10 most weird things that footballers have been banned for

Football is a passionate game. Sometimes, when the match gets intense, the pressure of the game makes the footballers do the silliest things and get reprimanded. We take a look at the 10 most weird acts for which footballers have been banned for.

#10 Jamie Carragher - Throwing a coin

Jamie Carragher was sent off against Arsenal

Liverpool v Arsenal, 2002.

In an intense FA Cup clash, Jamie Carragher was sent off for a bizarre reason. Arsenal defender Martin Keown had already been sent off for bringing down Owen. Later, when goalscorer Dennis Bergkamp was also sent off for a stamping incident, the Highbury crowd was incensed.

In this mess up, Carragher was struck by a coin from Arsenal supporters. Normally a calm guy, Carragher lost his cool and threw back the coin in a vague direction. Unfortunately, the referee thought it was a serious offense and sent him off.

#9 Luis Moreno - Kicking the mascot

Deportivo Pereira v Junior Barranquila, 2011.

This would go into the books as one of the most bizarre incidents in the history of football. During the match, Barranquila’s lucky mascot, an Owl, flew down to the ground with an injured wing. Moreno was out of his mind to kick the owl, and the kick resulted in the owl’s death.

Luckily, he escaped jail but was banned for 2 games and fined $500. In addition to that, he was forced to do community work at a zoo.

#8 Lee Bowyer & Kieron Dyer - Fighting

Newcastle United v Aston Villa, 2005.

Fights on the football field are common. But fighting within the team is downright unusual. When Bowyer did not pass the ball to Dyer, Dyer punched Bowyer and the two started to fight like children until teammates and opponents stepped in to separate the pair.

Both of them were sent off, banned and disciplined by the club.

#7 Ashley Vickers - Rugby tackling a fan

Dorchester Town v Havant & Waterlooville, 2011

Ashley Vickers, the captain of Dorchester Town, was involved in an embarrassing incident to be sent off. During the match, a fan invaded the pitch and ran on to the ground dressed up like the movie character ‘Borat’. Vickers was furious and rugby tackled the fan so they could get on with the game.

Though it was a security lapse to let the fan enter, Vickers was sent off for his behaviour.

#6 Paolo di Canio - Pushing the referee

Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal, 1998

Paolo di Canio was a very polarizing figure as a player and went beyond the limit in a game against Arsenal causing a shock among the fans. After being sent off, an angry Di Canio, pushed the referee, Paul Alcock, to the floor.

For this offence, he was banned for 11 games and fined £10,000.

#5 Zinedine Zidane - Headbutt

France v Italy, 2006.

This was one of the saddest moments in World Cup history. Playing his last match in the finals of the World Cup, Zidane lost his temper and got himself sent off.

After Marco Materazzi said something about Zidane’s sister, he went up to him and headbutted him on the chest in retaliation.

Zidane had to walk off only to see his team lose out on a second World Cup title after Italy won in the penalty shootout.

#4 Mwepu Ilunga - Kicking the ball

Zaire v Brazil, 1974

Playing the World Cup after a surprise qualification, Zaire had lost all their games before playing Brazil. During the match, Brazil was awarded a free kick in a dangerous position.

Before Brazil could take the kick, Ilunga raced from the wall and kicked the ball down to the other end of the ground only to be booked by the referee.

#3 Paul Gascoigne - Booking the referee

Rangers v Hibernian, 1995

This one would be the most bizarre bookings in Gascoigne’s career. He noticed that referee, Dougie Smith, had dropped his yellow card. Gascoigne picked the card up and jokingly booked the referee before giving it back to him.

But Smith booked Gascoigne for real and since it was the 10th yellow card of the season for Gascoigne, he was banned for two games.

#2 Eric Cantona - Kung fu kick

Manchester United v Crystal Palace, 1995

Eric Cantona, the ‘King of Old Trafford’, was also one who wore his emotions on his sleeve. During an intense match against Crystal Palace, he had been sent off and was already quite worked up.

Adding fuel to the fire, a Crystal Palace fan abused Cantona only to see the Frenchman flying at him with a kung-fu kick in retaliation. That kick saw Cantona banned for 9 months but it also cemented his legendary status among the Old Trafford faithful.

#1 Luis Suarez - Biting

Besides topping the goalscorers list, he is on top of this list as well. Not once, not twice, but thrice he has been banned for biting the opposition players.

First : Ajax v PSV, 2010

After an argument with PSV’s Ottman Bakkal, Suarez sunk his teeth into his shoulders. Suarez was sent off and banned for seven games. Incidentally, that was his last match for Ajax as he joined Liverpool shortly after the incident.

Second: Liverpool v Chelsea, 2013

Yes, it was Suarez again who bit Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic. When Ivanovic got close to him inside the box, Suarez immediately bit Ivanovic’s hand. This time he was banned for 10 games.

Third: Uruguay vs Italy, 2014

Everyone remembers when he sank his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup when Uruguay met Italy. The striker was banned for four months as a result.