What Happens If a Goalkeeper Red Card is Given?

Red cards are regularly shown during 90 minutes of football, but they’re mainly given to outfield players. So what happens if a goalkeeper is sent off? We answer this and include interesting examples of goalkeeper red cards in this Elastico article.

What Happens if a Goalkeeper Is Sent Off?

There are two main options when a goalkeeper is sent off. Either the manager makes a substitution and brings on the back-up goalkeeper, or an outfield player plays the remainder of the game in goal.

The Back-up Goalkeeper Is Substituted On

The obvious action when a goalkeeper red card has been given is to make a substitute and bring on the back-up goalkeeper. 99% of the time, each team will have a back-up goalkeeper on their bench for a football match, so this is an easy fix.

Unfortunately, the impacted team will have to play with 10 men for the rest of the match, and they’ll also have to sub off one of their outfield players to bring on the back-up goalkeeper. This means they’ll have one less attacking option on the field, so they’ll have to adopt different tactics to get something out of the match.

An Outfield Player Goes in Goal

There are a couple of scenarios when an outfield player might be required to play in goal. The first scenario is when a goalkeeper red card has been given and the impacted team has used all of their available substitutions. This forces the team’s hand into putting an outfield player in goal because they have no other choice.

Another situation that would result in an outfield player going in goal is if their first choice keeper is substituted due to injury and their back-up keeper is sent off. There’s a famous example of this when Manchester United played Portsmouth in an FA Cup tie, which we cover later on in this article.

The final scenario when an outfield player would be required to go in goal is if a team doesn’t name a back-up goalkeeper on their bench. This was more common in the past, but nowadays, teams will name one or even two goalkeepers on their bench.

For the most part, an outfield player playing in goal is a pretty rare occurrence, but there are some great examples of this happening.

Examples of Outfield Players Playing in Goal

Rio Ferdinand

One of the most iconic examples of outfield players playing in goal was when Rio Ferdinand put on the gloves for Manchester United during their FA Cup quarter-final tie with Portsmouth in the 2007/08 season.

During the half-time break, Manchester United’s first choice goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar had to withdraw from the game due to injury, and was replaced by back-up goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak. In the 78th minute, Kuszczak was given a goalkeeper red card, also conceding a penalty in the process.

Because their first choice keeper had already been substituted, it led Sir Alex Ferguson to put an outfield player in goal, and that player was to be central defender Rio Ferdinand. He put on the goalkeeper jersey and his first action was to try and save a penalty.

Sully Muntari scored the penalty and Portsmouth went on to win the game 1-0. Watch Rio Ferdinand try and save the penalty by watching the following video:

José Enrique

Our second example of an outfield player playing in goal is José Enrique whilst he was playing for Liverpool.

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off after headbutting Newcastle United defender James Perch during the 2011/12 Premier League season. Newcastle were winning the game 2-0 at this point, and Reina was sent off in the 83rd minute.

Enrique kept a clean sheet during the time he spent in goal, but Liverpool lost the game 2-0.

Phil Jagielka

During the 2006/07 Premier League season, Sheffield United were playing Arsenal at home when first choice goalkeeper Paddy Kenny pulled up with a groin injury after taking a goal kick. Unfortunately, Sheffield United’s back-up goalkeeper Ian Bennett had broken his finger the previous week in training, so they hadn’t named a back-up goalkeeper on their bench.

This led to the decision of putting central defender Phil Jagielka in goal for the remainder of the match. He put on an incredible display and ensured that Sheffield United took all three points by keeping out Arsenal. Sheffield United won the match 1-0.

Why Do Goalkeepers Get Sent Off?

There are a number of reasons why referees have shown goalkeepers a red card over the years. From bad challenges to attacking fans, goalkeepers have plenty of stories to tell.

Bad Challenges

More often than not, goalie red cards are given when the player commits a bad challenge.

