Zinedine Zidane, Luis Suárez and essentially the most notable crimson playing cards in World Cup historical past

There have been 189 whole crimson card incidents involving gamers in historical past.

Some ejections have been through straight crimson playing cards, others have been on account of a participant selecting up a second yellow card. Many have been earned, many have been deserved, some have been controversial, some have been consequential to a participant’s crew.

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Peru’s Plácido Galindo was the primary to be despatched off in 1930. of america males’s nationwide crew is the in a World Cup match.

Here is a have a look at a number of the most notable crimson card incidents within the 96 years of World Cup play.

Galindo earned an ejection, however Carlos Caszely truly noticed crimson

When Galindo was despatched off for Peru throughout in 1930, the precise use of playing cards was not a part of officiating protocol. Following a number of fights in a match towards Romania, Galindo was requested by referee Alberto Warnken to go away the sector.

Precise crimson and yellow playing cards have been put into use in 1970, however a bodily crimson card was not issued till 1974 when Caszely noticed one raised by referee Doğan Babacan. The Chilean ahead had simply delivered a sort out on West Germany’s Berti Vogts in retaliation for taking the ball off of him.

José Batista wastes no time getting despatched off in 1986

It took little or no time in any respect for Batista to finish up within the historical past books — 56 seconds, to be actual.

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On the 1986 World Cup, the Uruguayan defender was despatched off with a straight crimson card within the first minute of a gaggle stage sport towards . The crimson got here on account of a harmful sort out on Scotland midfielder Gordon Strachan, with the referee taking little time earlier than exhibiting Batista the cardboard.

Regardless of being down a participant for practically the whole sport, held sturdy, ending with a 0-0 draw. Uruguay’s two attracts ended up being sufficient for the crew to advance to the knockout spherical after ending third within the standings, whereas Scotland didn’t advance.

Batista’s 56-second crimson card nonetheless stands as a World Cup document.

Gianluca Pagliuca turns into the primary goalkeeper to earn a crimson card at a World Cup

Pagliuca made his personal type of historical past in 1994, turning into the primary participant in his place to get a crimson card throughout a World Cup sport. In ‘s second group stage sport, towards , Pagliuca ran out of the field to make a save and touched the ball along with his palms, promptly getting despatched off for the offense.

Italy, nonetheless, managed to beat the person drawback to attain within the 69th minute and win the sport. That group, Group E, ended with all 4 groups getting 4 factors, resulting in a sequence of tiebreakers that left Norway in final place on account of objective differential. Italy superior out of third place within the group after the unprecedented end.

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In whole, solely three goalkeepers have been despatched off from the World Cup. In 2010, keeper joined the checklist after he clipped the toes of Uruguay’s within the field; in 2022, Wales’ turned the third goalie to get despatched off after a harmful high-leg collision with ‘s exterior the field.

Yellow playing cards aplenty throughout the “Battle of Nuremberg”

No World Cup match had seen extra crimson playing cards than the Spherical of 16 assembly between the and in 2006.

Russian referee Valentin Ivanov was busy throughout the 1-0 win by ‘s aspect. A document 16 yellow playing cards and 4 crimson playing cards have been handed out with Mark van Bommel selecting up the primary warning within the second minute of the match. 5 minutes later, Khalid Boulahrouz earned the primary of two yellow playing cards for a sort out that injured Ronaldo and finally led to his substitution within the thirty fourth minute.

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5 yellow playing cards have been handed out within the opening 45 minutes and Portugal’s Costinha earned his second yellow card one minute into first-half stoppage time and was despatched off.

Ivanov wouldn’t officiate one other match within the event after being criticized by then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

In 2022, the Netherlands have been once more concerned in a fiery match dubbed the “” as they mixed for 18 yellow playing cards in a quarterfinal towards . Just one crimson card was handed out and got here after the penalty shootout, which went Argentina’s means, to for unsporting conduct.

Luis Suárez performs goalie for a short second

Uruguay and have been heading to penalties in 2010 when Suárez handed a possible lifeline. With the rating tied 1-1 and the match getting into the ultimate moments of stoppage time within the second interval of additional time, a frenetic scramble in entrance of the Uruguay web noticed Dominic Adiyiah’s header cleared off the objective line by Suárez … along with his palms.

