Football is the king of sports, where emotions, passion and power are most clearly expressed. However, along with that intensity are fouls, collisions and many times players are sent off. Throughout history, there have been names associated with fiery playing styles, sometimes exceeding the limit, and then receiving a red card and leaving the field.

The list below will summarize the 15 players who have received the most red cards in football history , from world champion stars to lesser-known names who are famous for “collecting” red cards.

Ranking of 15 Players Who Received the Most Red Cards

RankPlayerNationalityNumber of red cards1Gerardo BedoyaColombia462Sergio RamosSpain303Pablo AlfaroSpain274Felipe MeloBrazil265Edgar DavidsNetherlands256Paul MonteroUruguay237Rafael MarquezMexico228Cyril WheelFrance229Alexis Ruano DelgadoSpain2210Gerardo TorradoMexico2211Matteo ContiniItaly2112Fernando AmorebietaVenezuela2013Gary MediumChile1914Yannick CahuzacFrance1915David SemberLithuania17

15. Deividas Semberas — 17 red cards

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Lithuanian centre-back Deividas Semberas has had a 19-year career, mainly in Russia with CSKA Moscow and Dynamo Moscow. He has been sent off 17 times, including five straight red cards. Remarkably, he has received more red cards than he has scored (12 goals).

Semberas won the Russian league three times and won the UEFA Cup with CSKA Moscow in 2005.

14. Yannick Cahuzac — 19 red cards

Cahuzac was a symbol of Bastia’s spirit, but was known for his rough playing style. He received a red card in just his third professional game and ended his career with 19 dismissals.

Despite his “bad” playing style, Cahuzac was still loved for his spirit of dedication to Bastia for more than 12 years.

13. Gary Medel — 19 red cards

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Gary Medel — nicknamed “Pitbull” — is a versatile player for Chile. He has been sent off 19 times, including 5 times at the national team level. One of the most notable red cards was at the 2019 Copa America when Medel and Lionel Messi were both sent off after a brawl.

However, Medel was also the mainstay that brought Chile to 2 Copa America championships (2015, 2016).

12. Fernando Amorebieta — 20 red cards

Amorebieta played in La Liga, the Premier League and South America. He was known for his aggressive style of play, having been sent off for biting an opponent in Paraguay and stamping on a Peruvian player in the Copa America.

In 48 matches for Fulham in England, Amorebieta was also sent off twice, typically in a 0–5 loss to Manchester City.

11. Matteo Contini — 21 red cards

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The Italian defender, who played for Parma and Napoli, is known for his 21 red cards, one of the most infamous being when he elbowed Gonzalo Higuaín against Real Madrid.

Despite the suspensions, Contini has over 500 professional appearances and is currently a coach in Serie C.

10. Gerardo Torrado — 22 red cards

Torrado is a famous midfielder for Mexico, who played 146 matches for the national team and participated in 3 World Cups. He has a total of 22 red cards in his career.

In the 2001 Copa America, Mexico reached the final but Torrado was sent off in injury time, leaving the home team with only 9 men.

9. Alexis Ruano Delgado — 22 red cards

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Alexis Ruano Delgado played for Valencia and Getafe. He was sent off 22 times, many of them for rough tackles.

In a match against Barcelona, he also suffered a serious injury when a vein in his testicle ruptured after a collision, causing his coach to exclaim in panic.

8. Cyril Rool — 22 red cards

The French midfielder, who played for Bastia, Lens and Nice, is famous for being sent off 22 times. He played over 350 times in Ligue 1, but that number could have been higher if it weren’t for his frequent red cards.

One unforgettable memory was the match against Arsenal in 1998, when Arsenal’s Ray Parlour was sent off for kicking Rool in the head.

7. Rafael Marquez — 22 red cards

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The legendary defender of Mexico and Barcelona has 22 red cards in his career. At the 2002 World Cup, he received a straight red card for headbutting Cobi Jones (USA).

Despite his hot temper, Marquez is still praised as the best defender in Mexican history and a symbol of Barca’s golden age.

6. Paolo Montero — 23 red cards

Montero was a hero of Juventus in the 1990s. He was with Juventus in 3 Champions League finals but lost all of them.

In 13 years playing in Serie A, Montero has received 16 red cards — a record in the history of the tournament. In total, he has been sent off 23 times so far.

5. Edgar Davids — 25 red cards

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Davids — nicknamed “Pitbull” — was a fiery central midfielder for Ajax, Milan, Juventus and later Tottenham. He won the 1995 Champions League with Ajax.

His habit of arguing and committing violent fouls earned Davids 25 red cards. Even in his twilight years, while playing for Barnet (England), he was sent off in the final match of his career.

4. Felipe Melo — 26 red cards

Melo is a defensive midfielder with a strong style of play, but sometimes loses control. He received 26 red cards, notably for stamping on Arjen Robben at the 2010 World Cup.

Even at the age of 40, Melo is still causing trouble, once assaulting media staff after a match in Brazil.

3. Pablo Alfaro — 27 red cards

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Alfaro is a tall Spanish centre-back who has played for nearly 20 years. He has been sent off 27 times, many of them after just a few minutes on the pitch.

In the later years of his career, when football became “softer”, Alfaro once quipped: “This game is becoming too feminine” .

2. Sergio Ramos — 30 red cards

The Real Madrid and Spain legend has a huge list of achievements: 4 Champions League, 1 World Cup and 2 Euro. However, Ramos is also famous as a “fiend” with 30 red cards in his career.

He scored 120 goals for Real Madrid, an impressive number for a defender. But his sometimes excessive determination made Ramos a typical name when mentioning the player who received the most red cards .

1. Gerardo Bedoya — 46 red cards

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The absolute record holder — Colombia’s Gerardo Bedoya — has 46 red cards in his career. Interestingly, one of them came as a coach.

Bedoya helped Colombia win the 2001 Copa America, scoring in the semi-final. But his career is more closely associated with the title of “the most violent player in the world”.

The above list shows that even the most talented players can be haunted by red cards. Although Gerardo Bedoya tops the list with an incredible 46 times, names like Sergio Ramos, Edgar Davids and Felipe Melo have also become icons when it comes to players receiving the most red cards .

This proves that football is not only about glory, but also about the dark side. Players need to learn how to control their emotions, so as not to turn themselves into “fiends on the pitch”.

FAQ

Who is the player with the most red cards in football history?

Gerardo Bedoya (Colombia) holds the record with 46 red cards in his career.

How many red cards has Sergio Ramos received?

Spanish centre-back Sergio Ramos has been sent off 30 times .

Are there any famous players who are also sent off frequently?

Yes, names like Edgar Davids (25 red cards), Felipe Melo (26 red cards) or Paolo Montero (23 red cards) are both big stars and famous for their hot tempers.