Find out which players commit and win the most fouls in the Premier League in 2025-26.
Foul stats 2025-26: Which players commit and win the most fouls in the Premier League?
These are the players that have committed and won the most fouls in the Premier League this season.
Team foul stats 2025-26: Which teams commit the most fouls in the Premier League?
These are the teams that have committed the most fouls and given away the most penalties in the Premier League this season.
READ MORE: Get our latest Player Fouls betting tips here
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What is a foul?
Opta define a foul as any infringement penalised as “foul play” by the referee, which results in a free-kick or a penalty. But there are a couple of caveats. Offsides do not count as fouls, even though they do lead the free-kicks. And when advantage has been played (and completed), a foul is not counted — a free-kick or a penalty has to have been awarded — even if a player is booked.
On the other side of a coin, a foul won is counted for a player when they win a free-kick or a penalty for their team after being fouled by an opponent. Again, fouls are not won for handballs, dives, back passes, dissent, goalkeeper violations, obstruction or illegal restarts.
What do foul numbers tell us about a player?
Depending on who you ask, fouls committed can be used to tell you two things. The first option is to show a player who is happy to disrupt play when necessary, proving vital for a team. The other is that they’re not good at tackling, often mistiming and giving away free-kicks. But there are downsides to the latter, as some players and games are refereed more harshly than others.
But fouls won are generally seen as a good thing. It often shows that a player can win their side penalties and free-kicks in dangerous positions. The most-fouled players are generally wingers, who have to take a kicking to be stopped.
Who are the worst foulers in Premier League history?
Looking back over the players with the most fouls committed in Premier League history, there are some familiar names. Gareth Barry leads the way as the only player to commit more than 600 fouls, retiring on 633. There are only three other players to commit at least 500 fouls, and two are currently active. Ashley Young (500) and James Milner (503), will be hoping they don’t edge closer to the man in second place. And that could only be Marouane Fellaini, who committed 588 fouls during his Premier League career.
Since the start of 2016-17, two players have won over 600 fouls in the Premier League. Wilfried Zaha leads the way on 685, with Jordan Ayew on 611.