Soccer's most X-rated tackles: We look at some of the worst challenges ever
- Tottenham's Dele Alli was criticised for a rough tackle on Brecht Dejaegere during their Europa League match with Gent
- But there have been plenty of far worse tackles in football in the past
- Manchester United captain Roy Keane deliberately ended Alf Inge Haaland's career with a high tackle
- West German keeper Harald Schumacher famously took out Patrick Battison
- Steven Gerrard, Nigel de Jong and Graeme Souness also feature in hall of shame
Dele Alli's X-rated lunge on Gent's Brecht Dejaegere caused everyone inside Wembley - and those watching on television - to wince. It could easily have snapped the Belgian's shin in two.
Rightly, Alli was shown a straight red card by referee Jorge Sousa and Tottenham's hopes of salvaging the tie never fully recovered.
But the England playmaker is certainly not the first to leave an opponent crumpled on the turf in agony. Here's our selection of some of world football's most horrific tackles.
Dele Alli saw red for this horrendous tackle on Gent's Brecht Dejaegere in Tottenham's Europa League tie at Wembley on Thursday night
The England playmaker was lucky not to snap the Belgian's leg with his rash high tackle
Alli was shown a straight red card by referee Jorge Sousa and Tottenham exited
Roy Keane on Alf Inge Haaland, Manchester United vs Manchester City, April 2001
The Manchester United captain's horrendously high tackle was bad enough in itself, but it was made worse when Keane revealed he had deliberately intended to gain revenge on Haaland.
The Norwegian had been a Leeds United player when he caused Keane cruciate ligament damage during an earlier clash in the 1997-98 season and claimed that Keane was feigning injury.
As later revealed in his autobiography, Kane bided his time and waited until this 50-50 tackle in the Manchester derby to plant his studs in Haaland's knee.
Keane was shown a straight red card and didn't complain. Haaland never played at the top level again.
Roy Keane ended Alf Inge Haaland's career with this horrendous knee-high tackle in 2001
The Manchester United captain couldn't resist having a word in Haaland's ear afterwards
Graeme Souness on Gheorghe Rotariu, Rangers vs Steaua Bucharest, 1988
Many players like to leave a marker on their opposite number early on but Souness took it to another level when Rangers played Steaua in a 1988 European Cup tie at Ibrox.
Just six minutes in and Souness, despite having control of the ball, decided to take a chunk out of Gheorghe Rotariu's thigh.
Hilariously, Souness attempts to protest his innocence by pointing to his calf but the referee is rightly having none of it.
Steven Gerrard on Gary Naysmith, Liverpool vs Everton, February 2003
The Merseyside derby isn't a game in need of additional spice but Steven Gerrard provided some at Anfield in 2003 when his two-footed lunge left Gary Naysmith writhing in agony on the floor.
Gerrard was found guilty of violent conduct at an FA hearing and served a three-match suspension for the awful challenge, even if he stressed 'I tried to pull back. I certainly never intended to hurt him.'
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier offered his support: 'It was practically an accident.' It certainly didn't look that way.
Steven Gerrard was suspended for three matches for this terrible lunge on Gary Naysmith
The Liverpool player stressed that he never intended to go in two-footed on the Everton man
Harald Schumacher on Patrick Battison, West Germany vs France, World Cup 1982
A collision that still sends a shudder down the spine even now. The 1982 World Cup semi-final is delicately poised at 1-1 as French substitute Patrick Battison bears down on goal.
The West German keeper Schumacher comes racing out and neither is going to give the ball up. The two collided at speed, with Schumacher's survival instincts kicking in as he twists his body to reduce the damage to himself.
He catches Battison full in the face, knocking out three teeth and causing vertebrae damage after the Frenchman lands smack on the turf.
'I thought he was dead,' said Michel Platini. 'Because he had no pulse and looked pale.'
Schumacher, unaware how much damage he'd caused, said simply after Germany's extra time win: 'If that's all that's wrong with him, I'll pay him the crowns.'
France's Patrick Battison is treated on the ground following his collision with Schumacher
Nigel de Jong on Xabi Alonso, Holland vs Spain, World Cup final 2010
It is still a mystery how Nigel de Jong remained on the pitch after his extraordinary king-fu kick to the chest of Spain's Xabi Alonso.
