World Cup: José Batista, player with the fastest red card

15.06.26 FT World Cup

Saudi Arabia

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Uruguay

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José Batista etched his name into World Cup history by receiving the fastest red card in tournament history.

It happened during a match between Uruguay and Scotland at the 1986 World Cup. The Uruguayan was sent off after just 56 seconds of play.

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Right after kickoff, José Batista delivered a brutal tackle on Gordon Strachan, who stayed down for several seconds, stunned by the violent challenge from his opponent.

It was French referee Joël Quiniou who showed the fastest red card in World Cup history, without the slightest hesitation. Despite being a man down for nearly the entire match, Uruguay still managed to secure a goalless draw (0-0).

With the tournament expanding to 48 teams and 104 matches to be played, there's a real chance this record could be broken at the 2026 World Cup.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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