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Ghana was given a penalty and Suárez noticed crimson. However Ghana didn’t capitalize on the chance as ‘s try hit the cross bar.

Uruguay would win the penalty shootout 4-2 and advance to the semifinals the place they fell to eventual event runners-up Netherlands.

Graham Ballot and the third yellow card

Two yellow playing cards equals a crimson card and a sending off. Easy as that. That rule definition slipped the thoughts of English referee Graham Ballot throughout a 2006 match between and .

Within the 66th minute with Croatia holding a 2-1 lead, Josip Šimunić was issued a yellow card for fouling Australia winger Harry Kewell. 13 minutes later, Kewell would tie the sport at two.

Referee Graham Ballot sends off Croatia’s Josip Simunic (Croatia) for a second bookable offence.

(Nick Potts – PA Photographs through Getty Photographs)

As Croatia fought for a profitable objective, Šimunić was known as for a foul within the ninetieth minute and Ballot issued him a second yellow card. The issue was that Ballot had written the flawed identify down for Šimunić’s second warning, thereby forgetting a sending-off was so as.

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An ejection would lastly come for Šimunić after the ultimate whistle had blown. The Croatian middle again was given a 3rd yellow card by Ballot for dissent. After all, in keeping with Ballot’s personal data it was a second warning, which meant Šimunić would lastly earn a crimson card.

The tip of Zidane

It was deep in further time within the 2006 ultimate between and Italy with the 2 groups locked in a 1-1 draw. Within the a hundred and tenth minute, Zinedine Zidane circled and head-butted Italian middle again Marco Materazzi sq. within the chest.

Zidane and Materazzi had been locked all sport lengthy within the middle of the sector, and have been each central to the sport’s final result. Zidane had scored first for France early on sinking within the seventh minute, whereas Materazzi, a notoriously aggressive participant, had scored the equalizing objective along with his head 12 minutes later.

The 2 have been jawing shortly earlier than Zidane wound up for the head-butt. And with Materazzi on the bottom, Zidane was proven a straight crimson card and despatched off, leaving his crew with 10 males for the remainder of the sport. Italy went on to win 5-3 in penalty kicks, incomes its fourth World Cup title.

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The fateful determination would show to be Zidane’s final in skilled soccer. Forward of the 2005-06 season, Zidane had already introduced that he can be retiring on the finish of the yr. And after the World Cup, Zidane confirmed that the shootout loss can be his ultimate sport.

Miguel Almiron #10 of reacts after receiving a crimson card for protecting his mouth whereas speaking to a different participant throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and Paraguay at San Francisco Bay Space Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Stu Forster through Getty Photographs)Miguel Almirón turns into a trivia reply below new FIFA rule

When Almirón and Türkiye’s Mert Mulder obtained right into a confrontation following a foul throughout their 2026 group-stage match, the Paraguayan midfielder lined his mouth to say one thing to Mulder. That was rapidly seen by referee Iván Barton, who then issued Almirón a crimson card below a months-old FIFA rule.

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The brand new FIFA legislation was by the Champions League controversy when ‘s accused Benfica’s of at him. Prestianni’s mouth was lined when he stated one thing to the star, which Prestianni reportedly later alleged was not racist, .

Prestianni was later given a .

Starting with the 2026 World Cup, any participant who covers their mouths to say one thing to an opponent throughout a confrontation will obtain a crimson card.

Folarin Balogun’s crimson card not topic to attraction

Balogun scored the ‘s opening objective throughout its 2-0 Spherical of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, however was gone from the sport 21 minutes later.

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“If a participant or crew official is shipped off on account of a direct or oblique crimson card [for a second yellow card], they’ll mechanically be suspended from their crew’s subsequent match,” . Rule 10.5 states that additional penalties might be added, with the for breaking the leg of ‘s for instance.

A number of shops have reported that there’s for the U.S., as per FIFA’s guidelines, and Balogun will miss Monday’s Spherical of 16 match towards .

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