Top 8 dirtiest EFL Championship players in 2025/26 | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at the eight dirtiest players in the Championship this season

The EFL Championship has boasted some incredible footballers over the years, all across the pitch, with the English second tier often seen as the league where the best young talent in the country breaks through.

The likes of Emiliano Buendia, Said Benrahma, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Bryan Mbeumo, and Michael Olise are just some of the foreign talent that have graced the league over the years, whilst each of Harry Kane, Ebere Eze, Morgan Rogers, Marc Guehi, and Jarrod Bowen has also developed with teams in the second tier before propelling to stardom.

However, for the incredible talent that has played in the Championship over the years, like any league, each side needs a bit of bite, with some players having a bit more than others.

Aggression can be a double-edged sword, as, on the one hand, a tough tackler is capable of dominating games from midfield, locking down defenders and leading superbly from the front, or it can result in harsh challenges, injuries, and suspensions.

The Championship is notorious for being one of the most physical divisions in the world, though, who are the dirtiest players in the league this year? Fortunately, FLW has taken a look at the top eight, so you don't have to, with this ranking system looking at the players with the most cards in the division this season; yellow cards count for one, red cards count for two, for the purpose of this list.

8 ? ? Todd Cantwell

Blackburn Rovers captain Todd Cantwell has always been a player with undoubted quality ever since breaking through with Norwich City, but for one reason or another, he has never hit the heights many thought him capable of.

At Ewood Park, Cantwell has become Blackburn's talisman in most respects and is the fulcrum of most of the club's attacks, though he also leads the ranks in another surprising statistic.

With only 20 league appearances this season, the attacking-midfielder has racked up nine yellow cards already, averaging one almost every other game, one of the highest rates in the division.

Manager Michael O'Neill will be aware of this, and must utilise Cantwell with caution, as though he is capable of winning games on his own, his temperament could see the club plunge deeper into trouble if he is not careful.

7 ? ? Nestory Irankunda

Diminutive Australian winger Nestory Irankunda is enjoying his first season in English football with Watford after his permanent move from Bayern Munich this summer.

The 20-year-old first shot to prominence for his performances as a teenager in the A-League, known for his incredible ball-striking ability and natural flair.

A live wire by nature, Irankunda has, however, notched up eight yellow cards across the season, as well as one red card, meaning he ranks above Cantwell in this list.

The majority of the fouls he has made and the reasoning behind his bookings have been mostly cynical, which is something he must ensure he irons out in his game moving forward.

6 ? ? Marko Stamenic

Swansea City made numerous recruits in the midfield this summer, with the likes of Ethan Galbraith, Malick Yalcouye, and Melker Widell joining in the summer, whilst Finnish international Leo Walta joined the club in January.

However, one of their most prominent midfield additions this summer was that of New Zealand international Marko Stamenic, joining permanently from Nottingham Forest.

The Kiwi spent time with the likes of FC Copenhagen, Crvena Zvezda, and Olympiacos, playing in both the Europa League and Champions League before making the move to the English second tier in the summer.

Stamenic has so far racked up ten yellow cards in 28 league games in South Wales, the highest among the Swans squad and the joint-highest yellow card total in the entire division.

5 ? ? Matt Crooks

Hull City midfielder Matt Crooks, when fit, has been one of the Tigers' best players this season and has helped to play a large factor in the club's success this campaign, with Sergej Jakirovic's side closing in on a top-six finish.

Crooks, at 32, is somewhat of a veteran at this level, with Hull being his fourth different side in the division and his fifth Yorkshire club in total, after spells with Halifax Town, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United, and Middlesbrough previously.

With Hull under a transfer embargo for this entire campaign, having someone like Crooks in the squad has made a huge difference for Jakirovic's side, although the Bosnian boss will likely be keen to see the midfielder rein in one specific area.

Crooks has racked up ten yellow cards in just 22 appearances this season, averaging one every other game, which, although it shows his willingness to get stuck in, his suspensions as a result will no doubt be frustrating to contend with.

4 ? ? Junior Tchamadeu

Stoke City right-back Junior Tchamadeu has not made a single appearance for Stoke since mid-December, with the Cameroonian international jetting off to AFCON shortly after and sustaining an injury whilst at the tournament.

Tchamadeu has emerged as a real game-changer under Mark Robins in the Potteries, with his ability to get up and down the right flank, making overlapping runs proving to be a real key weapon for Stoke, who have seen their form collapse in his absence.

He is due to return to action soon, fortunately for them. Though upon his return, Robins will be keen to keep him in the squad, and will be wary of the ten yellow cards he has picked up in just 20 league games this season, averaging one every other game.

His tenacity is a key component of his game, and whilst it has its benefits when diving into challenges and bombing up and down the right flank, it also sees him pick up numerous bookings, something the 22-year-old must work on.

3 ? ? Darnell Furlong

Signed from West Bromwich Albion this summer to bolster the Tractor Boys' options at right-back, 30-year-old Darnell Furlong is closing in on 300 appearances in the Championship, with his experience at this level being one of the main factors behind Kieran McKenna bringing him to Portman Road in the window.

Furlong has cemented himself as Ipswich's first-choice option at right-back this campaign ahead of Ben Johnson, and will hope to retain his place heading into next year in what he will be hoping will be in the Premier League.

However, with nine yellow cards and one red card in 31 league appearances thus far, Furlong's name goes into the referee's book certainly more than McKenna would appreciate.

Though with what he brings to the side, he can be forgiven, with his tenacity and experience in that area proving to be invaluable for Ipswich, especially if they seal promotion.

2 ? ? Amadou Mbengue

Queens Park Rangers defender Amadou Mbengue falls just short of the top spot on this list by virtue of the fact that he has played slightly more games than the person in first place.

With nine yellow cards and one red card, Mbengue has quickly developed a reputation for being quite rash when diving into challenges and not afraid of confrontations with referees.

Signed from League One Reading this summer to bolster the R's defensive options, the 24-year-old was incredibly fortunate not to be sent off earlier this campaign in QPR's 1-0 home triumph over Stoke, where his strong challenge on Ben Pearson (more on him shortly) saw him walk away without penalisation controversially.

His erratic nature is certainly a double-edged sword, as whilst it can work to great effect in some games, it can also work to be a major detriment to Julien Stephan's side.

1 ? ? Ben Pearson

Avid fans of the Championship will be unsurprised to see who tops this list.

Stoke midfielder Ben Pearson has garnered a reputation over the years as a bit of a hot-head in the middle of the park, and never one to back down from a scrap; instead, actively encouraging them and beginning them in many instances.

Pearson first gained his reputation whilst with Preston North End under Alex Neil, and has continued to lunge into tackles in the Potteries.

With nine yellow cards and one red card this season, the latter for pulling down Sheffield United forward Patrick Bamford as he closed in on goal, the 31-year-old tops this list to nobody's shock, and shows few signs of changing his ways anytime soon.