Why does football have so many egocentric divas among its stars?

[Deathknightish]

Compared to other sports, football seems to have a higher amount of self-centered divas. Why is this?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one huge ego. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be far behind. Beckham was kinda the same. Messi seems alright and humble, though

I like to watch ice hockey and handball as well, and I can't come up with any hockey star or handball player that's as far up their own ass as someone like Zlatan.

[Rumred]

Compared to other sports, football seems to have a higher amount of self-centered divas. Why is this?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one huge ego. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be far behind. Beckham was kinda the same. Messi seems alright and humble, though

I like to watch ice hockey and handball as well, and I can't come up with any hockey star or handball player that's as far up their own ass as someone like Zlatan.

Have you seen the NFL or NBA? They have a large number of divas that can hang with the best of them.

[Deathknightish]

Have you seen the NFL or NBA? They have a large number of divas that can hang with the best of them.

No because I'm European so I don't keep much track on American sports. So it's the same there? Very well then, guess it's not just football then, but for a European it surely feels like it's only something you find in football.

[Fathr]

Human nature I guess, the ones that you have mentioned here are amongst if not at times THE best players in the world. How would you react if you had gone through life beign told that you are special, and having fans begging you for your autograph or screaming when they see you ? You cant go through that kind of attention and praise with out it having an effect. Only the strongest stay true to themselves, and doesnt let it effect them, and for others it helps them perform. What would Zlatan be without his huge ego ? A regular player who would never have had the audacity to do some of the crazy goals he's done through his career, these goals only came because he had the nerve and selfconfidence to try a shot at goal even from crazy distances and angles.

[Rumred]

No because I'm European so I don't keep much track on American sports. So it's the same there? Very well then, guess it's not just football then, but for a European it surely feels like it's only something you find in football.

Well I am not sure since I don't watch football or as many in America call it soccer for w/e reason but I would suspect since they are the biggest sports stars over there they have a massive celebrity status for the stars and this can lead to an inflated ego. In the US the NBA and NFL are the biggest sports atm and they have many over the top personalities and divas. In the NFL Wide Receivers have a bad rep for being divas. But it's not just those look at MMA and Boxing. I don't think anyone on this earth can rival Floyd Mayweather with being a diva. But he backs it up be winning everything he does in the ring.

[Quaade]

Compared to other sports, football seems to have a higher amount of self-centered divas. Why is this?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one huge ego. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be far behind. Beckham was kinda the same. Messi seems alright and humble, though

I like to watch ice hockey and handball as well, and I can't come up with any hockey star or handball player that's as far up their own ass as someone like Zlatan.

They're told repeatedly that they are the stars and the lynchpin of the team. Repeated exposure to that idea is bound to change the perception of reality in the people that subconsciously want to believe that.

[Easo]

Have you seen the NFL or NBA? They have a large number of divas that can hang with the best of them.

I don't think that anyone beats the fidget spinners rolling around in the football, though.

[Tiwack]

Because it's often an escape for them and they remain children at heart. It takes a lot of practice and blocking out the rest of the world to get where they end up.
The fame and money don't help them at all to develop as adults once they get into the big leagues.

[tankbug]

I'm sure narcissism, self-centered ambitions and having a huge competitive drive turns a talented athlete into a star. When you focus on yourself, and people treat you like a king, I'm bet you'd feel like the world owes you their respect.

[crusadernero]

Compared to other sports, football seems to have a higher amount of self-centered divas. Why is this?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one huge ego. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be far behind. Beckham was kinda the same. Messi seems alright and humble, though

I like to watch ice hockey and handball as well, and I can't come up with any hockey star or handball player that's as far up their own ass as someone like Zlatan.

Do you watch ice hockey in the US or EU? If you are big as zlatan/ronaldo in hockey, you dont play in EU but in NHL, and im sure theres quite a few self-centered divas there. Yes its a more physical sport and out on the ice they look tougher, but that might not be the case off the ice.

I enjoy watching Handball, both women and men. But we cant compare the popularity of it with football. Football is MUCH bigger and attracts much more people and especially money. Alot of money.

Couple that with society having a huge need to praise, follow and worship individual athletes - you can get the feeling of these athletes being self centered.

But, what does all of these have in common? They are/were one of the best in football. They have sacrifised alot on the way to get there. They have worked really hard, everyday, every year.

