The most exciting things in soccer are the goals, the quality of assists, and even some defense-splitting passes from players like Mesut Ozil and Kevin De Bruyne. However, these beautiful soccer qualities do not take away the fact that soccer is a physical sport, the type that can ruin a player’s career if the injury sustained is career-ending.
These injuries are inflicted by other players, and this only shows how much of a physical sport soccer is. The culprits are often punished with red cards, and while some players rarely get them, other players are famous for the number of red cards they’ve received throughout their respective careers.
This article explores the top 10 players with the most red cards in soccer history, some of whom you may have already guessed, and yes, it’s the same name we’re both thinking of right now!
#10. Gary Medel (18 red cards)
If looks could determine a player’s character, you could immediately tell the kind of player Gary Medel was—fierce and fearless. The Chilean played primarily as a defender but also shifted to a defensive midfield role when needed, making it necessary for him to stop plays by whatever means possible.
Gary Medel racked up a career total of 18 red cards, making him one of the players with the worst disciplinary record in the history of the game.
#9. Fernando Amorebieta (19 red cards)
Unlike Gary Medel, who is built like a tank, Fernando Amorebieta is more of a technical defender. But even so, he still managed to rack up 19 red cards throughout his career. The Venezuelan-born player of Spanish descent played for some reputable clubs in Spain and England, turning out for the likes of Athletic Bilbao, Fulham, Middlesbrough, and Sporting Gijon.
Although a gifted defender, Amorebieta did not score a lot of goals but made up for his lack of goals with his commitment to defense, which came at a cost.
Amorebieta called time on his career in 2020, playing the last few games of his career for Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno. Despite his relatively low-key status in his playing days, Fernando Amorebieta will forever have his name etched into history as one of the players with the most red cards in the history of soccer.
#8. Matteo Contini (20 red cards)
Italy is famous for its production of a good number of no-nonsense defenders like Paolo Maldini, Giorgio Chiellini, and even Alessandro Nesta. Matteo Contini is another Italian defender with good defensive skills but, sadly, a poor disciplinary record.
Despite his poor red card history, Contini played for some of the biggest clubs in Italy, including AC Milan, Parma, and Napoli. The Italian defender had one brief spell at Real Zaragoza for a year before returning to his native Italy to see out his playing career.
Contini, who is now a coach, will always urge his players to avoid their own mistakes after picking up 20 red cards throughout their careers to rank him among the players with the most red cards.
#7. Felipe Melo (20 red cards)
Nicknamed ‘Pitbull’, Felipe Melo’s inclusion in this list wouldn’t have come as a surprise to many. If Melo were an MMA fighter, he would survive, and that says a lot about his physical conditions and how they helped him reach the highest level possible in Europe.
Melo played for top European teams like Fiorentina, Inter Milan, and Galatasaray before moving to his native Brazil to play for Palmeiras and now Fluminese. Melo’s top physicality means that he is always willing to do the dirty work for his team to get the desired results.
This cost him 20 red cards, putting him among the top players with the worst disciplinary record in soccer history. However, his sending-offs did not stop him from scoring 60 career goals from the heart of the defense in all competitions.
#6. Rafael Marquez (21 red cards)
Rafael Marquez is considered the best Mexican player of all time, even ahead of former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez.
Marquez achieved a lot of success with Barcelona, winning the UEFA Champions League twice (in 2006 and 2009), four La Liga titles, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
While his achievements at club and international level are very enviable, the former Monaco defender leaves not much to be desired in the disciplinary department. During his illustrious career, Marquez was sent off on 21 occasions, including six red cards for Barcelona.
#5. Paolo Montero (21 red cards)
It’s no surprise that another spot on this list is being taken by a South American, which shows the kind of intensity South American players bring to the game. Montero made a name for himself in the game at Juventus in Serie A, where he played from 1996 to 2005 before moving to Argentina in 2005 and ending his professional career at Penarol in Uruguay.
Montero also earned 61 caps for his country, scoring five goals, but the former Juventus defender will forever be remembered for his poor disciplinary record, which saw him receive 21 red cards throughout his career.
#4. Alexis Ruano Delgado (22 red cards)
Most people will always remember Alexis Ruano Delgado as the player who elbowed Mario Mandzukic in the face in the 2014/2015 La Liga season when Getafe played against Atletico Madrid. For that incident, Delgado was sent off and subsequently received a four-match ban.
The Spaniard had quite a playing career, turning out for the likes of Malaga, Getafe, Valencia, Sevilla, and Alaves in Spain. He also played briefly outside of his country for Besiktas in Turkey and Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
With over 15 professional seasons in La Liga, it’s quite shocking that Alexis Ruano Delgado’s most prolific achievement is his red card history, totalling 22 in his career. The Spaniard won the Copa del Rey in 2008 before winning a league title for the first time in his career with Besiktas in 2016.
#3. Cyril Rool (27 red cards)
Cyril Rool’s total of 27 career red cards is considered too many for a man who played most of his professional career as a midfielder and an occasional left-back. Rool broke out at Bastia, going on to register 114 professional appearances for the French club before joining Lens in 1998.
Rool retired professionally in 2010 after a brief spell with Marseille, and it’s hard to figure out what the former midfielder has been up to these days.
#2. Sergio Ramos (28 red cards)
What’s this list without Sergio Ramos on it? The veteran defender is the perfect old-school role model, the epitome of a hard-nosed professional who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Whether it’s breaking Mo Salah’s shoulder in a Champions League final or intentionally getting under an opposition player’s nerve, Ramos’ reputation as a fearless defender is well-deserved.
With 28 red cards to his name, the former Real Madrid captain is a perfect villain—the type of defender opposition attackers hate to come up against again, except they’re Lionel Messi.
The veteran Spanish defender’s 24 red cards are the most in La Liga history. He has also received four red cards in the Champions League, making him the joint-most red-carded player in the competition. Besides that, Ramos has received the most cards (yellow and red) in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite his ferociousness, Sergio Ramos has scored 129 career goals, making him one of the highest-scoring defenders in the sport’s history. Still active for Sevilla at 37, Ramos made the rounds last week when he ironically presented a Grammy award to his former teammate’s ex-girlfriend Shakira for the diss track she made for Pique.
#1. Gerardo Bedoya (46 red cards)
Now to the supervillain of the list: Gerardo Bedoya racked up 46 red cards in his career, making him the player with the most red cards in soccer history. The Colombian defender was nicknamed “the beast” for his incredible aggression on the field, most of which was directed towards opposing attackers, making red cards almost inevitable for him.
Bedoya spent all his career playing South American football, moving from one country in the region to another. The Colombian played for the likes of Racing Club, Deportive Cali, Colon, Boca Juniors, Atletico Nacional, Santa Fe, and Cucuta Deportive, where he retired in 2015.
In one of his red card incidents, Bedoya elbowed and kicked an opposition player in the head, causing him to be suspended for 15 games. He also represented Colombia on 49 occasions, playing his last match for his country in 2019 against Venezuela.
And there you have it! These are the 10 players with the most red cards in soccer history. Are any of these “villainous” players your favourites? Tell us in the comments section.