Perhaps it was because it occurred during such a tempestuous World Cup final that referee Howard Webb was lenient. The English official later admitted he was wrong to leave this assault unpunished.
Nigel de Jong somehow didn't see red for this horrendous kung-fu kick on Xabi Alonso
The chest-high kick was just one of a series of bad tackles in an ill-tempered World Cup final
Ben Thatcher on Pedro Mendes, Manchester City vs Portsmouth, August 2006
Thatcher's brutal forearm smash into the face of Pedro Mendes gained him instant villain status and a long spell on the sidelines.
The Manchester City man ran halfway across the pitch and led with his elbow in knocking the Pompey player unconscious. Mendes needed oxygen and suffered a seizure as a result of the challenge.
Incredibly, Thatcher was shown just a yellow card, prompting Portsmouth's Matt Taylor to say: 'How can that now be a sending off? What do you have to do, kill someone?'
Thatcher was retrospectively punished, however, with an eight-game FA ban plus a six-match club suspension.
Manchester City's Ben Thatcher received a lengthy ban for his elbow smash on Pedro Mendes
Mendes was knocked out cold and required oxygen and a hospital stay afterwards
Commins Menapi on Riki Van Steeden, Waitakere United vs Auckland City, 2007
If you search on YouTube for horror tackles, this often comes up. It's from the 2007 New Zealand league Grand Final and sees Menapi of Waitakere United buckling the leg of Auckland's Riki van Steeden.
I'll let this video do the talking and it seems to get more gruesome on each viewing. Only watch if you're not squeamish. And, yes, the leg was broken. And, yes, he was sent off.
Felix Muamba-Musasa on Oupa Ngulube, Carara Kicks vs Mpumalanga Black Aces, May 2009
It's only fair to warn you that the close-up of this tackle will turn your stomach. It even looks horrendous when the camera is fully panned out.
This took place in the South African Premier League in 2009 and you can only imagine how those with front row seats in the dug-out must have winced at the yelp of pain.
Callum McManaman on Massadio Haidara, Wigan Athletic vs Newcastle United, March 2013
Back to the English Premier League and a tackle most of you will remember from a few seasons back.
Contesting a 50-50 ball, the Wigan man raised his boot and stamps it right into the Newcastle player's knee, leaving him to be taken off on a stretcher and sparking a mass brawl.
Referee Mark Halsey didn't spot the tackle at the time and had to apologise to Newcastle manager Alan Pardew afterwards.
Callum McManaman's horrendous challenge on Massadio Haidara back in 2013
Chris Mavinga on Mehdi Carcela, Genk vs Standard Liege, 2011
Realising he was beaten for pace, Genk's Mavinga tries to wrap his foot around the ball and put it out for a throw-in.
But the attempt goes very badly wrong as he catches the Standard Liege man plum in the face and send him crashing face-first to the ground.
The Moroccan suffered a broken jaw and nose that required surgery, but he was remaining positive: 'I realise that I've been very lucky. Thank God I'm still alive. After all, I could be dead.'
Martin Taylor on Eduardo Da Silva, Birmingham City vs Arsenal, February 2008
The moment that ended Arsenal's Premier League title challenge in 2007-08 and led to Birmingham's Martin Taylor receiving death threats.
His tackle on in-form Eduardo made for agonising viewing and left Arsene Wenger incensed, as his striker suffered a dislocation of his left ankle and missed the rest of the season.
Taylor received a red card, as you might expect.
Martin Taylor's horrendous tackle on Eduardo during Birmingham's match with Arsenal
The Croatia international suffered a dislocation of his left ankle following the tackle
Axel Witsel on Marcin Wasilewski, Anderlecht vs Standard Liege, August 2009
Another shocker from Belgium that tarnished the reputation of Witsel as he made his breakthrough at Liege. Contesting a ball near the touchline with Wasilewski, he deliberately stamps on the Anderlecht man's leg.
Wasilewski was sidelined for a whole year with a broken leg, while Witsel received an eight-match suspension.
(The Mail, London)
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