When do yellow cards actually get wiped off at this summer’s World Cup?
BE honest, it’s really easy to pick up a booking in any football match these days, let alone the World Cup.
So much is open to the interpretation of the rules by the referee and his match officials.
Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia didn’t waste time with two yellows – he was sent straight off for this two-footed lunge on France’s Lucas Digne in Rio in 2014AFP
Fifa try to keep a lid on by issuing specific instructions to both team and officials.
But it always seem to kick off at some stage…
So it will come as no surprise to see players picking one, or even two, yellow cards in Russia.
Should they receive two then that will mean a one-match suspension.
This foul on Paul Pogba cost Wilson Palacios of Honduras a second yellow card against France in the last World CupGetty Images - GettyFormer Birmingham, Wigan, Tottenham and Stoke midfielder Palacios had to make the walk of shameGetty Images - Getty
But surely yellow cards are wiped out at some stage?
Yes. In the quarter-finals when, just like in the Champions League, players are given a clean slate and are ready to go again.
Was it always like this?
No. FIFA first started wiping out yellow cards after the quarter-final round in the 2010 World Cup. By wiping yellow cards out ahead of the semi-finals, only a red card would prevent a player from missing the final.
A second yellow card for Michael Ballack in the 2002 the semi-final against South Korea cost the German skipper a place in the final against BrazilGetty Images - Getty
Fifa used to wipe out yellow cards after the initial group stage. But the governing body wanted to make sure vital players would not be suspended for the final.
So instead of using a system that helps most teams it adopted a system that helps the best teams.
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