The recent incident involving Idrissa Gueye’s dismissal for striking his own teammate during a Premier League match has drawn attention to one of football’s rarest and most dramatic occurrences: players physically confronting their own colleagues during a game.
While such events remain uncommon, history provides several notable examples where professional composure completely evaporated. The Premier League era has seen only four red cards specifically issued for violent conduct against a teammate, with Gueye joining a small group that includes Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer, who famously clashed during Newcastle’s 2005 defeat to Aston Villa.
Historical incidents reveal these confrontations often stem from high-pressure situations. In 1979, Charlton strikers Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan were both dismissed after coming to blows during an FA Cup tie, with Hales later admitting he “had a word and hit him one” over perceived reluctance to pass the ball.
Perhaps the most serious physical altercation occurred in 1994 when Hearts defenders Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg fought during a pre-season friendly. The confrontation left Hogg with a broken nose after what witness Gordon Dalziel described as “haymakers that Mike Tyson would have been proud of.”
Other memorable incidents include Blackburn’s Graeme Le Saux attempting to punch David Batty during a Champions League match in Moscow, and Jens Lehmann’s bizarre attempt to strangle teammate Marcio Amoroso after a disallowed goal in a German derby.
These rare but dramatic moments highlight how intense competition and high-stakes environments can sometimes override team unity, creating unforgettable chapters in football history that continue to fascinate fans and commentators alike.
