An unfortunate event involving Idrissa Gueye being shown a sending-off for slapping teammate Michael Keane has prompted curiosity about similar in-game altercations between teammates.
Past Incidents
We begin with several notable examples from soccer history.
Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan, Charlton v Maidstone, FA Cup, 1978-79
During a tense FA Cup fixture, strikers Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan erupted into a physical confrontation. Reportedly, Hales felt Flanagan was refusing to giving him the ball so landed a punch. Both players received red cards.
Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg, Hearts v Raith Rovers, 1994-95
In a pre-season friendly, Hearts backline players Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg began fighting after Raith's Gordon Dalziel nearly scored. Witnesses recalled Levein throwing powerful punches that caused a broken nose for Hogg.
Blackburn's Le Saux and Batty, Champions League 1995-96
During a European game, Blackburn teammates Graeme Le Saux and David Batty argued over a possession and Le Saux tried to punch Batty. Fortunately, teammate Tim Sherwood intervened to stop further escalation.
Dortmund's Lehmann and Amoroso, 2002-03
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann reacted badly to a disallowed goal by trying to strangle teammate Marcio Amoroso. Despite the goal being void, Lehmann was dismissed for his actions.
Recent English Top-Flight Cases
A number of additional footballers have made the questionable honor of being dismissed for aggression against a teammate.
- Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle, 2005) – Infamously fought during a at St James' Park loss to Aston Villa.
- Ricardo Fuller (Stoke, 2008) – Struck skipper Andy Griffin and was sent off.
- Idrissa Gueye (Everton, 2025) – Most recent entry to this list after slapping Michael Keane.
Additional memorable confrontations feature:
- Bruce Grobbelaar and Steve McManaman (Liverpool, 1993) – Angry argument but no cards.
- Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa, 2019) – Confrontation without disciplinary action.
- Marcão and Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray, 2021) – Aggressive contact followed by punches before dismissal.
International Debut Gap Milestones
Scotland goalkeeper may set a remarkable milestone if he appears at the 2026 World Cup. That would be 22 years since his international debut.
But, several additional footballers have had even longer gaps between debut and finals appearance:
- Essam El-Hadary (Egypt) – 22 years and a quarter year between debut (1996) and finals (2018). El-Hadary was the first from Africa to stop a spot-kick in a World Cup match.
- Atiba Hutchinson (Canada) – Almost 20 years between first cap (2003) and World Cup (2022).
- Pia Sundhage (Sweden) – Over a decade and a half between debut (1975) and Women's World Cup (1991).
Biggest Home Defeats for Reigning Champions
The champions' recent loss to Nottingham Forest joins a group of shocking at home defeats suffered by reigning Premier League champions.
Some memorable examples are:
- Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (2011) – Biggest loss at Old Trafford for a title holder.
- Leicester City 1-6 Tottenham (2017) – Equal margin with Harry Kane netting four goals.
- Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham (2024) – Recent comprehensive defeat for the champions.
Additional significant home defeats include games with Leeds, Chelsea, and several further teams.
Title Winners with Negative Goal Difference
Is it possible for a team to claim a title despite conceding more than they score? Indeed, there are.
- Coritiba (Brazil 1985) – Won the championship with goals scored and 27 against.
- POSCO Atoms (South Korea 1986) – Title winners with a negative goal difference.
These rare feats often happen in complicated tournament formats.
Your Questions
Readers are encouraged to send their football questions on subjects including:
- Nations refusing World Cup invitations.
- Footballers getting yellow cards while being substituted.
- Interesting naming coincidences in squad selections.
You are welcome to share your queries and responses.
