Ranking the hardest players in world football

Although the days of Roy Keane and Duncan Ferguson are long gone, there are still ten players who stand out as the hardest in football.

Football nowadays is a far cry from what it was just a couple of decades ago, with the brutal fights and physicality of the past now replaced by soft fouls and blatant diving.

Because of this many fans are turning away from certain players, and instead looking back at previous eras and deciding who the hardest-ever players of the Premier League are.

The likes of Manchester United captain Keane, Everton legend Ferguson and, of course, Vinnie Jones are fondly remembered for going through their opponents with brutal aggression and no nonsense tackling.

But fear not, there are still some players in the current game that echo the hardman attitude of the past, albeit not quite on the same level.

With that in mind, here are the 10 current players that we think are the hardest in current football.

10 - Gabriel Magalhaes

When Arsenal don't have Gabriel available, his physical presence is seriously missed as he's proved himself to be one of the most invaluable players in the squad.

Just last week, the Brazilian put his body on the line as he blocked Jarell Quansah’s shot on target with his throat during Arsenal's Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

9 - Erling Haaland

Although Haaland is often remembered for being bubbly and approachable off the football pitch, he's also a massive physical presence on the pitch.

Standing at 6'5" (1.95m), Haaland is one of the biggest players in the Premier League, and he makes that fact known with his dominant physicality, and aggression.

Not only that, but he's more than happy to be front and centre in scraps with rivals on the pitch, with his famous 'stay humble' comment to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta just one example.

Haaland and Gabriel have clashed on the pitch on several occasions. (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

8 - Jamie Vardy

Vardy quickly necks a can of Red Bull before stepping onto the football pitch to put his body on the line in challenges every week, if that's not a hardman, I'm not sure what is.

7 - Romelu Lukaku

Ever since his breakthrough at Anderlecht, Lukaku has been one of the most known physical presences in football.

On top of this, Lukaku has shown serious mental resilience through rocky periods at Manchester United and his second spell at Chelsea.

Although he has clearly slowed down in the twilight of his career at Napoli, he is still able to use his massive frame to bully opponents, as he has done throughout his entire career.

6 - James Tarkowski

Tarkowski epitomises the old-school English centre-back who relishes contact and never backs down from a challenge.

He's prepared to dig in and win dirty for Everton when needed, and is more than ready to take a red card and take out his opponent rather than worrying about small matters like what the ball is doing.

5 - Virgil van Dijk

Several recent Liverpool players could have made it onto this list, with Darwin Nunez fondly remembered for headbutting Joachim Andersen on his first Premier League start and former captain hardman Jordan Henderson always in the mix of scraps.

However, like Haaland, standing at 6'5, Van Dijk is not someone you want to mess with on the football pitch.

And let's not forget, the Liverpool skipper has become known for his famous aura on the pitch, with many players afraid to even try to initiate contact with the Dutchman.

Van Dijk and Tarkowski aren't shy of a scrap during the Merseyside derby. (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

4 - Aleksandar Mitrovic

In 2021/22, Mitrovic broke records as he bullied defenders, scoring 43 goals in 44 appearances for Fulham in the Championship

Although he may have left England, he's still one of the most physical forces in the current game.

Playing for Qatari club Al Rayyan, the Serbian constantly uses his strength to create space, while also welcoming contact when needed.

3 - Granit Xhaka

When Xhaka returned to the Premier League at the start of the season, many laughed at the idea that he would still be able to keep up with the physicality of the division.

But what did he do? He laughed back, showing that he's still one of the most intimidating forces on the football pitch while cementing himself as a candidate for the Premier League team of the season.

2 - Joelinton

Joelinton is undoubtedly the scrappiest player in the Premier League, and Newcastle United fans would be the first to admit it.

The Brazilian had a brutal start to his Newcastle career after he failed to impress as a striker having joined for club record fee in 2019.

But a move further back on the pitch into the midfield has allowed the Brazilian to do what he does best, get stuck in and take no prisoners.

1 - Antonio Rudiger

Rudiger is one of the toughest and most successful defenders in modern football having enjoyed success with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Germany.

The 33-year-old is undoubtedly one of the most intimidating defenders in the game and has been seen lashing out on several occasions, including allegedly biting Paul Pogba at Euro 2020 or slapping Frenkie De Jong in the head in El Clasico in 2023.

And when he's on the receiving end of a harsh blow, he's happy to march on, as he did when he refused to come off the pitch during the 2021 Champions League final after a brutal collision with Kevin De Bruyne, wearing a protective face mask for the remainder of the match.