Top 15 Players Who Committed the Most Fouls in Premier League History (1999 – March 5, 2025)
Football is a game of skill, creativity, and tactical battles, but it is also a sport defined by physicality and intensity. While some players are known for their goal-scoring prowess or defensive solidity, others have made their mark through tough tackles, relentless pressing, and a never-back-down attitude. These players have shaped the Premier League’s most hard-fought battles, often walking the fine line between aggression and recklessness.
Unlike goals or assists, tracking individual foul records over time presents unique challenges. Before 1999, official foul statistics were not systematically recorded, making it difficult to analyze trends before that period. This video ranks the top 15 players who have committed the most fouls in Premier League history (from 1999 to March 6, 2025), using foul count as the key indicator of aggressive play.
However, simply looking at total fouls doesn’t tell the whole story—players have played in different eras, under different rules, and in different tactical systems. Some built their reputation as enforcers, while others played in pressing-heavy teams where fouling was a strategic necessity. This analysis sheds light on which players have consistently been the most aggressive, disruptive, and physical forces in the Premier League.
Players listed in this bar chart race (note that Players who were part of two squads in a single season will not have a team logo displayed).
Paulo Wanchope
Niall Quinn
Mark Hughes
Hámilton Ricard
Chris Sutton
Alan Shearer
Brian Deane
Youssef Chippo
Rob Page
Chris Armstrong
Ashley Ward
Olivier Dacourt
Dion Dublin
Alan Smith
Don Hutchison
Deon Burton
Emile Heskey
George Boateng
Patrick Vieira
Nikos Dabizas
David Batty
James Beattie
Garry Flitcroft
Robbie Savage
Christian Dailly
Duncan Ferguson
Sean Gregan
Kevin Campbell
Marc-Vivien Foé
Gavin McCann
Chris Marsden
Gareth Barry
Kevin Davies
Paul Dickov
Juan Pablo Ángel
Luís Boa Morte
Alex Rae
James Scowcroft
Tim Cahill
Ray Parlour
Peter Crouch
Darren Huckerby
Luis García
Shola Ameobi
Mido
Jason Roberts
Michael Brown
Nigel Reo-Coker
Steve Sidwell
Darius Henderson
Nwankwo Kanu
Benni McCarthy
Bobby Zamora
Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Mikel Arteta
John Carew
Benjani
Carlton Cole
Clint Dempsey
Marouane Fellaini
Wilson Palacios
Denílson
Lee Cattermole
Wade Elliott
Javier Mascherano
Hendry Thomas
Fabrice Muamba
Cheick Tioté
Lucas Leiva
Charlie Adam
Alexandre Song
Didier Drogba
Youssouf Mulumbu
Fernando Torres
Grant Holt
David N’Gog
Emmanuel Adebayor
Shane Long
Mile Jedinak
Erik Pieters
Ramires
Morgan Schneiderlin
Karim El Ahmadi
Luis Suárez
Raheem Sterling
Ashley Barnes
Graziano Pellè
Leonardo Ulloa
Victor Wanyama
Fernandinho
Mame Biram Diouf
Connor Wickham
Craig Gardner
Idrissa Gana Gueye
Érik Lamela
Claudio Yacob
Danny Drinkwater
Étienne Capoue
Eric Dier
Moussa Sissoko
Aleksandar Mitrović
Troy Deeney
Christian Benteke
Emre Can
Marten de Roon
Oriol Romeu
Paul Pogba
Jason Puncheon
Joshua King
Wilfried Zaha
Luka Milivojević
Jordan Ayew
Wilfred Ndidi
Glenn Murray
Roberto Firmino
Granit Xhaka
Tiemoué Bakayoko
Dale Stephens
James McArthur
Jonathan Hogg
Matt Ritchie
Will Hughes
James Ward-Prowse
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Callum Wilson
Abdoulaye Doucouré
Douglas Luiz
Tomáš Souček
Pierre Højbjerg
Yves Bissouma
Sadio Mané
Mason Mount
Thiago Alcântara
Adama Traoré
Ollie Watkins
Scott McTominay
Conor Gallagher
Joelinton
Emmanuel Dennis
John McGinn
Christian Nørgaard
Michail Antonio
Ivan Toney
Juraj Kucka
Moisés Caicedo
Kai Havertz
Fabinho
Jeffrey Schlupp
Lucas Paquetá
Ryan Yates
Kieran Trippier
Casemiro
João Palhinha
Bruno Guimarães
Mohammed Kudus
James Maddison
Bukayo Saka
Anthony Gordon
Ezri Konsa
Tahith Chong
Liam Delap
João Gomes
Alexis Mac Allister
Antoine Semenyo
Saša Lukić
Lewis Cook
Ryan Christie
Morgan Rogers
Luis Díaz
Source: FBREF, ThePuntersPage
Bar Chart Race illustration: Flourish (https://app.flourish.studio/)
Kevin Davies image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kevin_Davies_August_2011_%28cropped%29.jpg
Jordan Ayew image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OM_-_FC_Porto_-_Valais_Cup_2013_-_Jordan_Ayew.jpg
Music by Bensound
Artist: Benjamin Tissot
License code: SACVWQMB813LNSBY