10 footballers with the most red cards in football history

By Adegboyega Adeleye Footballers are often praised for keeping their cool when the stakes are high, but some of the game’s most recognisable names have become known for receiving repeated red cards. From tough-tackling defenders to forceful midfielders, their careers have combined success on the pitch with frequent disciplinary woes. Gerardo Bedoya stands clear at the top of the ranking, with 46 red cards during his playing career and recognised by the Guinness World Records.

The former Colombia international’s fiery reputation followed him into coaching: in 2016, he was sent off just 21 minutes into his first match as an assistant coach at Santa Fe. Red-card totals can differ between databases because no single global record tracks every player’s dismissals across all competitions. According to a recent ranking by Planet Football, here are the 10 players who have been sent off the most times in football history.

Alexis Ruano Delgado — 22 red cards The Spanish centre-back played for Málaga, Getafe, Valencia and Sevilla, among other clubs. He won the Copa del Rey with Valencia in 2008. Rafael Márquez — 22 red cards The Mexican defender played for Barcelona, Monaco and New York Red Bulls, among other clubs, and represented Mexico at five World Cups. Six of his red cards came during his time at Barcelona.

Cyril Rool — 22 red cards The French midfielder played in Ligue 1 for clubs including Lens, Bordeaux and Nice. His career, which ran from 1993 to 2010, also included more than 150 yellow cards. Gerardo Torrado — 22 red cards Mexico’s former defensive midfielder earned 144 international caps and played at three World Cups. He spent 11 years at Cruz Azul, where he was sent off 14 times.

Paolo Montero — 23 red cards The Uruguayan defender played for Atalanta and Juventus, winning Serie A titles with the Turin club. Sixteen of his 23 dismissals came in Italy’s top flight, where he holds the league record, according to the ranking. Edgar Davids — 25 red cards The Dutch midfielder won the Champions League with Ajax and also played for Juventus and Tottenham.

Known for his energetic style, he continued his career with Barnet in England’s lower leagues. Felipe Melo — 26 red cards The Brazilian midfielder and defender played for clubs including Juventus, Inter, Galatasaray, Palmeiras and Fluminense. He retired in 2024, aged 41, after a career spanning more than two decades. Pablo Alfaro — 27 red cards The Spanish centre-back played for Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Racing Santander and Sevilla.

He was part of Barcelona’s 1992–93 La Liga-winning squad and later earned a UEFA Cup winner’s medal with Sevilla. Sergio Ramos — 30 red cards The World Cup winner and former Real Madrid captain is second, with 30 career dismissals. His total includes 26 red cards at Real Madrid and four across spells with Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and Monterrey.

Gerardo Bedoya — 46 red cards The former Colombian international tops the ranking with 46 dismissals during his playing career. Known for his aggressive approach, Bedoya’s reputation followed him into coaching as he was sent off just 21 minutes into his first match as a Santa Fe assistant in 2016.