Quite simply, football can be a brutal sport. Players are able to hurt opponents and their teammates with a single tackle, which can lead to a red card. In fact, in 2010, the Netherlands picked up nine yellow cards in a match against Spain in the World Cup Final. That resulted in a loss to Spain that was not just embarrassing but also costly for the Dutch.
Aside from sending off a player, a red card can render a player unavailable for the next match. In addition to a red card, players can be suspended from a game for up to three games. In a 50/50 situation, referees will often be lenient, especially if they like the players. In the end, the red card is the most severe sanction. In most cases, teams that lose a player because of a red card are eliminated from the competition.
At the 2006 World Cup, England’s Wayne Rooney was sent off during a game against Portugal. A red card is usually issued for foul play, abusive language, or serious foul play. It’s important to understand how the Laws of the Game work and what penalties are issued.
The first time red cards were introduced was in the 1970 World Cup. The Netherlands and Germany are rivals and share a fierce rivalry. The two countries received a combined 63 red cards and nine yellow cards at the 2010 World Cup. In the final, Marcio Santos missed a penalty.
In the 1990 World Cup, Germany defeated Italy on penalty kicks and went on to lift the world championship trophy. Gianluca Pagliuca, who was Italy’s first-choice goalkeeper, was also sent off. He was sent off for violent protests during the penalty kicks. He had been playing his final UCL game for Juventus.
The same year, England played 1954 champions West Germany, and Paul Gascoigne cried during the game. He was sent off for kicking out at a rival. In a later World Cup match, he was also sent off in a shootout for his actions.
In the final of the 2006 Champions League, Barcelona took advantage of being down to 10 men. Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann was sent off for bringing down Samuel Eto’o. The game was tied at 2-2 after 90 minutes. Then Mario Mandzukic scored for Juventus, putting the team ahead. Then in the 61st minute, Blaise Matuidi added another goal. In the 101st minute, Geoff Hurst produced a controversial goal. He retrieved a cross with a great first touch, and the ball hit the crossbar.
The following year, a crazed fan tried to invade the pitch during a KNVB cup match between Uruguay and Argentina. Esteban Alvarado was furious and kicked the fan multiple times. After the incident, the fan fell to the ground, and the rest of the match was played with nine men.
This was a sad moment for both teams. Those who were left out of the team for red cards were dreading the next match, but it wasn’t the end of the story. You can watch the latest unique football videos at CalcioShow.