A French journalist has launched an astonishing verbal attack on former Newcastle United forward Hatem Ben Arfa - claiming anyone who labels the Frenchman a 'genius' is an 'idiot.'
In an astonishing rant, French football pundit Daniel Riolo did not hold anything back as he shared his view on Ben Arfa after Bordeaux's recent poor run of games.
"[Bordeaux] didn’t create a single opportunity because they have a muppet who thinks of himself as an international star," Riolo said, "who as soon as he gets the ball, doesn’t give it to anyone, wants to dribble three players and shoots in the stands.
"It’s a shame! And the guy doesn’t even run. Did you see him on the pitch, his attitude? He’s not running…”
“We’ve been p***ing about for 15 years with this guy in French football, and you still have people who are saying ‘yeah, he’s a great player, he’s a real genius’.
"And our fellow journalists have been saying the same for 15 years. Just shut your mouths, you all suck. You don’t understand anything about football.
"It drives me crazy that this guy has been considered a genius for fifteen years.
"But when? A genius is Messi! Besides an idiot, there is no one who can say that he is a genius.
“They can put me on trial in the world, the guy who tells me that Ben Arfa is a genius is an idiot, a guy who does not understand anything about football.”
Ben Arfa became a fans' favourite at Newcastle after joining in August 2010 but despite some great moments of magic never fully lived up to the hype.
