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After a reasonably pedestrian first half of nan opening lucifer of nan 2026 World Cup, nan crippled burst into life successful nan 2nd period. South Africa midfielder Sphephelo Sithole, who had been astatine responsibility for Mexico’s opening goal, compounded his correction by being sent disconnected successful nan 49th infinitesimal for denying a goalscoring opportunity. When Themba Zwane was dismissed, South Africa became nan 15th squad to person 2 players sent disconnected successful nan aforesaid World Cup match.
There was clip for 1 much reddish paper earlier full-time, nan Mexico centre-back César Montes seeing reddish successful stoppage clip and pursuing successful nan footsteps of his manager, Javier Aguirre, who was sent disconnected while playing for Mexico successful nan 1986 quarter-final against West Germany successful Monterrey.
The Mexico v South Africa lucifer was nan seventh World Cup crippled to characteristic much than 2 dismissals. Referees person been unusually trigger happy pinch their cards truthful acold astatine this tournament. When Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy received his marching orders successful a goalless tie pinch Iran connected Sunday, he became nan eighth subordinate to beryllium sent disconnected – already matching nan full successful nan erstwhile 2 tournaments mixed (four successful Russia and 4 successful Qatar).
One of nan 4 reddish cards successful Russia 4 years agone came during a chaotic quarter-final punishment shootout, pinch Denzil Dumfries – penalised for taunting Argentina – becoming nan eighth Dutchman to beryllium sent disconnected astatine a World Cup. Given their nationalist squad is associated pinch nan finer points of nan game, it is possibly astonishing that nan Netherlands person been astatine nan centre of truthful overmuch rancour and contention complete nan years.
They were progressive successful nan only World Cup lucifer that has featured 4 reddish cards – nan Battle of Nuremberg, their 1-0 conclusion to Portugal successful 2006. The last-16 lucifer featured 16 yellowish cards, pinch nan first booking coming erstwhile Mark van Bommel scythed down Cristiano Ronaldo pinch a robust situation successful nan 2nd minute. The Netherlands were not very subtle astir targeting Ronaldo; only a fewer minutes later, his thigh felt nan imprint of Khalid Boulahrouz’s studs and nan 2nd yellowish of nan lucifer followed.
Ronaldo conscionable astir survived this copy assault, but he did not make it to half-time. He near nan transportation successful tears conscionable aft Maniche scored nan only extremity of nan match, arsenic immoderate shot collapsed retired briefly. The ferocity soon returned and nan first reddish paper arrived conscionable earlier half-time, erstwhile Costinha’s deliberate handball starring to his 2nd yellow. Any hopes of nan 2nd half being little convulsive were quickly dashed. Petit, a half-time substitute, was booked minutes aft arriving connected nan pitch. Amazingly, nan full number of reddish cards could person been higher; Luís Figo was fortunate that his head-butt connected Van Bommel during a heated fracas was deemed simply a yellow.
The Netherlands were besides progressive successful nan World Cup lucifer pinch nan astir yellowish cards: that quarter-final against Argentina successful 2022. The referee issued 18 yellows (16 for players and 2 much to coaching staff) during a physical, bruising title that Argentina won connected penalties aft a 2-2 draw. There was not overmuch emotion betwixt nan teams by nan end, pinch Argentina players infamously celebrating successful nan faces of nan Dutch aft nan punishment shootout.
The Netherlands besides adopted an fierce attack successful nan World Cup last successful 2010, erstwhile they tried to unsettle a fluid Spain broadside pinch a bid of unsmooth challenges. There were 14 yellowish cards successful nan match, pinch 8 of nan Netherlands’ starting XI booked. Maarten Stekelenburg, Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt were nan only Dutch starters who did not spell into nan referee’s book.
If anything, nan referee was excessively lenient. John Heitinga was sent disconnected for 2 bookable offences, but Howard Webb decided not to show Nigel de Jong a reddish paper for planting his studs connected Xabi Alonso’s chest. The referee later reflected that it was a mistake. “One of nan things I would alteration is nan colour of nan paper for De Jong’s tackle,” said Webb. “Having seen it again from my armchair respective times successful slow mobility and from different angles I tin spot that it was a red-card offence.” So overmuch for Total Football.
Heitinga is nan subordinate to beryllium sent disconnected successful a World Cup last and nan 5th overall. It was not until nan 14th final, successful 1990, that a subordinate was dismissed, pinch Argentina making up for mislaid clip successful their conclusion to West Germany. Pedro Monzón was sent disconnected 20 minutes aft he had travel connected arsenic a substitute and Gustavo Dezotti soon joined him successful having an early bath. In nan 1998 final, nan seemingly unflappable Marcel Desailly was sent disconnected for a 2nd yellowish aft he took retired Cafu. Not to worry. France breezed to a 3-0 triumph against Brazil successful Paris.
Zinedine Zidane scored doubly successful that last and went connected to triumph nan Ballon d’Or that year. Earlier successful nan tournament, arsenic France were coasting to a 4-0 victory, Zidane was sent disconnected for stamping connected a Saudi player. That would not beryllium his past reddish paper astatine a World Cup. Eight years later he became nan 2nd Frenchman to beryllium dismissed successful a last aft he head-butted nan Italy defender Marco Materazzi (who had been sent disconnected earlier successful nan tournament). It was an unsuitable epitaph for 1 of nan astir cultured, talented players nan world has ever known. Zidane is not unsocial successful being sent disconnected doubly astatine World Cups; Cameroon defender Rigobert Song saw reddish successful 1994 and 1998.
The first sending disconnected astatine a World Cup came connected nan 2nd time of nan inaugural tourney successful 1930 successful beforehand of a crowd of a fewer 1000 group successful Montevideo. Plácido Galindo, nan inaptly named Peru captain, received his marching orders (he was not shown a reddish paper arsenic they were not introduced until 1970) successful a 3-1 conclusion to Romania. The crippled was apparently littered pinch fights, 1 of which had to beryllium surgery up by nan police.
Nearly a period later, players are still breaking caller ground. Miguel Almirón made history erstwhile he was sent off successful Paraguay’s 1-0 triumph complete Turkey. There were nary large fights successful that match. Instead, Almirón saw reddish for nan heinous misdemeanour of “covering his rima while speaking to an force successful a confrontational situation”.
This is an article by Richard Foster, who presents nan It Started With A Kick podcast and is penning a regular World Cup quiz connected nan Seventh Heaven app, connected Apple and Google Store.
