The Top 15 Funniest Football Moments Ever!

Football can be a cruel game. Fans all around the world have experienced the disappointment football carries with it.
But enough doom and gloom! Barney Corkhill brings you the lighter side of football, with the top 15 funniest football moments ever!

15. Paolo Di Canio v Fabien Barthez
Ok, so many Manchester United fans won't find this funny, but for everyone else this was gold! What was that wacky frenchman Fabien Barthez thinking?! If I keep my hand up long enough they're bound to change their minds!
Even when Paolo Di Canio was just two yards from him, he refused to put his hand down and actually try and stop Di Canio scoring. Play to the whistle Fabien!

14. David Dunn gets his feet in a tangle
It's a derby match between Birmingham and Aston Villa, and David Dunn plans to wow the crowd with a piece of masterful trickery. But it didn't really go according to plan.
Yes, David Dunn not only missed the ball, but kicked his standing leg, causing him to fall over in front of thousands, giving the ball to Aston Villa in the process. Still, he had a good laugh about it afterwards!
 



13. Matt Le Tissier v Massimo Taibi
Ah, Massimo Taibi. No list of funny football moments would be complete without him. He was signed to fill the rather large boots left by Peter Schmeichel. Unfortunately, it was those boots, or studs rather that would cause this gaff. Or so he claims.
Whatever he does for the rest of his career, Taibi will always be remembered in England for letting the ball through his legs after the easiest of saves. Peter Schmeichel he was not.
 
12. Laurent Robert v Olivier Bernard
The first, but not the last time two Newcastle players will make this list. Laurent Robert had one of the hardest shots in the League. So when you get hit by one in the head from just ten yards away, it is going to hurt.
This would've been funny even without Bernard's attempts to stay upright before staggering backwards and finally finding the floor. Robert was reportedly unhappy with Bernard's poor play before that, so hit the ball as hard as he could, Bernard's head just got in the way!
 
11. Phil Babb v the Post
As Chelsea's Casiraghi put the ball in the net, Phil Babb heroically did the same. Unfortunately, he also put a ball the wrong side of the post as well. Ouch!
I don't think I have to say much about this, just watch it and feel sorry for poor Phil Babb and his future lack of kids.
 
10. Didier Drogba v Jens Lehmann
To be fair to Drogba I'm sure he stepped on an especially slippery piece of grass just as Jens Lehmann viciously pushed him, and I'm sure Drogba in turn just caught Lehmann off balance. I mean, two fully grown professional athletes wouldn't go down that easily would they?
Well, yes they would, they did and, while being hilarious to watch, it also shows all that is wrong with Premier League football today. Unfortunately for these two, however, Tom Daley just pipped them to the final qualifying spot for Beijing.

9. Lee Bowyer v Kieron Dyer
Football fights are entertaining most of the time. But when it happens between two players of the same team it's even more so! Bowyer wanted the ball, Dyer didn't give it to him so, like year eight pupils he goes and punches him square in the face.
Both received red cards, leaving Newcastle with nine men. A smile and a handshake in front of the cameras a few days later and everything was back to normal. Except they still hated each other.
 
8. The Medic Slip
Call me old fashioned, but I thought that when the first-aiders came on it was to help the player who was 'injured'. However, this medic seems to have got fed up with all the diving in football today and launched a ruthless two-footed tackle on the player down injured!
Ok, so maybe it was just an innocent slip, but it was still funny to watch and, if that player was faking injury, it must have been karma. If all medics were like that, perhaps we wouldn't get so much diving!
 
7. Keeper Own Goal
Own Goals are an unfortunate part of football. Some are more spectacular than others, but I don't think any are as stupid as this one. In Japan, the Minami goalkeeper, instead of throwing the ball to one of his own players, instead threw it straight into his own goal.
Interestingly, depsite not being allowed to score direct from a throw, this goal counted, and the goalie was forced to suffer the embarrasment of picking the ball out of his net in front of thousands.

6. Paolo Di Canio v Paul Alcock
Yes, that crazy Italian Paolo Di Canio makes his second appearance on this list. After a small scuffle with Martin Keown, and other Arsenal players, Di Canio received a red card from referee Paul Alcock. A soft push from Di Canio followed, and Paul Alcock made one of the most undignified falls ever.
He just looked like he had lost his footing on a drunken night out. Nigel Winterburn let Di Canio know what he thought of him while he was leaving the pitch. A giant flinch from Di Canio's smallest movement was enough to shut him up.

5. Referee falls over
It is often said that refs become refs because they love football, but are rubbish at it. Well, this goes some way to proving that theory. We all love seeing referees falling over, but this is probably the best of them all.
He tries a little back-heel to give the ball back, but somehow manages to tumble over, landing straight on his embarrassed face.
 
4. Robbie Savage v Everyone
It's fair to say that Robbie Savage is not the most popular footballer in the world. Judging by this clip, he isn't the luckiest either. He always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I'm sure the fans couldn't think of a player who deserves it more than Robbie Savage.
Anyone of these clips could make it into this list alone, be it the attacks on him by his team-mates, his opponents, or even the ref.

3. Rene Higuita's Scorpion Kick
Only Rene Higuita would do this. As the ball came in from Jamie Redknapp, instead of catching it like a normal keeper, Higuita chose to shake things up a bit, and did the now famous "Scorpion Kick".
Football fans worldwide still try and do the Scorpion Kick to this day, and almost everyone knows about it. In a weird and wonderful career from a crazy goalkeeper, this probably stands out as the craziest moment.
 
2. Chris Brass Own Goal
Probably the funniest own goal ever. Certainly the funniest I've ever seen. In an attempt to clear the ball over his own head, Chris Brass smashed it into his own face, and the ball ended up in the net.
To add insult to injury, or rather injury to insult, Brass broke his own nose in this freak accident. That just makes it all the funnier!
1. Stretcher mistakes
There are two under this category. The first I think is the best, after they spend a good few seconds saying which way they will go, and still both go different ways! Just imagine being the injured player in the second! I'm sure, when you are lying on the stretcher, injured, that would be pretty high on the list of things you wouldn't want to happen!
There were a few more stretcher mistakes, but I picked out what I thought were the best two.
 

So I hope you enjoyed looking at the lighter side of football, and if you have any that I missed out, feel free to say them!