Footballers, revered as heroes by many, are not immune to the pressures and challenges that come with the sport. Occasionally, even the most celebrated players face moments they wish they could redo.
10 footballers who apologised for the poor performance of their national team
In the high-stakes world of professional football, every move and decision can have monumental consequences, not just for the outcome of a game, but also for the emotions of millions of fans worldwide.
Players who apologized
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In such instances, some have taken the path of humility and accountability, openly apologizing for their actions or performances that fell short of expectations.
This list highlights notable footballers who have stood up to acknowledge their shortcomings and expressed regret for either personal errors or their team's poor performance.
Roberto Baggio (Italy): Baggio famously apologised to the entire nation of Italy after missing the final penalty in the 1994 FIFA World Cup final shootout against Brazil, leading to Italy's defeat.
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Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany): Schweinsteiger apologised to German fans and his team after getting a red card in an important UEFA Champions League match, negatively impacting his team's performance.
Lionel Messi (Argentina): Messi apologised to Argentinian fans after missing a penalty in the Copa America Centenario final in 2016 against Chile, a miss that was part of Argentina's defeat in the final.
David Beckham (England): Beckham issued a public apology after his infamous red card in the 1998 FIFA World Cup match against Argentina, which many believed contributed to England's elimination.
Luis Suárez (Uruguay): Suárez apologised for his handball incident during the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Ghana, which prevented a certain goal and led to Ghana's eventual elimination after the penalty shootout.
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): Buffon apologised to Italian fans after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a significant national disappointment for a country with a rich footballing history.
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): Ronaldo has expressed regret and apologized for his team's performances on a few occasions, notably when Portugal had unexpectedly early exits from major tournaments.
Wayne Rooney (England): Rooney issued an apology to England fans after the team's poor performance in the 2010 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16.
Neymar (Brazil): Neymar apologised to the Brazilian fans after the 2014 World Cup, particularly for his injury and Brazil's subsequent heavy loss to Germany in the semi-finals.
Andre Ayew (Ghana): The Black Stars captain, in a video posted on social media, apologised to Ghanaians for the shambolic performance the team put up at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire. He accepted responsibility for the team’s failure to make the next round of the competition.
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