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Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently complained about the lack of bookings and the increasingly physical nature of the modern game, in their post-match interviews. While a well-timed tackle remains one of the most exciting sights on a football pitch, an ill-timed tackle can potentially be career-threatening.
Football in the 21st century has seen more instances of referees going to their pockets for a foul to prevent these serious injuries, as compared to that in earlier years. Some players, though, have picked up the knack of consistently being at the receiving end of yellow and red cards.
On that note, here's a look at the five players who get booked way too often.
#5 Dani Alves
Dani Alves is undoubtedly one of the best full-backs of his generation, spending most of his time on the pitch in the opposition half.
That also means why the Brazilian has received over 200 yellow cards since his move to Sevilla before the 2002-03 season. During his eight-year stint at Barcelona, Alves was booked 86 times and was sent off on four occasions. He even missed the 2009 UEFA Champions League final due to a yellow card suspension.
The Brazilian was the first player to be booked in the Blaugrana’s second leg of the semi-final against Chelsea that year. Andres Iniesta scored a late winner for 10-man Barcelona in that game. In Alves’ defence, that Champions League thriller witnessed seven bookings and the sending off of Eric Abidal.
Dani Alves has been sent off 13 times in his career, but he is one of the game's most successful players. He has laid his hands on the UEFA Champions League, Copa America, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and more recently, the Olympic gold medal, to name a few.
#4 Ruben Neves
Ruben Neves has recently been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, following stellar performances in the last few seasons for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, Neves has been booked 25 times since his Premier League debut in 2018-19. He has made a combined total of 112 fouls in his last three Premier League campaigns. The Portuguese was booked 11 times, and sent off once in the 2017-18 Championship - his debut campaign in English football.
The 24-year-old has established himself as one of the finest midfielders in the Premier League at the moment. He has been pivotal in keeping Wolves in the English top flight, registering a direct involvement in 30 goals (20 goals, ten assists) in 178 appearances.
However, Neves has also been booked 38 times, and sent off once during his four-year spell at the Molineux. He has received 51 bookings during his career.
#3 Pepe
At his peak, Pepe was one of the most feared centre-backs in the game. He formed a near-impenetrable defensive partnership with Sergio Ramos at the heart of Real Madrid’s defence.
While he was highly regarded for his defensive prowess, Pepe also earned a reputation for being reckless. Hence, it is no surprise that Pepe has been booked a whopping 162 times, including six double-yellow offenses and six red cards.
Now at Porto, Pepe picked up two bookings in six Champions League appearances last season. However, he more than makes up for his bookings with consistent and solid performances in the backline. He played a pivotal role in Porto’s run to the quarter-finals of the competition last season.
Pepe enjoyed a trophy-laden decade-long stay in the Spanish capital, where he won the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA SuperCup, to name a few.
#2 Granit Xhaka
Arsenal’s man in the middle of the park has made a habit of consistently picking up bookings, with ten yellow cards to his name in three successive seasons.
Granit Xhaka ended the unwanted streak in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign, where he picked up six yellow cards. In his three previous league seasons, though, Xhaka did not receive a direct red card. The Swiss international was shown a straight red against Burnley in the 2020-21 Premier League, a game the Gunners lost 1-0 to the visitors.
In over 450 career games, Xhaka has been booked 112 times, including seven double-yellow and four straight reds. He averages a disciplinary action (yellow or red card) every 3.78 appearances.
#1 Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is considered by many to be the greatest centre-half in the past decade, and is undoubtedly one of the most decorated players in history.
The Spaniard has won every trophy he has competed for at international and club level. That includes the FIFA World Cup, Euros, Champions League, La Liga and FIFA Club World Cup, to name a few.
Ramos is one of the highest-scoring centre-backs in the game's history. The four-time Champions League winner has scored seven goals in the knockout stage of the Champions League - the most by any defender in competition history.
Ramos has made over 700 appearances in his club career, so it is no surprise that he is the most booked player in the 21st century, given his propensity to fly in for tackles and dangerous challenges.
The Spaniard has received a whopping 226 bookings in club football, along with 26 sending offs. Moreover, Sergio Ramos has also picked up 24 yellow cards in 180 appearances for Spain.
