Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessy has become the first player to see a red card at the Qatar World Cup. However, this keeper of Nottingham Forest is the third goalkeeper to receive a red card in the history of the World Cup. Italy’s Gianluca Pagliuca and South Africa’s Itumeleng Khune are the other two keepers who have been sent off at the World Cup. Pagliuca 1998 and Khune 2010.
Pagliuca is the first goalkeeper to be sent off after receiving a red card in the picture of the World Cup. Pagliuca’s penalty was in the match against Norway in New Jersey. In the 21st minute, director Pagliuca was sent off for bringing down Norway’s Oyvind Leonhardson, who advanced with the ball and slid out of the box. Luca Marchegiani came on as a substitute in this must-win match. Superstar Roberto Baggio also had to withdraw instead. Diego Baggio, who replaced Roberto Baggio as a striker, scored in the sixty-ninth minute to extend Italy’s lead. Italy finished third in Group E with just one win. Finally, in the match between the fourth placers, the fourth placers qualified for the knockout. Roberto Baggio broke Italy’s dreams of finally reaching the final. Bajie fired the final kick over the bar in the penalty shootout.
In 2010, Itumeleng Khune received a straight red card for bringing down Uruguay’s Luis Suarez who was dribbling in front of the post. Referee Massimo Busca didn’t have to think twice to issue the red card. The resulting penalty kick was tricked by Diego Forlan’s substitute goalie Moineb Josephs and into the net. However, many people had raised the doubt that Suarez fell due to Khune’s leg.
In any case, with Forlan’s double goal, Uruguay defeated the host South Africa by three goals without return. Khune missed the next match against France. They lost by two goals to one and were eliminated in the first round.
2006 saw the highest number of red cards. Twenty-eight players were sent off in twenty matches. France’s Zinedine Zidane was red carded in the final of this World Cup.