Goalkeepers regularly have to rush out and close down opposition strikers. If they’re a split second too late, they’ll more than likely miss the ball, and foul the opponent in the process. This leads to them receiving a red card.

The problem for goalkeepers is that any bad challenge from them is likely to stop a clear goalscoring opportunity, as they are usually the last man. This is deemed a red card offence.

Handling the Ball Outside the Area

Although we associate goalkeepers with handling a football, there are rules in place that stop them handling a ball outside the penalty box. There have been some occasions where goalkeeper red cards have been given for this offence.

If a goalkeeper denies the opposition of a clear goalscoring opportunity by handling the ball outside the area, they’ll receive a red card (see Bernd Leno example later in the article).

Attacking a Fan

A unique example of a keeper red card is when AZ Alkmaar’s goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado was sent off for attacking a fan. AZ Alkmaar were playing Ajax in a KNVB cup match back in December 2011 when a drunk fan ran onto the pitch during the latter stages of the first half.

The fan attacked the goalkeeper, but slipped in the process. Alvarado proceeded to kick the fan several times, and the referee showed him a red card following the incident. It’s safe to say that this kind of thing doesn’t happen that often on the football pitch.

Examples of Goalkeeper Red Cards

Now that we’ve covered the scenarios in which goalkeepers are red card, we’ve put together some great examples of goalie red cards.

Alisson Becker Red Card

First in our list of goalie red cards is the iconic Alisson Becker red card situation. This was a one of a kind situation where Alisson was technically sent off twice during the game but never left the field. You might be wondering how this was possible.

Brazil played Ecuador in a World Cup qualifying match in January 2022. Within 20 minutes, Brazil were 1-0 up and both Alexander Dominguez and Emerson Royal had been sent off, leaving both teams with 10 men.

Ecuador’s Enner Valencia was through on goal when Alisson rushed out and caught the forward with a late challenge. He was shown a straight red card for provoking a goalscoring opportunity, however VAR came to his rescue, deeming the challenge not as serious, meaning he received a yellow card instead.

Deep in injury time, Alisson came out to punch the ball away, but tangled with another Ecuadorian player, getting sent off and giving away a penalty in the process. Lo and behold, VAR saved him again, as the officials could see that his punch had connected with the ball, as well as the man.

The match finished 1-1 and Alisson could well be the first and last player to be technically sent off twice in a match but remain on the pitch.

Gianluigi Buffon Red Card

The Gianluigi Buffon red card in question was during the second leg of a Champions League quarter-final back in 2018 when Juventus played Real Madrid. Following the first leg, Madrid were 3-0 ahead in the tie.

Juventus had managed to score three goals at the Bernabéu to level things up, however in injury time, one of the Juventus defenders gave away a penalty. Buffon thought this was a ridiculous decision and made his thoughts well known to English referee Michael Oliver.

Oliver showed Buffon a red card and substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny came on. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the resulting penalty and Real Madrid won the tie 4-3 on aggregate. Years later, Buffon controversially said that this match was one of his proudest moments.

Bernd Leno Red Card

One of the most bizarre keeper red cards was Bernd Leno’s for Arsenal when they played Wolves in February 2021. By half-time, Arsenal were 2-1 down, and David Luiz had been sent off.

They matched Wolves in the second half until the 72nd minute, when a ball was played through to Adam Traore. Leno rushed out to stop the player, however, he quite clearly handled the ball while he was outside his box. The referee was left with no other option but to send him off, and Arsenal were left with 9 men on the pitch. They lost the game 2-1.

Jens Lehmann Red Card

This goalie red card was one of the more high profile examples. Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann was sent off in the 18th minute of the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona. He was sent off for committing a professional foul on Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o.

Barcelona scored immediately after the challenge, and Lehmann argued that referee Terje Hauge should’ve played advantage and let the goal stand, meaning that he wouldn’t have been sent off.

Arsenal went on to lose the final 2-1. Watch Lehmann’s red card moment here: