The 10 Strangest Red-Card Offences

A bizarre red card was issued earlier this week, when a Portuguese player received his marching orders for mooning opposing fans. 

This cheeky dismissal, however, might not be the strangest example of a red card in the beautiful game. It leads our list of peculiar send-offs, which features rude celebrations, dog excrement and Neymar's face.

The Portuguese Full Moon

When Dally Innocent Gbale of Portuguese second division side Freamunde scored an 83rd-minute goal against Chaves earlier his week, the Ivorian celebrated by mooning the opposing fans. 

The cheeky gesture was aimed at some members of the crowd who had exhibited racist behaviour (link in Portuguese, via Dirty Tackle), but it hit a bum note with the referee, who immediately brandished a red card. 

Suddenly, Dally Innocent Gbale wasn't quite so Innocent. (Sorry.)

Dog Foul Prompts Foul Language

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Those who do not closely follow the amateur West Midlands Christian Football League may not be aware that it operates a very strict no-swearing policy.

According to the Mirror, a player named Lance Perry recently fell foul of this rule—for pointing out an area of the pitch that had been fouled by a dog.

During a game last Saturday, Perry warned his teammates about some "dog s--t on the pitch" but was sent for an early shower when the referee overheard him. 

Birmingham County's FA have since rescinded the card and cancelled a one-match ban, as the swearing was clearly not intended as a form of abuse. The dog remains unpunished.

The Friendly 'Bum Pat'

It's not unusual to see a footballer give an opponent or a teammate a friendly pat on the bum during a game. In the Honduran Liga Nacional, however, hand-to-bum contact seems to be punishable by ejection from the game. 

During a Honduran top-flight game in October, CD Marathon goalkeeper Junior Morales gave Real Sociedad's Eris Hernandez a light pat after making a clearance downfield. 

The linesman apparently took issue with the situation and called the ref over, who proceeded to take out his red card, supposedly for the aforementioned patting according to the Daily Mail. 

Morales decided not to give the ref a bum pat as he made his way to the dressing room.

The Dugout Headbutt

A headbutt is a great way to earn a red card for violent conduct—just ask Zinedine Zidane. However, headbutting a dugout after scoring a goal is a more unusual way to put your team a man down.

In February, a player scored for Riolo Terme in their Italian lower-division game with Ponticelli and proceeded to run toward his own bench and smash through the side of the side of the dugout. 

It's not clear why the Italian felt the need to destroy some property in such a dangerous manner, but he earned a red card for his troubles.

Mascherano's Medic Madness

Argentina's Javier Mascherano exited the field during a 2013 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador on the back of a medical-stretcher cart.

However, the Barcelona star appeared to have a disagreement with the medic driving the cart before kicking him in frustration. 

The clash sparked a kerfuffle between players on the edge of the field, and Mascherano was promptly given his marching orders. 

The Albiceleste star claimed he kicked out because the cart was going too fast, but he later accepted responsibility for his actions.

Quote: "One preaches non-violence in our country, and in this I was mistaken. My reaction is not justified. I feel ashamed."

Edinson Cavani's Rifle Salute

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Edinson Cavani scored a penalty in the 55th minute of Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 victory over Lens in October, but the Uruguayan wasn't on the field at full-time to celebrate. 

Straight after converting his spot-kick, Cavani celebrated with his trademark "rifle" celebration, which isn't too dissimilar to Robbie Keane's six-shooter post-goal ritual. 

However, the referee, Nicolas Rainville, somehow took offence to the celebration and showed Cavani a yellow card. While protesting, the striker appeared to lightly grab the official's arm, which was enough for him to earn a second yellow.

El Hadji Diouf's Touching Celebration

Cavani may have been mystified by his dismissal for a celebration, but El Hadji Diouf presumably has fewer complaints about the red card he received in the moments after he scored this one.

When the Senagalese forward tucked away a penalty for Leeds against Brighton in April 2013, he ran toward the Seagulls fans and performed an offensive gesture that involved his hand and his groin. 

Diouf was promptly dismissed, putting Leeds down to nine men and leading to an eventual 2-1 defeat. "I can't understand him, and maybe he can't understand himself," said manager Brian McDermott after the game. "What he did is not clever," he added. 

Olesandr Noyok's Bad Touch

Olesandr Noyok earned a deserved yellow card during a clash between Ukraine and Austria's U21 sides in June 2013 when he delivered a fairly cynical tackle from behind.

Four seconds later, the Ukraine captain accidentally flicked the ball straight into the face of an opponent, which the referee interpreted as an act of aggression.

This poor touch earned Noyok a very swift second yellow card and a dismissal 10 minutes before half-time.  

Samuel Inkoom Gets Shirty

During a league match at Karpaty Lviv in 2011, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk winger Samuel Inkoom was substituted. 

As he left the field, the Ghanian removed his shirt. The referee duly abandoned common sense and decided to follow the rules of the game to the letter, thus Inkoom was shown a yellow card for taking off his top.

For a gesture traditionally associated with excessive celebration, the Dnipro star was stunned to receive his second booking, and therefore he made his way off the pitch with the help of a red card.

Neymar's Masked Mistake

In April 2011, Neymar scored a stunning solo goal for Santos in a Copa Libertadores tie with Colo Colo. 

The YouTube highlight-reel specialist celebrated by running to the crowd to pick up a paper mask of his own face, which he wore upside down. The referee was not amused by the mask—which had been distributed throughout the stadium by one of Neymar's sponsors—and proceeded to issue him with his second yellow card of the day. 

The subsequent protests resulted in four more red cards, but the decision to dismiss Neymar stood. 

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