Seven of football’s most memorable pre-match beefs – & who got the last laugh

Manchester United’s Andre Onana and Lyon’s Nemanja Matic taking fire at one another is that rare, wonderfully juicy example of two footballers taking shots at one another before doing battle on the pitch.

It’s often after the final whistle, emotions running high, when players and managers take verbal swipes at one another. Ahead of matches, managers are keen to avoid any extra noise while players these days are too media trained to say anything too inflammatory.

But sometimes they can’t help themselves. Here are seven memorable pre-match beefs – and who got the last laugh in the end.

Andre Onana vs Nemanja Matic

It might not have been the most media-savvy move for Manchester United No.1’s to claim that they’re “way better” than their Europa League quarter-final opponents Lyon –  but he probably didn’t expect former United midfielder Matic to bite back with a thousand times more ferocity.

“If you are one of the worst keepers in Manchester United history, you need to take care,” the veteran Serbian sniped in the pre-match press conference.

“If David de Gea, Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar said that, I would question myself.

“But if, statistically, you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s modern history, he needs to show that before he says.”

Ouch.

“I would never be disrespectful to another club…” Onana tweeted in response.

“We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent… At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”

Touché.

Unfortunately Matic isn’t a striker, so we’re missing out on maximum narrative points.

But he has scored the (very) occasional long-range blooter in his time, and you wonder if this back-and-forth might make him extra motivated to try his luck from distance.

Who comes out on top in this one? Watch this space.

Erik ten Hag vs Alphonso Davies

A characteristically blunt Dutchman, diplomacy wasn’t Ten Hag’s strong suit when discussing the match-ups in Manchester United’s 2023 Champions League group stage clash with Bayern Munich.

“Tactically it fits very good because they have Davies who’s very offensive and has a lot of speed and Pelle [Facundo Pellistri] can match that,” Ten Hag said.

“He can match that defending, and also offensively. He has capabilities to also go into attack, Davies is not a great defender, and his dribbling, so I think it’s a good game for him.”

Hmm. You imagine the club’s press officer had his head in his hands when Ten Hag went as brutally honest as ‘not a great defender’.

In fairness, United scored three goals that night – but lost 4-3, while Davies made headlines for one particularly well-timed tackle to deny Pellistri in the box. Victory for Davies on points.

“I do have a lot of good defensive ability and I showed that during the game,” the Canadian responded afterwards.

“It was actually after the game that I saw the interview, but at the end of the day all that matters is I did my job on the pitch and we got the three points.”

Thibaut Courtois vs Jordan Pickford

Pickford was criticised for conceding Adnan Januzaj’s winning goal in England and Belgium’s group stage dead rubber at the 2018 World Cup. The result meant that England finished runner-up but had a more favourable route to the final in Russia.

And he had further salt rubbed into his wounds when his opposite number pointed out that the Everton ‘keeper likely would’ve saved Januzaj’s strike if he’d been a bit taller, boasting that he himself would’ve “caught it”.

“I don’t care if I’m not the biggest keeper,” Pickford responded after his penalty-saving heroics in England’s shootout victory over Colombia.

To be fair, Courtois diplomatically rolled back on his comments long before fate conspired to see a rematch in the third-fourth place play-off.

“This thing about Jordan – I want to say and clarify it because I heard a lot of stuff. I never mocked his height, I want to make that clear, because I would never mock the height of a goalkeeper,” Courtois told the BBC following Belgium’s quarter-final victory over Brazil.

“I only said that, because he got a touch, I would have saved it because I am 15cm taller, but I never mocked his height. He is a great goalkeeper. I want to make that clear.”

Belgium ran out 2-0 winners against the Three Lions to claim bronze at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg.

Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho

Of course these two feature.

But surprisingly enough, it was Guardiola that really lit the blue touch paper ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid’s already colossal Champions League semi-final bout in 2011.

Mourinho – in classic style – had been needling the Catalan all season, and his jibe about Pep complaining about Cristiano Ronaldo’s onside match-winner in the Copa del Rey final led him to finally snap.

“In this room [Real Madrid’s press room], he is the chief, the f*cking man,” Guardiola ranted in his press conference ahead of the semi.

“In here he is the f*cking man and I can’t compete with him. If Barcelona want someone who competes with that, then they should look for another manager.”

Barcelona’s players reportedly gave him a standing ovation when he returned to the dressing room. And when you read the full tirade it’s not hard to see why.

Guardiola’s men ran out 2-0 winners in the first leg of the Champions League semis and booked their place in the Wembley final with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

READ: ‘We’re the best, f*ck you’: The story of Barca & Real’s four Clasicos in 18 days

Kevin Keegan vs Sir Alex Ferguson

You’ve already heard it a thousand times. You probably know it word for word by now.

“We have not resorted to that, but I’ll tell you, you can tell him now if you’re watching it, we’re still fighting for this title, and he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and get something, and… and… I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them, love it!”

Technically speaking, Keegan’s rant wasn’t ahead of a direct meeting between title rivals Newcastle and Manchester United. Imagine if it was; Sky Sports’ hype machine would’ve gone into overdrive.

You only need a quick glance at Keegan’s demeanour to know that this wasn’t a Fergie-esque carefully concocted act of mind games in a bid to put the pressure on the Red Devils’ final day match at the Riverside. He simply lost composure and let his true feelings spill out.

Keegan’s Magpies could only muster 1-1 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham in their last two outings, rendering the outcome of Manchester United’s trip to Teesside moot in the end. As it was, they cruised to the most routine of 3-0 victories to secure the title.

Last laugh Fergie. Was that ever in doubt?

MLS vs Roma

A bit of fun, this one.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Watch it fall in 90 minutes,” teased the official Major League Soccer account on Twitter, ahead of the MLS All Stars’ clash with Serie A giants Roma in 2013.

Thierry Henry wore the armband for the MLS side while Francesco Totti did the same for the visitors. That’s one way to sell a glorified friendly.

The result? A comfortable 3-1 win for the Giallorossi.

Roy Hodgson vs Harry the Hornet

We’d class this one alongside the MLS one as a daft bit of nonsense, were it not for the fact that Hodgson sounded genuinely upset. Watford’s mascot mocked Wilfried Zaha by diving in front of him after he was booked for the indiscretion on Boxing Day in 2016.

“Zaha does not dive,” Hodgson told reports ahead of the rematch.

“If you’re asking me whether Harry the Hornet, who I presume is the mascot, should dive in that way, I think it’s disgraceful, because that’s not what football matches are about.

“And certainly if it’s provoking the crowd into looking for something that’s not there, it should be stopped.”

Watford ran out 2-1 winners and Harry the Hornet recreated the infamous dive in the post-match celebrations. Great stuff.

Harry The Hornet recreating his dive two years ago Hahahahaha this man is a legend. Have some of that Roy. #MyMascot pic.twitter.com/8feArhZa2L

— Seán Walker (@SeanWalkerSport) August 26, 2018

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