason at all) in the same week really can't be considered that tough.

Maybe try picking on someone your own size, Rio.

Pepe, Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Pepe has the reputation of being on the hardest and most physical men in world football, and that statement certainly has its merit.

But to consider Pepe tough is just wrong. 

He isn't tough—he's just a thug. 

Pepe is the guy that you send in to rile up attackers and try and cause a reaction, like we saw from Barcelona in their recent Copa del Rey match. He's not the guy that will play tough but fair in order to get a result, and isn't the type of guy that generates a whole lot of respect in return.

Pepe is just a thug, and a pretty poor one at that.

Joey Barton, Marseille

Controversial Englishman Joey Barton might seem like a tough guy to come up against, but it's really pretty hard to take the guy seriously at the moment.

Maybe it was his fake French accent that left him trying to sound cool to the French media.

Or maybe it was the fact that when trying to act tough against one of the real tough guys in world football, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barton's best possible comeback was to make fun of the fact that he had a big nose? Come on, Joey—even schoolyard kids can do better than that.

Real tough guy.

Adel Taarabt, Queens Park Rangers

From one former Queens Park Rangers player to one that's still there—Adel Taarabt might seem like one of the toughest guys in the Premier League, but it's hard to consider someone that temperamental tough.

I mean, he can be in your face—aggressively pressing for the ball—then missing in action for the next 20 minutes of the game, then rolling around on the ground looking for a free kick.

Taarabt just seems to be an angry man who never quite dealt with the fact that he isn't as good as he thinks he is—and he tries to act tough as a result of that.

But really, it's hard to consider him that tough, especially given his tendency to run away and hop on the next bus out of town when things really get difficult.

Samir Nasri, Manchester City

Samir Nasri is a whining pain in the neck.

Sure, he can do some talented things when on the pitch and can be a real force in attacking midfield when required, but the guy is nothing but a whinger when it comes to being "tough."

Even Roberto Mancini has blasted the midfielder as lazy, and says that his work ethic isn't up to standard. Which, for a guy who dealt with Mario Balotelli for more than one season, really doesn't say a lot for the standing that Nasri currently finds himself in.

Maybe if he quit trying to pick fights with reporters, he'd be okay.

Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich

Arjen Robben is a skilled veteran, who has made himself a legend in international and Bundesliga football given his blistering pace and skills on the ball.

Yet despite all of that, there's an underlying sense with Robben that he's not tough, he's not gritty—he's just a big old pansy that isn't pleased when he doesn't get his own way.

Fighting with teammates and whinging about being left on the bench really don't help change that image either for the Dutch international. Especially when he's got this beauty to live up to forever.

Mario Balotelli, AC Milan

Here's a list of things we know about Mario Balotelli.

1. The guy is incredibly talented at his best.

2. The guy can be positively insane, though, and leave you wondering just what was going through his head at the time to say or do such things.

3. The guy is so intimidating he needs a sculpture of himself.

4. The guy is really just a hyperactive 12-year-old who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way.

5. For all the tough talking that Balotelli does (like killing racists), has anyone actually see him doing anything that menacing? Other than throw darts at a youth team?

Hard to see this guy here being a real tough guy in world football.

Nicolas Anelka, Juventus

Chelsea legend Nicolas Anelka might seem tough, but he's not.

Deep down inside, the guy is nothing but a big whiner, who's more likely to write about how frustrated he is in his journal than he is actually make a stand for himself on the field.

Surely anyone with the nickname "Le Sulk" has to be considered a wimp, right?

Carlos Tevez, Manchester City

Carlos Tevez—on the field—can be a very dominant attacker who always finds a way to get the ball into the back of the net. He's strong and physical, and it works well for him and the Citizens.

There's no doubting his skill set there.

But refusing to come on as a substitute, all because you're unhappy? Come on Carlos—that's not very manly and tough-guy of you? 

Especially when you'll need to catch the bus home.

Charlie Adam, Stoke City

Two poor tackles on Gareth Bale and Charlie Adam is a tough guy?

Please, give it a rest.

He flopped at Liverpool in both attack and defense and looks incredibly out of place now at Stoke City, given the fact that they have legitimately tough players on hand.

Arguably one of the most under-achieving players in the league, Adam is nothing but a flop, and certainly not one of the tough guys of the English Premier League.

Let alone the world.

Who are your biggest fake-tough guys in world football?

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