Zinedine Zidane getting a red card at the 2006 World Cup final is one of the most iconic moments in history...
FIFA World Cup, the grandest stage of all events, has witnessed some of the greatest moments in football history.
From world-class goals to controversial moments, the flagship competition have seen it all.
Football is a game of high intensity and emotions often get the better of even the best of players in crucial matches. We have seen established players lose their cool and get sent off in the heat of the battle.
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From Diego Maradona to Zinedine Zidane, here are 10 infamous red card incidents in World Cup.
David Beckham
England legend David Beckham was sent off in their 1998 World Cup Round of 16 clash against Argentina. The match was tied 2-2 when Beckham was fouled by Diego Simeone and in retaliation, the English star kicked the Argentine. He was immediately sent off. England lost the tie 4-3 on penalties.
Josip Simunic
In a bizarre event that took place at the 2006 World Cup, Croatia's Josep Simunic was shown the yellow card thrice in a match. In a deciding Group F tie between Australia and Croatia, Simunic got his first yellow card in the 61st minute for a foul on Harry Kewell. He got his second yellow card in the 90th minute but surprisingly the referee did not give him a mandatory red card after the second yellow. After the final whistle, Simunic had pushed the referee to which a third yellow card was flashed at him along with a red card at last.
Wayne Rooney
The former Manchester United star was given a direct red card in England's 2006 World Cup quarterfinal tie against Portugal after he was guilty of stamping on Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho's foot. But the incident that caught the limelight was not that. After Rooney's stamping, his club teammate at that time Cristiano Ronaldo was seen vehemently protesting and demanding a red card and after Rooney was sent off, Ronaldo was caught winking on the camera which infuriated the England fans.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt to Marco Materazzi and getting a red card in the 2006 World Cup final is one of the most iconic moments in history. The French captain was sent off during the extra time and France eventually lost the final against Italy in the penalty shootout.
Luis Suarez
Suarez grabbed the limelight for all the wrong reasons in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinal between Uruguay and Ghana. In the final seconds of extra time, the former Barcelona and Liverpool forward used his hand to stop a Ghanaian attempt on the goal line. He was immediately given the marching order. Unfortunately, Asamoah Gyan failed to convert the resulting penalty which would have sent the African side to the semifinal but instead Uruguay won the tie in the penalty shootout.
John Heitinga
The Dutch midfielder was booked twice at the 2010 World Cup final between Netherlands and Spain. He got his first yellow card in the 59th minute and then a second and final one in the 109th minute which reduced Netherlands to 10-men. Just seven minutes later, Andres Iniesta scored the World Cup-winning goal to create history and break Dutch hearts.
Claudio Marchisio
Claudio Marchisio was sent off in a group stage clash at the 2014 World Cup between Uruguay and Italy. Italy needed at least a point against Uruguay in order to qualify for the knockout stage. Unfortunately, Marchisio was sent off in the 59th minute for a studs-up challenge. With man advantage, Uruguay ultimately scored in the 81st minute and knocked Italy out of the World Cup.
Battle of Nuremberg
Popularly known as the Battle of Nuremberg, this 2006 World Cup Round of 16 tie will be remembered for the number of bookings that happened in the game. The referee had shown a World Cup record of four red cards and 16 yellow cards in this fiercely contested game between the two teams. Costinha and Deco received red cards from the Portugal camp and Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were sent off from the Dutch side. Portugal won the tie, courtesy a Maniche strike.
Thierry Henry
The Arsenal and France striker was sent off in the 25th minute of a group stage clash at the 2002 World Cup between France and Uruguay. Les Bleus needed a win in this tie to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the knockout stage after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Senegal in their first game. Unfortunately, Henry received his marching order as early as in the 25th minute of the match as France eventually managed a goalless draw which virtually knocked them out of the World Cup.
Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona was sent off in the 85th minute of a second round 1982 World Cup clash between arch-rivals Argentina and Brazil. Selecao were already leading 3-1 when Maradona received a red card for kicking Brazil's Joao Batista in his groin to make things worse for Argentina. La Albiceleste were ousted from the second round.