Football isn’t always about last-minute goals and slick passing moves. Sometimes, the drama can also be in the cards and suspensions. The drama is also in the flashing yellow and red cards that steal the show.
On 22nd September 2024, a Premier League game between Brighton and Hove Albion versus Nottingham Forest saw a total of eight players booked, with one of them seeing red. Both managers were also given their matching orders with the game ending with their assistants on the touchline.
Whether it’s a tense derby or a World Cup knockout game, when players’ tempers flare, cards must fly. Let’s dive into some of football’s wildest matches where the referee’s cards made headlines as much as the goals!
Football’s most carded games: What Happens When Cards Fly?
Yellow and red cards are the ultimate game-changers.
A yellow card is a cautionary tap on the shoulder, a warning that says, “Careful now, one more mistake, and you’re off!” On the other hand, a red card is the football equivalent of getting fired on the spot—straight to the locker room, no questions asked.
Receiving a card can change the flow of a game in an instant. It forces players to tiptoe on thin ice or sit out crucial matches, leaving managers pulling their hair out.
The Forest vs. Brighton Match: A Recent Example of Card Chaos
In a recent match between Nottingham Forest and Brighton, Morgan Gibbs-White found himself at the center of a storm. After a rough challenge on Joao Pedro, Gibbs-White received a second yellow card and was sent off, leaving Forest in a tight spot.
To add to the chaos, both Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler were sent packing too!
With five Forest players also picking up yellows, and the assistant manager Rui Pedro Silva being booked, it was card madness.
So, how have other games feared before?
The Craziest Matches in Football History: A Parade of Cards
Some matches will go down in history not for their goals, but for the sheer number of cards handed out. Let’s look at some of the most card-heavy games ever played:
1. The Battle of Nuremberg (Portugal vs. Netherlands, 2006)
This World Cup clash between Portugal and the Netherlands was dubbed the “Battle of Nuremberg” for good reason.
Referee Valentin Ivanov issued 16 yellow cards and 4 red cards, making it one of the most ill-disciplined matches in World Cup history.
By the end, it looked more like a UFC fight than a football game! It certainly holds the record for football’s most carded games.
2. Chelsea vs. Barcelona (2009)
In the second leg of the 2009 UEFA Champions League semi-final, Chelsea faced Barcelona in a match known for its controversial refereeing.
Chelsea’s players were livid as several penalty claims were waved away, leading to a flurry of yellow cards for dissent. The tension on the pitch was electric, and when Andrés Iniesta’s late goal knocked Chelsea out, the cards became part of footballing folklore.
3. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: El Clasico (2011)
Whenever these two Spanish giants clash, sparks fly. The 2011 El Clasico featured some of the world’s best players but was marred by constant fouling, diving, and arguments with the referee. And that is why the El Classico will always feature among football’s most carded games.
5 yellow cards and 2 red cards were handed out, adding to the high-octane drama of one of football’s fiercest rivalries.
4. Manchester United vs. Arsenal (1990)
No one can ever talk about football drama without discussing two of England’s giants – Arsenal and Manchester United.
In 1990, a match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford spiraled out of control. What started as a typical English league game ended in a 21-player brawl.
Surprisingly, only two players were booked, but both teams faced huge fines and docked points for their antics.
Why Some Matches Hold The Record for Foodtball’s Most Carded Games
Rivalries, stakes, and high emotions are often the perfect recipe for a card-fest. Rivalries are especially full of tension especially when derbies are involved. Some notable rivalries include the El Classico, the North London Derby, the Manchester Derby, and the Merseyside Derby.
When players feel the pressure, tempers flare, and the referee’s whistle works overtime.
Sometimes, controversial refereeing decisions fan the flames, and before you know it, players are picking up cards like they’re playing poker!
Famous Players Who Couldn’t Stay Away from Cards
Some players are just magnets for cards.
Whether it’s Pepe’s tough tackling, or Sergio Ramos’ record-breaking collection of red cards, these players know how to walk the fine line between brilliance and recklessness.
Roy Keane, with his no-nonsense attitude, also spent plenty of time in referees’ bad books!
Jens Lehmann holds the record for the most dismissed goalkeeper – seven times – in his career. These sent-offs included a red card in the 2006 Champions League final.
Gerardo Bedoya, a central midfielder, holds the record for being sent off a crazy 46 times! The Colombian spent most of his days playing in South America, earning 49 caps for his country.
In the Bogota derby between Independiente Santa Fe and Millonarios in 2012, he was sent off for an elbow and subsequent kick to the head aimed at Millonarios player Jhonny Ramirez, earning him a suspension for the 15 matches that followed.
Sergio Ramos is the second-dirtiest player in football history, with 29 red cards, but surprisingly, he was never sent off while playing for Spain.
Ramos has a very short fuse and has lost his head on the pitch numerous times during his career.
Not only is Ramos the player with the second most red cards but he also has the record for most yellow cards. How many you ask, 259 yellow cards!
Alexis Ruano Delgado, more simply known as ‘Alexis’, closely follows Ramos. He spent the majority of his career in Spain playing for the likes of Malaga, Getafe, Valencia, Sevilla and Alaves. Alexis has been sent off a grand total of 22 times during his 18-year career.
His most memorable dismissal of the lot came after he sent a left jab in the direction of 89-cap Croatia international Mario Mandzukic.