The World Cup is the most demanding event in football, especially for world-class individuals to demonstrate not only their technical brilliance but also their bravery. Their natural ability to dribble, create and score will leave defenders scratching their heads. Their technical brilliance let opponents down and forced them to foul. Let's take a look at the top five most fouled players in World Cup history. 5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - Fouled 58 times Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo has been fouled 58 times in 22 appearances in five World Cup competitions, according to World Cup stats. Ronaldo, who scored eight goals at the World Cup after a disappointing quarter-final exit to Morocco in Qatar, is the only player in history to score at five World Cups. In the previous three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014), Ronaldo played mainly on the left wing, relying on his speed and dribbling ability to beat opponents. Defenders have often been frustrated by their inability to stop Ronaldo and have resorted to unorthodox means to impede his movements. Despite his best efforts, Ronaldo has yet to play in a World Cup final in his career. Under Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal played only one semi-final in 2006. They lost 1-0 to France in the semi-finals and then 1-3 to Germany in the third-place match. 3. Neymar (Brazil) - Fouled 60 times Neymar has eight goals, four assists and been fouled 60 times in 13 World Cup appearances. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar is fouled an average of 4.6 times per game, the most by any active player in the World Cup. Neymar has yet to play for Brazil in a World Cup semi-final, let alone a final. At the 2014 World Cup, Neymar suffered a serious injury in the quarterfinal against Colombia and was ruled out of the semifinal against Germany. Neymar almost took Brazil to the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup after a 7-1 defeat without the striker, but a gritty Croatia side eventually beat them and knocked them out of the quarter-finals (4-2 on penalties, 1-1 in extra time). 3. Casino (Brazil) - Fouled 64 times The history of Brazilian football has typical Brazilian charm and dance moves, and Casino is known as "Furacao da Copa" (World Cup hurricane). A gifted right winger, he played in 16 World Cup games, scoring nine times and being fouled 64 times. Chasino played in three World Cups, winning one in 1970. He was a force to be reckoned with at the 1970 World Cup, scoring in every match to help Brazil win the title. He scored seven goals and made one assist in six games, with his only assist coming in the 4-1 win over Italy in the final, and he won the Silver Boot Award for his seven goals. 2. Messi (Argentina) - Fouled 66 times Stopping Messi is arguably one of the toughest tasks in the world, so it's not surprising to see him on this list. Messi has been fouled 66 times at the World Cup to date, the second most in World Cup history and the most by any active player. Messi, who has arguably the most coveted trophy in soccer, will be hoping to win his first World Cup on Dec. 18 in Qatar, eight years after he nearly won it before being beaten in the final by Germany. Messi's performance at the 2014 World Cup (4 goals, 1 assist) was so outstanding that he won the Ballon d 'Or award. He is also a favourite for individual honours this year, whether Argentina win the final or not. He has five goals and three assists in six games and is the leading goal contributor at this World Cup (as of 14 December). Overall, he scored 11 goals and eight assists in 25 World Cup games, making him Argentina's leading scorer in the tournament. 1. Maradona (Argentina) - Fouled 152 times Considered the greatest soccer player of all time, Diego Maradona has been assessed 152 fouls in 21 World Cup matches in his career. To the disappointment of his opponents, repeated fouls did not prevent him from leading his country to the ultimate prize, and in 1986 he led Argentina to glory. In four World Cups, Maradona scored eight goals and provided eight assists. Maradona scored five goals and provided five assists at the 1986 World Cup, playing well in almost every game. He played some of his best football against England in the quarter-finals, scoring two goals as Argentina won 2-1. Maradona then scored twice against Belgium in the semi-final, giving Argentina a 2-0 win. In the final, Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 to win their second World Cup title.