5 of the Funniest Red Cards in Modern Football

​After Norwich played Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend, the main talking point was Steve Cook getting sent off for the Cherries, with what was a stunning one-handed diving save to prevent the ball from going into the net. Unfortunately for him, he's not a goalkeeper.

This strange but extremely amusing red card raised the question: what other hilarious red cards have we seen in football? Surely there must be some really great incidents throughout the years.

Well, look no further, as 90min have the answers and provide you a list of some of the very best red cards ever seen.


Neymar (2011)

Santos FC forward Neymar enters the pitc

​Neymar has solidified himself as one of the world's best players, but before he became the superstar he is today, he had to deal with a number of hurdles. Injuries, World Cup heartbreak and, um, strange red cards.

The Brazilian had just scored to make it 3-0 to his side Santos, before proceeding to pick up a mask a fan had thrown to him. The mask was simply Neymar's face, and he decided to don it to be funny.

However, the referee had other ideas, and decided to give the now-PSG star a second yellow for... wearing a mask.

Merited? No. Funny? Definitely.


Kieran Gibbs (2014)

FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-ARSENAL-FILES

Ah, yes. We all remember this one.

​Arsenal took on ​Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, and Eden Hazard was causing problems for the Gunners defence. The Belgian had a great chance to score, as his shot whistled towards the far post. It had beaten the keeper, but apparently not ​Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who brushed the ball behind with his hand.

Obvious red card incoming. Andre Marriner marched towards... Kieran Gibbs. And sent him off. 

The left-back looked speechless, as Oxlade-Chamberlain revealed to the referee that it was actually him who denied the ball.

He didn't care, and Gibbs was given his marching order for a crime he did not commit.


Hakan Unsal (2002)

Referee Young Joo Kim of South Korea and  Hakan Unsal of Turkey

There are a number of adjectives to describe what happened here. Funny. Shameful. Disgraceful.

Turkey qualified for the World Cup in 2002 for the first time in 40 years, and even had a pretty decent team. They faced Brazil in the first game of the group stages, and it's fair to say that there was controversy galore.

The referee, Kim Young-Joo, wasn't having the best of games, and had awarded a controversial late penalty to Brazil as well as red card to a Turkey player. With Brazil 2-1 up, they then decided to play football at an utterly snail's pace, and were time wasting in a manner that we have never seen before.

Hakan Unsal was rightly frustrated, and so kicked the ball with towards Rivaldo who was wasting time before taking a corner. It bounced off the Brazilian's shin, and I can guarantee you he didn't feel an ounce of pain. However, he laughably grabbed his face and fell over screaming in pain.

It was a truly disgraceful but somewhat humorous moment, and Unsal was then sent off. Rivaldo was fined after the game for his actions, but the damage was done, and Brazil would go on to win the tournament.


An Unnamed Italian Legend (2014)

I don't know who this man is. I don't know his name. But this Italian footballer has instant legendary status for what he did here.

In the lower leagues of Italian football, Ponticelli played Riolo Terme. An Italian striker had just scored for Riolo Terme and was clearly ecstatic with his goal. Really ecstatic.


He was jubilant. He ran over to his dugout, seemingly to celebrate with them. Nope. He ran towards the glass/plastic that the dugout is composed off, and headbutted it (yes, headbutted it). He charged straight through it, falling as he came out the other side.


Utterly bizarre, but utterly hilarious. The referee then decided to kill the fun and send the player off. But it doesn't matter. This man had already gone down in football history, even if his name didn't.


Paulo Di Canio (1998)

Paolo Di Canio of Sheffield Wednesday is sent off by Paul Alcock the referee

This isn't so much funny for the actual red card, but more for what happened after. But we just had to include this in here.


Sheffield Wednesday hosted Arsenal in a Premier League clash, and tensions were high all throughout the game. A fight then broke out in the middle of the pitch, which seemed to revolve around around Patrick Vieira.


Di Canio (of course) got himself involved, and after a scrap between a number of players, the Italian was sent off for attempting to gouge the eye of the Arsenal midfielder. Nothing funny about that, straight red card.


However, out of anger, Di Canio shoved the referee. It didn't seem to be too big of a push, but the way the referee went down will forever go down in history. It was as if an invisible force behind him was pulling him backwards, something out of a cartoon. He couldn't control his legs and fell to the turf in a simply hilarious manner.


Honestly, if you haven't seen it, make sure you do. It is a classic moment in English football history.



Source : 90min