Where all World Cup countries rank for red cards, according to player data

In just four weeks the World Cup will be back on our screens with all the drama and emotion that comes along with it, for players and fans alike. Unfortunately, the heightened passion for representing their country at a tournament that only occurs once every four years, means it’s not difficult for players to lose their composure and receive a booking. But which National Teams at this year’s World Cup are guilty of the most offences?

We wanted to discover how many yellow, second yellow, and straight red cards all players at the 2022 World Cup have received over their careers and in all competitions.

• Brazil ranks first for total cards obtained, with 1521.
• Mexico’s National Team players have accumulated 53 straight red cards among all competitions.
• The World Cup player with the most red cards in all competitions is Canada’s Lucas Cavallini.
• Brazil’s National Team squad has collected the highest number of yellow cards among all participating countries, 1446. 
• However, this number would be 211 lighter if not for 39-year-old veteran defender Dani Alves, who ranks first for the highest number of yellow cards among any participating player.
  

The 2022 World Cup’s Reddest Countries

In first place overall with 1521 penalty cards is Brazil. The most successful nation in the history of the tournament with five wins, this year’s outlook is no different, as they remain one of the standout favourites to obtain the trophy. However, coach Tite’s decision to include 39-year-old defender Dani Alves raised some eyebrows. Regarded as one of the best right-backs in the modern history of the sport, Alves has accumulated a vast number of cards throughout his 20-year-long career: 211 yellow, 7 second yellow, and 5 red.

With 1419, Spain sits in second place overall and for yellow cards, with an impressive 1372 awarded to their players within all competitions. Impressive as that number is, it would be 172 less without defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets, who over his 14 year long career has accumulated that many cards on his own.

Third overall is Argentina with 1334 cards total; the national team’s players secure second place for red cards with 40 and third place for yellow cards with 1254. Football fans worldwide will have a keen eye on the South American favourites, but not only for any potential confrontations, as this tournament is suspected to be 35-year-old Lionel Messi’s last.

Sitting fourth overall with a total of 1329 is Mexico. But with 53 collected by all members of the national team, the country places first for red cards! Mexico has qualified for the tournament on every occasion since 1994’s competition hosted by the United States, but this year’s crop of players will clearly need to tread carefully when it comes to red card offences. At the 2018 world cup Mexico caused a huge upset when they defeated world champions Germany in the opening match of the tournament, with both sides collecting two yellow cards each.

The 2022 World Cup’s Most Booked Players 

In third place after Alves and Busquets is Uruguayan defender Damián Suárez. Despite being 34 years old and being active since 2008, the right-back only made his on-pitch debut for Uruguay’s national team this year! Described by ESPN pundits as ‘one of LaLiga’s most comically enjoyable hard-men’, Suárez has been one of the league’s most consistently carded players since his arrival to Getafe in 2015.

In fourth place for yellow cards is Uruguay’s all-time top goalscorer Luis Suárez with 154. The former Barcelona and Liverpool striker has a reputation for lashing out on the pitch, most notoriously being reprimanded by FIFA for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup.

Brazil, Spain and Uruguay are the nations most represented in the top 10 most carded players, with three appearances for each. 

Read: FIFA 23 Title Update #3: World Cup DLC is now live, content will be available from 11th November 2022

Methodology:

1. _{BesteOnlineCasinos.com were keen to find out the World Cup 2022 squads and players with the highest number of red, second yellow, and yellow cards across all competitions.}
2. _{To do this, Transfermarket was utilised to record each national team’s squad where the final declared squad was not yet available. The players called up most recently for Nations League or World Cup friendly matches were noted.}
3. _{Data regarding bookings was then collected for every participating player across all competitions for every nation qualified to the 2022 World Cup.}
4. _{This data was then sorted from most to least, to ascertain which teams and players have collected the highest number of red, second yellow, and yellow cards across their careers.}
5. _{Data was collected on 01/11/22 and updated 08/11/22.}