A football referee creates history as she gives out the first-ever white card in football. With what seemed to be just a normal football match, an unexpected white card was awarded by one of the referees in charge of the Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica game on January 22, 2023. The moment was so bizarre that it brought the fans to an ovation. But, what is the white card for? Is it similar to red and yellow cards?
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Football’s first-ever white card and what it is used for
Contrary to the usual yellow and red cards handed out by referees during a football match to punish players, white cards are used to “recognize and encourage fair play“.
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As equipas médicas de Benfica e Sporting receberam cartão branco após assistirem uma pessoa que se sentiu mal na bancada 👏 pic.twitter.com/ihin0FAlJF
— B24 (@B24PT) January 21, 2023
- Before halftime of the Sporting Lisbon and Benfica women’s football game, medical staff from both teams quickly responded to a player on the bench who complained of not feeling well. Benfica was up 3-0 against Lisbon at the time.
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- Due to the great conduct that both clubs have shown, one of the referees threw out the first-ever white card in football history. According to JOE, it was the very first time it was used in a professional game. In addition to that, this also promotes sportsmanship between opposing teams. Not only does the white card praise the teams for their fair play, but this also raises awareness and improves ethical values in sports, not just in football.
- Benfica finished the game with a clean sweep, 5-0, in a very historic match. The white card, as observed during that game, was an initiative of Portugal alongside other new rules created by FIFA itself. Notable initiatives from the international governing body of football such as “concussion substitutes to the game” and “longer stoppage time” were both observed during the group stage in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Truthfully, football is a physical sport. Sometimes, injuries are part of the game. But, with new rules to put the players’ safety first, we might be seeing a drastic change in the sport.
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On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be enjoying his time with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr
Ronaldo made his debut for Al-Nassr just a month after failing to win the FIFA World Cup 2022. He may have lost during that tournament but he is getting a huge bag in Saudi Arabia after agreeing to a $200 million per year deal with Al-Nassr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gGN8kl_9Es
CR7 made his long-awaited debut and although he did not score a goal in his first game, all eyes were on Ronaldo and the Saudi Arabian professional football league. A true legend of the game and a locked future Hall-of-Famer graced the field with his unparalleled talents.
Do you think we will be seeing more white cards in the future? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
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