Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar is shown a second yellow and red card by referee Ismail Elfath for his shirtless celebration after scoring against Brazil at the Lusail Stadium on Friday. REUTERS
Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar headed in a stoppage-time winner against Brazil on Friday night and celebrated in style - ripping off his shirt in jubilation. But he was then sent off.
Is such celebration a red card offence?
Aboubakar’s wild celebration after his goal in the 92nd minute was understandable. It was his first goal in the match and more importantly it was a historic win - the first by an African nation against the football superpowers Brazil.
But why was he sent off?
The answer is clear. Ripping off the shirt is a yellow-card offence. And that particular booking was Aboubakar’s second in the match and so it constituted a red card offence. Not long before the goal Aboubakar had been shown a first yellow card for ‘dangerous’ tackling Gabriel Martinelli.
Thirty-year-old Aboubakar became the first player to score and be sent off in a World Cup match since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 final.
France’s talisman Zidane was sent off in that final against Italy not for bearing his chest but for a different offense - his infamous head-butting incident.
France and Italy were deadlocked 1-1 and the game was deep in extra time.
Zidane, who had put his country in front with a 7th minute goal, in a moment of madness, slammed his head into Italian defender Marco Materazzi. It was a straight red card and the French legend was sent off in his final game. The match entered penalties and Italy won 5-3.
About ripping the shirts off FIFA ruling is clear which came in 2004.
It was meant to target largely time-wasting and also to prevent any political messaging in a T-shirt under the jersey. There was also the possibility that the players could deliver a ‘personal message’ or display advertising material.
The rule comes under law 12 of FIFA’s Law of the game, under ‘fouls and misconduct’.
“While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive,” it states.
“Reasonable celebrations are allowed, but the practice of choreographed celebrations is not to be encouraged when it results in excessive time-wasting and referees are instructed to intervene in such cases.” (See the box)
However, rules and regulations in sports (as in life) sometimes take a backseat when players are overcome by emotions.
Italy’s Mario Balotelli once playing for Manchester City took off his shirt after scoring against Manchester United in 2011 and displayed his undershirt with the inscription “Why always me?”
Later he revealed that he wanted to tell people that he was unduly targeted regarding on and off the field incidents.
Football icons including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have all done it in their careers.
Ronaldo was booked for removing his jersey in Real Madrid’s Champions League final win in 2014.
England’s woman player Chloe Kelly in the Women’s Euros 2022 final in July this year fired in the winning goal in the 110th minute against Germany. But soon found out that her shirtless celebration was not a spectacle – at least for the referee.
Kelly’s celebration drew comparison to American defender Brandi Chastain’s similar celebration for her country after scoring a decisive penalty against China in the Women’s World Cup final in 1999.
