Cristiano Ronaldo’s Five Most Controversial Red Cards

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is one of the greatest footballers of all time.

The dreaded red card is something no footballer wishes to ever see come out of the referee's pocket. It does not matter whether you are someone who is playing a local tournament or are one of the biggest names in world football, the disappointment remains the same. Although red cards are not something that is to be expected from someone who is known for his goal scoring exploits not for his aggressive style of play. But Ronaldo has found himself into the books on some occasions and here we will have a look at the most (not so) memorable ones.

He failed to avoid such a fate at various times during his career which spans over two decades long. Over the years, he has faced several dismissals for various reasons, showcasing all of us his intense passion and occasional frustration on the pitch. Despite these occasional disciplinary issues, on the pitch Ronaldo’s exceptional skill and commitment to the sport has never been pit under the scanner

Here are the top five of Cristiano Ronaldo’s most controversial red cards:

5. Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao: February 2014

Ronaldo got into in a tussle with the opposition’s defender Carlos Gurpegi. Replays showed the Madrid star player laying his fist on Gurpegi’s head. Ronaldo was forced to serve a three-match ban following the incident. Cristiano Ronaldo had recently been the recipient of the FIFA Ballon d’Or and was at that time the top goal scorer domestically.

4. Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid: May 2013

2013 was a great year for the Portugese goal machine as he was already on the path to becoming a legend of the club. But this red card incident was a tough pill for him to swallow. Real Madrid played their arch-rivals Atletico Madrid and lost 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronaldo, arguably the team’s leader, did not make matters any better, receiving a direct red card after he kicked Atletico captain Gabi in the face during the final stages of the game. Atletico’s victory over their arch-rival was their first victory in the derby in 14 years.

3. Manchester United vs Manchester City: January 2006

Ronaldo received his second red card of his career in a game against United’s bitter rivals their noisy neighbours Manchester City. But this time around Ronaldo was given a direct red card. It didn’t help his relationship with the fans that the subsequent card was a direct result of a brutal tackle on former United hero Andy Cole. To make it from bad to worse, Manchester City defeated their arch-rival by a  margin of 3-1 .

2. Aston Villa vs Manchester United: May 2004

In this encounter against Aston Villa, Ronaldo accumulated two yellow cards. The first one was awarded to him for diving, the second one was a result of time wasting from his end which led to his dismissal from the match. This was to be Ronaldo’s first red card offence. Fortunately, the club successfully contested the second yellow card decision, which meant that Ronaldo was not forced to serve a suspension.

1. Al Nassr vs Al Hilal: Saudi Super Cup Semifinals April 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo on this rare occasion lost his temper in the final moments of a knockout Cup semi-final clash against their rival Al-Hilal. After throwing an elbow at centre-back Ali Al-Bulaihi, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was dismissed with four minutes left on the clock. Eventually, Al Nassr lost to Al Hilal by 2-1, the report that the match referee posted claims that Ronaldo used “excessive force” when striking an opponent, which ended up with  him being sent off. He faced a two-match ban for this momentary loss of temper.

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