Mark van Bommel committed more fouls in the Champions League than any other player, and he never looked sorry about it. He would kick you, stand on your toes, tug your shirt and then smile at the referee as if nothing had happened.
The Dutch midfielder played from 1992 to 2012 for Fortuna Sittard, PSV, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan. Three of those are among the biggest clubs in the world, and opponents hated him at every one of them.
How did van Bommel get away with it?
Mostly through timing. His tactical fouls were perfectly judged, and they killed counter-attacks before they could start. The record book shows where that led:
- the all-time record for fouls committed in the UEFA Champions League
- a booking in the 2010 World Cup final, the dirtiest final the tournament has had
- a reputation that followed him through a 20-year career
He fouled you, smiled at you and did it again. No shame at all, and plenty of damage. Plenty of opponents would say he turned fouling into an art.
Next up tomorrow: villain number 28.
