On the football field, everyone knows what’s happening when the referee reaches into their pocket and pulls out a red or yellow card. The yellow card is the less severe of the two and serves as an official warning. Football rules list the infractions leading to a yellow card, but there’s considerable subjective judgment involved in issuing these cards. So, who has the most yellow cards in football history? Below are the top 10 players with the most yellow cards, as compiled by bestsoccertips.com.
Here are the players with the most yellow cards in football history:
A notable recipient of cards is Sergio Ramos, with a tally that doubles for both yellow and red cards (he’s currently the most cautioned player in UEFA Champions League history).
1. Sergio Ramos – 269 yellow cards
Sergio Ramos García, born on March 30, 1986, is a professional Spanish footballer currently playing for PSG as a center-back. He has also played as a right-back earlier in his career. Ramos is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, earning praise for his passing ability and goal-scoring prowess.
Ramos leads the unquestionable leaderboard for the most yellow cards in football history. At the helm of Real Madrid, their captain, Sergio Ramos, has amassed an astonishing 269 yellow cards and has been shown the red card 28 times during his tenure solely at the club level. Remarkably, only two other players in this millennium, both with significant stints in Spain, have accumulated over 200 bookings. Ramos stands tall as the indisputable leader in this category, widely acknowledged as the player with the highest number of yellow cards.
2. Gerardo Torrado – 228 yellow cards
Gerardo Torrado Díez de Bonilla, born on April 30, 1979, is a former professional footballer from Mexico who played as a midfielder and is currently the sporting director of the Mexican Football Federation. He’s known as “El Borrego” (“The Sheep”) due to his bushy hair. His playing style is often described as aggressive on the field but with good ball recovery and effective passing abilities.
Born in Mexico City, Torrado began his career with UNAM in 1997. After a few years playing in Spain, he became a player for Cruz Azul in 2005, where he scored two goals against Monarcas Morelia in a 2–0 victory for Cruz Azul.
He quickly rose to prominence as one of the team’s key players. As an energetic midfielder, Torrado received numerous red and yellow cards throughout his career. He has been the team captain since 2006 and has led the team to three tournament finals and a CONCACAF Champions League final in 2009, and on April 26, 2014, he became a CONCACAF champion for the first time in his career with Cruz Azul.
The Mexican midfielder received 147 yellow and 13 red cards during his time at Cruz Azul. A brief stint at Sevilla brought him 7 yellow cards and 2 red cards, making his inclusion in the list of players with the most yellow cards in football history understandable.
3. Dani Alves – 220 yellow cards
As one of the most honored players in football history, Alves’ career in European football has seen him become the finest wing-back of his generation, amassing numerous major titles at super clubs including Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, in his early stages, he would truly come into his own, securing six domestic league championships and three Champions League titles, becoming a familiar figure to both adversaries and European referees.
Alves would be cautioned 27 times throughout his Champions League appearances, including in Barcelona’s final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley in 2011. Alves ranks among the players with the most yellow cards.
4. Xabi Alonso – 197 yellow cards
Xabier Alonso Olano (born November 25, 1981) is a Spanish football coach and former central midfielder. He currently coaches the second-tier club Real Sociedad B.
During a contentious encounter with Chelsea, Alonso found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card in the tightly contested and chaotic 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge. This disciplinary action led to his suspension for the following match. Alonso lamented missing the match and vehemently protested the referee’s decision, but to no avail.
However, Gerrard returned from injury in the second leg, and the captain led his team to a 1–0 victory thanks to a goal from Luis García, securing qualification to the final against Milan. One of the most technically gifted players in history had to receive nearly 200 yellow cards to make it onto the list of players with the most yellow cards.
5. Daniele Conti – 190 yellow cards
Daniele Conti, born on January 9, 1979, is a former footballer and football coach from Italy, who spent most of his career playing for Cagliari as a midfielder; he currently serves as a coordinator for the club’s youth team. He is the son of former AS Roma and Italy star Bruno Conti, and the brother of fellow footballer Andrea Conti.
Conti played for numerous clubs in Italy and seemed to have a sole responsibility of getting into altercations. His highest tally of yellow cards was at Parma, where he received 36 yellows and was recognized as one of the most cautioned players in football history.
6. Gabi – 189 yellow cards
Gabriel Fernández Arenas, born on July 10, 1983, or Gabi, is a professional Spanish footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder. Gabi was born in Madrid. A product of the Atlético Madrid youth system, he was rarely used in his first season with the first team Colchoneros.
After a loan spell at another club in the capital, Getafe CF, he made 52 appearances in La Liga for the club from 2005 to 2007, scoring the only goal in a 1-1 away draw against RCD Espanyol on April 9, 2006. Gabi certainly pleased Diego Simone at Atlético Madrid when he received 122 yellow cards and 8 red cards, recognized as the player with the most yellow cards in football history and at the club!
7. Raúl García – 199 yellow cards
Raúl García Escudero, born on July 11, 1986, has left a profound mark on Spanish football with his rich and diverse career. He is a talented professional player, currently playing for Athletic Bilbao primarily as an attacking midfielder, but also capable of playing in the central midfield position.
García’s fame began to rise when he helped Osasuna reach the UEFA Cup semifinals in July 2007. The highlight of that success was García’s crucial goal after 12 appearances. His excellence caught the attention of Atlético Madrid, and at that point, he signed a €13 million contract lasting for 5 years.
8. David Albelda – 183 yellow cards
David Albelda Aliqués, born on September 1, 1977, is a retired Spanish footballer, playing as a defensive midfielder and currently serving as a coach for Atzeneta UE.
He played primarily for the local Valencia throughout his extensive professional career, captaining the team for over a decade and appearing in 480 competitive matches.
Born in La Pobla Llarga, Valencian Community, Albelda began his career as a center-back for local UD Alzira and after two loan spells with Villarreal CF, also in the area, returned to excel for his first professional club Valencia CF in 1999–2000.
He played a crucial role in the team’s La Liga title wins in 2002 and 2004. During that time, Albelda received 183 yellow cards in his career, with 177 of them coming at Valencia. Albelda is acknowledged as one of the most cautioned players in football history.
9. Giampiero Pinzi – 182 yellow cards
Giampiero Pinzi, born on March 11, 1981, is a former professional Italian footballer who played as a midfielder. With the Italy U21 team, Pinzi won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2004 and a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He made his senior international debut and only appearance for the Italy national team in 2005.
After a year playing for SS Lazio in Serie A, he signed with rival Udinese Calcio in the top-flight league. Pinzi received 119 yellow cards and 13 red cards while at Udinese. Therefore, he is one of the most yellow-carded players of all time, quite impressively.
10. Emre Belözoğlu – 181 yellow cards
Emre Belözoğlu, born on September 7, 1980, is a retired Turkish footballer who played as a midfielder. A crafty player, his former clubs include Galatasaray, Inter Milan, Newcastle United, Atlético Madrid, İstanbul Başakşehir, and Fenerbahçe.
As a versatile midfielder, Emre could play centrally as a deep-lying playmaker, an advanced playmaker, or even on the left flank. Recognized as one of the players with the highest number of cautions in football history, Emre Belözoğlu is lauded for his outstanding technical skills and keen tactical intelligence, amassing a remarkable total of 181 yellow cards over the course of his distinguished career.
Conclusion
Raúl García Escudero is not just a stellar player on the field but also an emblem of perseverance and commitment in football. His versatility in roles and adaptable nature have made him an indispensable part of the teams he has represented. With a captain’s spirit and determination, Raúl García has proven himself to be one of the greatest and most revered players in the history of Spanish football.
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