Who got the fastest red card in the World Cup? Ranking the most infamous early dismissals

Throughout World Cup history, there have been several cases where players were sent off within the first minutes of a match, either through a direct red card or after two yellow cards. These early dismissals often had a major impact on the match, forcing the affected team to play with ten men. goalcom.net highlights some of the fastest red card incidents in football World Cup history.

The fastest red card in football World Cup

List updated until the end of the 2022 World Cup.

10. Carlos Paredes (Paraguay vs Slovenia, 2002)

The first case on the list is midfielder Carlos Humberto Paredes, who was sent off after only 22 minutes following two yellow cards. In the 4th minute, Paredes received a yellow card for an overly aggressive challenge in midfield. In the 22nd minute, he committed another foul and was shown a second yellow card, which resulted in a red card. Despite the early dismissal, Paraguay still managed to win the match 3-1 and progressed to the next round.

9. Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands vs West Germany, 1990)

Dutch legend Frank Rijkaard was also sent off in the World Cup after just 22 minutes, but the incident was highly controversial. Shortly before the red card, he had already received a yellow card for a foul. Soon after, during a free-kick situation, Rudi Völler challenged Dutch goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen and fell to the ground. Rijkaard reacted angrily by pulling Völler’s ear and arguing with him, leading the referee to show a red card. The Netherlands eventually lost 1-2 to West Germany and were eliminated from the tournament.

8. Rudi Völler (West Germany vs Netherlands, 1990)

During the same incident involving Rijkaard, Rudi Völler was also sent off. The confrontation escalated quickly after Rijkaard’s earlier yellow card. Reports stated that Rijkaard spat toward Völler, which caused tension between the two players. The referee eventually decided to send both players off. As the two walked toward the tunnel, Rijkaard was again seen spitting toward Völler, an incident that was witnessed by millions of viewers around the world.

7. Gianluca Pagliuca (Italy vs Norway, 1994)

In the match between Italy and Norway, Gianluca Pagliuca became the first goalkeeper in World Cup finals history to receive a red card. The incident happened in the 21st minute when Norwegian striker Øyvind Leonhardsen broke through on goal. Pagliuca rushed out of his penalty area to stop the attack but accidentally handled the ball outside the box. The referee immediately showed him a red card. Despite playing with ten men, Italy still won the match 1-0 and advanced from the group stage.

6. Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi (Saudi Arabia vs France, 1998)

In the 19th minute of the group stage match, Saudi Arabian defender Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi made a dangerous two-footed tackle on French player Bixente Lizarazu. The challenge came from behind and missed the ball, making it extremely dangerous. The referee immediately issued a red card. With their defender sent off early, Saudi Arabia struggled for the rest of the match and France eventually won 4-0.

5. Miguel Bossio (Uruguay vs Denmark, 1986)

Uruguay entered their group stage match against Denmark at the 1986 World Cup needing a positive result to keep their hopes of qualification alive. However, in the 13th minute, Miguel Bossio received a yellow card for stopping a Danish counterattack. Only six minutes later, he committed another foul while trying to stop midfielder Frank Arnesen and was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Reduced to ten men early in the match, Uruguay eventually suffered a heavy 1-6 defeat.

4. Zezé Procópio (Brazil vs Czechoslovakia, 1938)

The match between Brazil and Czechoslovakia at the 1938 World Cup was extremely physical. In the 14th minute, Brazilian midfielder Zezé Procópio committed a very rough foul on striker Oldřich Nejedlý. The referee immediately showed him a red card, making him the first Brazilian player to be sent off in a World Cup finals match. The match ended in a 1-1 draw but was filled with rough tackles, injuries, and two additional red cards.

3. Giorgio Ferrini (Italy vs Chile, 1962)

Another infamous match in World Cup history was the clash between Italy and Chile at the 1962 World Cup, later known as the “Battle of Santiago.” Before the match, Italian newspapers had published articles criticizing the conditions in Santiago, which created tension among Chilean fans and players.

In the 8th minute, Italian midfielder Giorgio Ferrini made a very rough tackle on Chilean player Honorino Landa and was immediately sent off. However, Ferrini initially refused to leave the field, forcing police officers to enter the pitch and escort him away. The match was stopped for more than ten minutes. The violence continued afterward, with Italy receiving another red card and eventually losing 0-2.

2. Carlos Sánchez (Colombia vs Japan, 2018)

One of the most recent cases occurred at the 2018 World Cup. The incident began when Japanese striker Yuya Osako broke through and forced a save from Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina. The rebound fell to Shinji Kagawa, who was about to shoot into the empty net. Carlos Sánchez deliberately handled the ball to stop the shot and was immediately shown a red card after only 2 minutes and 56 seconds.

Colombia eventually lost the match 1-2. After the game, Sánchez faced heavy criticism and even received threats from some fans in Colombia, reminding many people of the tragic case of Andrés Escobar in 1994.

1. José Batista (Uruguay vs Scotland, 1986)

José Batista holds the record for the fastest red card in World Cup history. During Uruguay’s match against Scotland at the 1986 World Cup, Batista committed a dangerous tackle on Gordon Strachan just 56 seconds after kickoff. The referee immediately showed a straight red card.

Uruguay had to defend with ten men for almost the entire match but managed to hold Scotland to a 0-0 draw. After the match, Scotland manager Alex Ferguson strongly criticized Uruguay’s approach and described their style of play as “an insult to football.”

In this article, GoalCom has reviewed the 10 fastest red cards in football World Cup history. For more predictions and the latest football updates, please visit our website.