World Cup red card rules: Why Jarell Quansah was sent off vs. Mexico

Bullet point summary by AI

• A red card was shown in the second half of a tense World Cup knockout match at Estadio Azteca.
• FIFA’s rules on dangerous fouls focus on whether the player plays the ball, uses studs, and makes contact with speed and force.
• The decision now forces the team to play shorthanded in a critical match, with an automatic suspension pending for the next game.

England are no strangers to seeing players sent off with red cards in knockout games at the World Cup, from David Beckham against Argentina in 1998 to Wayne Rooney against Portugal in 2006. The Three Lions have taken a 3-1 lead against Mexico amid a hostile environment at Estadio Azteca on Sunday night, but they’re going to need to see the match out shorthanded after right back Jarell Quansah was given a straight red early in the second half.

Quansah was penalized after a sliding tackle in the 53rd minute in which he caught Mexico’s Jesús Gallardo with the studs of his cleat. Upon VAR review, he was sent off, putting England behind the 8-ball — and putting Quansah’s future at this tournament in doubt. But was it the right call? And why was Quansah given a straight red? Here’s everything to know about how FIFA’s red card rules work.

World Cup red card rules: What a red card means, and why England’s Jarell Quansah was given one

FIFA rules define a “dangerous foul” as being worthy of getting a player sent off. There are a few factors that went into Quansah’s challenge being deemed worthy of a direct red card (i.e., a red card that wasn’t the result of two yellows).

The first is that Quansah does not actually play the ball; instead, he comes over the top of it. The next is that Quansah goes in “studs up”, meaning that the studs of his cleat are facing the opposing player. He’s also not helped by the fact that he makes direct, flush contact at full speed, meaning that there’s speed, force and malice (not a play on the ball) all present — the three qualifiers that officials look for when deciding whether to issue a red. There’s a reason why England didn’t protest much when the final ruling was issued.

Will Jarell Quansah be suspended after red card vs. Mexico?

According to FIFA rules, yes. Any player who receives a straight red card is automatically suspended for his team’s next match, as the U.S. learned when striker Folarin Balogun was sent off in the round of 32 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Of course, Balogun eventually had his suspension rescinded in highly controversial fashion; FIFA reserves the right to suspend any sort of discipline they hand out in any matter they see fit. But it’s anyone’s guess when exactly they’ll exercise that right, and England won’t be able to rely on transparency or compassion if they try to appeal Quansah’s case. This was a pretty clear-cut red, and as a result, England will be furthered weakened at a position that was already a sore spot.

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