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The hype surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup has begun to subside. However, the controversy stemming from the FIFA FFE proposal continues even after FIFA President Gianni Infantino withdrew it, with several continental and national football federations raising questions about the current leadership.
Even before the FIFA FFE proposal entered the public domain, critics of Infantino had raised concerns after U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post that he had asked the FIFA chief to review a “Red Card” issued to a U.S. player. FIFA subsequently suspended the ban on U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium.
Balogun had received a controversial red card in the 64th minute of the United States’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA later suspended his automatic one-game ban under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, placing him on a one-year probation and clearing him to play in the next match.
What happened afterward is now history.
The controversy also offers an opportunity to revisit the origins of penalty cards in sports such as soccer and field hockey.
Interestingly, the player whose actions helped inspire the introduction of penalty cards was Argentine soccer star Antonio Rattin, who died as the 2026 FIFA World Cup reached its quarterfinal stage.
The rivalry between England and Argentina predates even the Falklands War.
To refresh readers’ memories, “The Falklands War was a 74-day conflict in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over control of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. It began when Argentine forces invaded on April 2. Britain responded by sending a naval task force, ending in an Argentine surrender on June 14, 1982.”
Sixteen years before the Falklands conflict, England and Argentina faced each other at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. During the heated encounter, Argentine captain Antonio Rattin became involved in an impassioned confrontation with the referee. The incident would ultimately help pave the way for the introduction of soccer’s penalty card system.
Rattin, one of Argentina’s prominent players of that era, returned to the spotlight during the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland. Argentine players wore black armbands in his honor, and Argentina went on to win the match in a tribute to its former star and captain.
Standing more than two meters tall, Rattin made his mark as a midfielder. Before the 1966 match against England, he had cautioned his teammates about the prospect of an intensely physical game. During the match, Rattin reportedly believed that the referee was not calling enough fouls against England.
In the 35th minute, German referee Rudolf Kreitlein made a decision that Rattin disputed. Unable to speak German, Rattin sought an explanation and questioned why England had not been similarly penalized for what he considered a comparable offense.
Kreitlein, who did not understand Rattin’s Spanish, eventually ordered the Argentine captain off the field for what was described as the “violence of his tongue.”
In his post-match comments, the referee said that he “believed, seeing in his face,” that Rattin was “insulting me.”
Rattin initially refused to leave. He walked toward the sidelines and sat on a red carpet reserved near the Queen’s viewing area.
After several minutes, two police officers escorted him from the field as English supporters reportedly threw chocolates in his direction. Rattin picked up one of the chocolates, ate it and tossed the wrapper back.
As he made his way out, Rattin grabbed a pennant featuring the Union Jack and rubbed it between his fingers. Spectators also threw beer cans, and his departure was briefly interrupted when his path was blocked by a Shetland pony belonging to an English marching band.
Rattin later explained that he had been trying to bring order to the chaotic situation. He said he wanted the referee to explain the decision against Argentina.
“But before I could get him to understand, he threw me out of the game,” Rattin was quoted as saying in a later media interview.
Playing with 10 men, Argentina lost the match 1-0. England subsequently went on to defeat West Germany in the final and win the World Cup.
The communication breakdown between Rattin and Kreitlein helped convince English referee Ken Aston, who was responsible for overseeing refereeing at the tournament, that football needed a clearer and more universally understood disciplinary system.
Inspired by traffic lights, Aston devised the concept of yellow and red cards, with yellow signaling a warning and red indicating expulsion.
Penalty cards have since become an integral part of soccer and several other sports.
With the FIFA World Cup concluded, another major international competition is approaching. While it may not attract the same global audience as football’s premier tournament, field hockey has a passionate following across many parts of the world.
Beginning August 15, the FIH men’s and women’s World Cups will be held simultaneously in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Hockey, too, has had its share of controversies involving penalty cards. One of the most notable recent episodes occurred during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
I was in Paris covering the Summer Olympics when a red-card controversy unfolded during India’s crucial quarterfinal against 1988 Olympic champion Great Britain. The following are excerpts from my match report about what was later described as a “match marred by controversial umpiring decisions”:
“India did it. It was no less than a miracle. Playing the last 43 minutes with 10 men, it not only held 1988 Olympic champions Great Britain to a 1-1 draw but also scored an exciting 4-2 win in the subsequent penalty shoot-out to earn a place in the semi-finals of the 2024 Olympic Games hockey competition.
“It was a controversial start to the knockout round, with one of the ground umpires waving a red card to Indian deep defender Amit Rohidas in the 17th minute for hooking a British player, William Calnan. Shellshocked by the dreaded award, Indian players protested but to no avail. They did not reflect that they were impacted, as they remained high in their spirits. They continued to attack their opponents with a vengeance.
“It was the spirit of fighting odds, including umpiring blues, that helped bronze medalists of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games to take the lead in the 22nd minute, when Harmanpreet Singh, with yet another exemplary leadership display, found the target from the fourth penalty corner earned by his team.
“The goal shook the Britons. Playing with 10, India conveyed a strong message. There was no let-up in the spirits of the team players as they accepted the challenge to play the rest of the game without their dependable defender,” the report said.
India protested the decision but had no “Donald Trump” to appeal to the FIH on Rohidas’ behalf. The contrasting outcomes offer an interesting footnote to the history of red-card controversies.
India played its next match without its star defender and eventually went on to win the bronze medal. The United States, by contrast, was able to field Balogun after his suspension was lifted but lost its Round of 16 match against Belgium.