You cant really get on the top-top level in any big sport without being somewhat self-centered. Being a top athlete in any sport isnt really healthy either. it brings you to the brink both phsyically and mentally. It drains you and its hard work every day. One little mistake and the media is all over you.

And never forget that you get portrayed how these people are through the media. You dont really never get to know most of these top athletes. Maybe Zlatan is one hell of a cool guy in private, you will never know.

[Protean]

Compared to other sports, football seems to have a higher amount of self-centered divas. Why is this?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one huge ego. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be far behind. Beckham was kinda the same. Messi seems alright and humble, though

I like to watch ice hockey and handball as well, and I can't come up with any hockey star or handball player that's as far up their own ass as someone like Zlatan.

It's a persona. It's a show because it's what the fans want. They want stars they can talk shit about. It creates headlines.

Basically: It's all business.

[Luxeley]

I think there are a lot more Divas in the NBA than the NFL.

[Deathknightish]

Do you watch ice hockey in the US or EU? If you are big as zlatan/ronaldo in hockey, you dont play in EU but in NHL, and im sure theres quite a few self-centered divas there. Yes its a more physical sport and out on the ice they look tougher, but that might not be the case off the ice.

I enjoy watching Handball, both women and men. But we cant compare the popularity of it with football. Football is MUCH bigger and attracts much more people and especially money. Alot of money.

Couple that with society having a huge need to praise, follow and worship individual athletes - you can get the feeling of these athletes being self centered.

But, what does all of these have in common? They are/were one of the best in football. They have sacrifised alot on the way to get there. They have worked really hard, everyday, every year.

You cant really get on the top-top level in any big sport without being somewhat self-centered. Being a top athlete in any sport isnt really healthy either. it brings you to the brink both phsyically and mentally. It drains you and its hard work every day. One little mistake and the media is all over you.

And never forget that you get portrayed how these people are through the media. You dont really never get to know most of these top athletes. Maybe Zlatan is one hell of a cool guy in private, you will never know.

I don't watch games in the NHL as it's during the night here, but I have a good track on the players.

Not even players like Crosby, Ovetjkin, Lundqvist, Bäckström, Forsberg, Granlund, Barkov and McDavid are anywhere near the pretentious persona of Zlatan, for instance. Closest would be Lundqvist because he does the "Head and shoulders" commercial, but that's just one big joke (he's not even egocentric there, just fooling around) and I've met him several times IRL when he played for Frölunda, and he's a really humble and good guy.

[Morae]

Once you get paid millions(?) for bouncing around a ball, it is going to get into your head.


Also they are probably trying to be a bit different from the other people who get paid millions to bounce around a ball. Easiest way is to start an act. Not sure which ones have done it too much that they arent acting any more...

[Mirishka]

No because I'm European so I don't keep much track on American sports. So it's the same there? Very well then, guess it's not just football then, but for a European it surely feels like it's only something you find in football.

Trust me, you could replace 'football' with literally any sport or profession of high notoriety here and you'd have enough egomaniacs and divas to last the rest of your life.

[Kokolums]

Some introverts discern any extroverted activity as ego run amok. They want to close every cinema and hunker in their living room on their couch alone for the rest of their lives. Its nice to see extroverts enjoy themselves in public.

[crusadernero]

I don't watch games in the NHL as it's during the night here, but I have a good track on the players.

Not even players like Crosby, Ovetjkin, Lundqvist, Bäckström, Forsberg, Granlund, Barkov and McDavid are anywhere near the pretentious persona of Zlatan, for instance. Closest would be Lundqvist because he does the "Head and shoulders" commercial, but that's just one big joke (he's not even egocentric there, just fooling around) and I've met him several times IRL when he played for Frölunda, and he's a really humble and good guy.

You have never met Zlatan in real life. You have never spendt time with him or learned about him besides what the media shows you. For all we know Zlatan potrays a persona in front of cameras, "never die" attitude. Maybe he also has a highly dark humor - cause he is can be quite sarcastic and joke about alot of stuff.

And I dont know if you read the book about him, but if you do its easier to understand the person Zlatan. He is shaped by his surroundings, thats for sure. I bet theres alot of Zlatans running about in Malmø

[Mendzia]

That is why i do not watch sports at all. Especially football.

[PokeKitty]

In my opinion I think NBA has way more, like Harden, Westbrook, Embiid, Lebron...Kyrie... Curry... Kanter etc...The egos are too much, complains about everything on the social media about the game in general.