Inside Ronnie O’Sullivan’s rivalry with Ali Carter including infamous ‘snotgate’ row as they meet at World Championship

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN and Ali Carter's rivalry has included two world championship finals and a tissue filled with SNOT!

And now The Rocket will take on The Captain in the first round at the 2025 World Snooker Championship on Tuesday.

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The pair have plenty of history after O'Sullivan was accused of barging his opponent at the Crucible six years ago.

Then there was the infamous fall out from their 'Snotgate' row last year.

But while O'Sullivan's in the draw, his inclusion is not a given after missing NINE tournaments this season.

The 49-year-old has not played on the World Snooker Tour (WST) since January, when he withdrew from his Championship League group - and was so frustrated with his game that he snapped his cue after losing four of his five matches.

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He subsequently missed the Masters and was a late withdrawal from the German Masters and the Welsh Open, while he pulled out of the Championship League after five matches.

Ronnie exclusively told SunSport: "I’ll make a decision when I feel like I’m ready to make a decision. That will be it.

"I know I have nothing to prove. But I was getting to the point where I was scared to even go near a table."

O'Sullivan is aiming to win a record eighth world title - he is tied for the most tournament wins with Stephen Hendry.

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But if he decides to play next week, O'Sullivan has been tasked with overcoming his nemesis in Carter.

The Rocket has now won 23 of his 26 matches against Carter, including victories in the 2008 and 2012 World Championship finals.

But what's the history? Why don't the two get on? SunSport takes a look below.

Snotgate row

Perhaps the most bizarre argument in snooker, or even in sporting history, erupted last year in the Masters final.

Carter alleged O’Sullivan violently cleared his nose – like a long-distance runner might do – on to the carpet while sitting in his chair in the final frames of the Masters final in 2024.

The Captain claimed the sport’s greatest player was “snotting all over the floor” and labelled it as “outrageous behaviour from a top professional”.

In response, O’Sullivan launched a furious X-rated rant, stuck up his middle finger in protest and stormed out of his press conference with family and friends trailing behind.

The seven-time world champion said: “He can sit on it as far as I’m concerned. I don’t give a f***.

“F***ing why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls. I don’t give a f***.

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“The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. Absolutely. He’s just digging a grave for himself. He needs to sort his f***ing life out.”

But O'Sullivan admitted to having some regrets over it all, revealing: "Maybe I should have been more diplomatic."

He said in January, before withdrawing from this year's Masters: "It’s just heat of the moment stuff. If I feel like I’ve got to say something I’ll say it.

“Do I regret saying it? Probably.

“I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and been a bit more polished with my answers, a bit more diplomatic.

“But I’ve said what I’ve said and that’s fine. It’s only words innit?”

O'Sullivan had rallied from 6-3 down to beat Carter 10-7 and win a record-extending eighth Masters title on that day.

Rewind seven years

In an extraordinary turn of events, the pair met at the Crucible seven years ago and it got ugly.

Tensions were already running high in their second round clash after O'Sullivan pegged Carter back to 9-8 after his opponent led 8-3.

But Carter reestablished his lead, and was a snooker away from going within two frames of victory.

After fluking a shot, O'Sullivan returned to his seat as Carter walked past him.

But, Ronnie left his shoulder out and gave Ali a barge before sitting down.

O'Sullivan aimed at Carter: “That’s for being Mr Angry. You shoulder barged me earlier, I thought I’d give you one back.

“Thank you, it’s very nice of you,” Carter replied with a smile on his face.

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“Stop being angry then,” Ronnie continued before referee Paul Collier advises the pair calm down.

"Yeah, I'm cool," Ronnie concluded. "Cool as a cucumber."

Cancer-survivor Carter, who also lost two world finals to O'Sullivan in 2008 and 2012, went on win the ill-tempered contest 13-9.

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He celebrated with several fist pumps, showing exactly what it meant.

After the game, Carter told the BBC: “I’ve been intimidated by him in the past.

List of all-time Snooker World Champions

BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.

The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.

The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.

Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.

Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.

• 1969 - John Spencer
• 1970 - Ray Reardon
• 1971 - John Spencer
• 1972 - Alex Higgins
• 1973 - Ray Reardon (2)
• 1974 - Ray Reardon (3)
• 1975 - Ray Reardon (4)
• 1976 - Ray Reardon (5)
• 1977 - John Spencer (2)
• 1978 - Ray Reardon (6)
• 1979 - Terry Griffiths
• 1980 - Cliff Thorburn
• 1981 - Steve Davis
• 1982 - Alex Higgins (2)
• 1983 - Steve Davis (2)
• 1984 - Steve Davis (3)
• 1985 - Dennis Taylor
• 1986 - Joe Johnson
• 1987 - Steve Davis (4)
• 1988 - Steve Davis (5)
• 1989 - Steve Davis (6)
• 1990 - Stephen Hendry
• 1991 - John Parrott
• 1992 - Stephen Hendry (2)
• 1993 - Stephen Hendry (3)
• 1994 - Stephen Hendry (4)
• 1995 - Stephen Hendry (5)
• 1996 - Stephen Hendry (6)
• 1997 - Ken Doherty
• 1998 - John Higgins
• 1999 - Stephen Hendry (7)
• 2000 - Mark Williams
• 2001 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2002 - Peter Ebdon
• 2003 - Mark Williams (2)
• 2004 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)
• 2005 - Shaun Murphy
• 2006 - Graeme Dott
• 2007 - John Higgins (2)
• 2008 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
• 2009 - John Higgins (3)
• 2010 - Neil Robertson
• 2011 - John Higgins (4)
• 2012 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (4)
• 2013 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)
• 2014 - Mark Selby
• 2015 - Stuart Bingham
• 2016 - Mark Selby (2)
• 2017 - Mark Selby (3)
• 2018 - Mark Williams (3)
• 2019 - Judd Trump
• 2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
• 2021 - Mark Selby (4)
• 2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
• 2023 - Luca Brecel
• 2024 - Kyren Wilson

Most World Titles (modern era)

• 7 - Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 6 - Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
• 4 - John Higgins, Mark Selby
• 3 - John Spencer, Mark Williams
• 2 - Alex Higgins