The comedy of a red card

From Beckham to Suarez, and Zidane to Lehmann, football has created numerous infamous red card showdowns. With Ireland winning against Portugal during the recent run of World Cup qualifier games, ultimately leading them to secure their spot next summer, the Portuguese star player Cristiano Ronaldo’s sending off in the 59th minute gave yet again a standout moment from the match, and even better online discourse. 

But this raises the question of why a red card is so entertaining as a neutral watcher. Is it the satisfaction of a player getting a taste of their own medicine? Or is it the enjoyment of watching how the wounded team will recover and reset with only 10 men on the pitch? Or is it just human nature to take pleasure in watching chaos unfold? 

While it isn’t the essence of the immediate dismissal of a player that is originally comical, the commotion that follows highlights the irony of the physical red card. Whether it be an idiotic foul that could easily have been avoided, or a direct “Brexit-tackle” that intended to do some damage, the dramatics of those on the pitch is what truly enhances the whole spectacle. Mouths are wide open, arms are flapping about, hands are pleading for a different outcome, opposing players are attempting to hide their smugness, and the manager is shaking his head knowing he will yet again be hounded by the press for another successive defeat. 

The reactions, however, do not only appear on the pitch. They appear in the stands, with someone’s Dad, losing his voice and going red in the face, shouting some form of fruity language to the referee, even when he knows deep down that the player didn’t even touch the ball.

As the camera pans to the right, we catch sight of the opponents' ultras chanting their farewells to the carded player to the theme of “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”. We see them on the bench, with players swearing under their breath, and assistant managers scrambling to figure out a new formation to somehow save their team. They emerge in the local pub, with someone sinking their drink and drowning their sorrows, and another checking his bet365 with pure misery. They now surface online, with team update fan pages and football meme accounts racing to find the funniest and most appropriate out of context reactions to amplify the absurdity of the action. All of this happens in a matter of minutes following the original incident. 

Often, the entertainment of a match doesn’t always come down to the number of goals scored in 90 minutes. While a last-minute winner does cement itself as a euphoric moment for football fans worldwide, the unexpectedness of a red card, and particularly the ensuing bedlam, really adds to the dramatics of the sport, showcasing that, yet again, football is made by, centred around, and fundamentally for the fans.