Fans can be very unpredictable, sometimes they cross all the limits to showcase their affection and at times they can be very unforgiving and make their displeasure known in no uncertain terms. This fickle nature of the fandom came to the fore when recently Messi and Neymar were booed despite performing exceedingly well against Bordeaux in a Ligue 1 encounter. The PSG fans were, in fact, venting their ire over the talismanic players for the defeat the Qatari-owned club suffered against Real Madrid which ended the Champions League dreams of the Parisian outfit.
But this is not the first time players have been ridiculed on the field by their own fans as the sporting arena is packed with several such instances. So, let us go back in time to find out the moments when players across the sporting domain were at the receiving end of their own fans, in some cases home-grown supporters.
David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
Even David Beckham was not spared. It so happened that when Becks made up his mind to shift to AC Milan on loan in 2009 the Galaxians were not at all amused. This also meant skipping some part of the MLS season. So, the Galaxy supporters booed him badly after he decided to shift to a new team and dubbed him a ‘fraud’ and ‘part-time player’. Having said that, Becks finished his stint with Galaxy on a happy note after securing two MLS Cups.
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)
Everyone’s aware of the mercurial nature of Barca supporters as they are known for their affection and intolerance, if the players are having ordinary runs, as well. Philippe Coutinho once got the taste of the bitter pill from Barca fans. In a match that Barca won handsomely against Getafe back in May 2019, the boos from the fans directed against Coutinho totally overshadowed the victory. It became very apparent that fans were running out of patience with Coutinho after some strictly average displays since his move from Liverpool in 2018.
Neymar (PSG)
Before the recent booing incident, Neymar faced similar reception from the PSG fans back in 2017 when the Brazilian striker was toying with the idea of going back to Camp Nou.
After missing in action for a while when Neymar returned to the field donning PSG colours, he was incessantly mocked at by the club’s hardcore supporters, despite sneaking in a last-minute goal via a perfect scissor cut to beat Strasbourg.
Sachin Tendulkar (Wankhede/Mumbai Crowd)
The “God Of Cricket”, Sachin Tendulkar’s stature was ultimate in the world of cricket during his playing days. However, even the cricketer par excellence could not escape the sneer of his home crowd in a Test match against England in 2006. Back then when India were reeling at 24/2 it was Sachin’s turn to bat. And he had a horrendous time at the crease as he was unable to come to terms with the guile and variety of England bowlers. After his painful stay at the crease, when James Anderson ended his agony for an uncharacteristic 21-ball 1, he was booed off the ground by the same fans who made it a tradition to chant “Sachin, Sachin” whenever he came to bat.
Sunil Gavaskar (Eden Gardens/Kolkata Crowd)
The prolific Mumbai batsman, the other Little Master, Sunil Gavaskar also faced the ire of the Kolkata fans in the 1984 Test match against England, primarily for dropping Kapil Dev for playing a rash shot in the previous Delhi Test. What aggregated the matter further was Sunny’s baffling tactics, the delayed declaration, which prompted fans to chant not only “Gavaskar Down Down” continuously but also prompted them to throw fruits at him as well.
