Micah Richards names football's ultimate hardman who even Roy Keane was absolutely terrified of

Micah Richards has named the hardest man in football that nobody wanted to mess with, and it's not Roy Keane.

In the history of football, there are fewer players more intimidating than former United captain Keane.

As both a player and a pundit, the Irishman has become infamous for his aggression and brutal honesty on and off the pitch.

However, fellow pundit Richards has revealed that there was one Premier League player that was even Keane was careful when playing against.

In an episode of the Match of the Day podcast, hosts Alan Shearer and Richards ranked the top 10 hardest men in the history of the Premier League.

And, to the surprise of fans, Richards placed Keane in fifth, with Scottish striker Duncan Ferguson taking the top spot for both him and Shearer.

Explaining his decision, former Manchester City defender said in 2023: “I watched some videos because a couple of these are before my time and the reason why he slipped down to number five is because of Duncan Ferguson.

“I was watching clips of Duncan and both Jaap Stam and Roy Keane walked away from a confrontation [with Ferguson].

“I was like, ‘how hard are you really then?’ Everyone did [walk away from Ferguson]. He’s the ultimate hard man because nobody wants smoke with him.

“Roy Keane let me down, to be honest, because everybody talks about him as a hard man."

Keane's United teammates Nemanja Vidic and Jaap Stam alongside Welsh midfielder Vinnie Jones completed the rest of Richards' top five list.

Roy Keane and Micah Richards often work together as pundits on Sky Sports. (Image: Getty)

Following their careers on the pitch, both Richards and Keane took the the microphone to offer their expertise as football pundits.

And, despite their opposing personalities, the two men have developed a strong relationship and are regarded by many as the best punditry duo in the game.

“He’s nice with me [in their roles as Sky Sports pundits]. You guys [Lineker and Shearer] are legends of the game and Roy is in that category," said Richards on his relationship with Keane.

“So when you have to work with him, you’ve got respect. I love working with him. I couldn’t compete with him as a player, with medals, but I can make him uncomfortable on camera.”