A recent incident featuring Idrissa Gueye receiving a red card for slapping teammate Michael Keane has prompted curiosity about other in-game confrontations between teammates.
Historic Clashes
Starting with some notable cases from football history.
Charlton's Hales and Flanagan, FA Cup 1978-79
In a tense FA Cup match, forwards Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan exploded into a fight. Reportedly, Hales believed Flanagan was not giving him the ball so landed a punch. The two players received red cards.
Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg, Hearts v Raith Rovers, 1994-95
In a pre-season friendly, Hearts defenders Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg started fighting after an opponent nearly scored. Observers recalled Levein throwing strong punches that caused a broken nose for Hogg.
Graeme Le Saux and David Batty, Spartak Moscow v Blackburn, 1995-96
In a European match, Blackburn teammates Graeme Le Saux and David Batty argued over a loose ball and Le Saux tried to punch Batty. Fortunately, captain Tim Sherwood stepped in to stop further escalation.
Jens Lehmann and Marcio Amoroso, Schalke v Dortmund, 2002-03
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann responded poorly to a disallowed goal by trying to grab teammate Marcio Amoroso. Despite the goal being void, Lehmann was dismissed for his conduct.
Recent English Top-Flight Incidents
A number of other footballers have made the dubious distinction of being sent off for violence against a colleague.
- Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle, 2005) – Famously fought during a at St James' Park loss to Aston Villa.
- Ricardo Fuller (Stoke, 2008) – Hit captain Andy Griffin and received a red card.
- Idrissa Gueye (Everton, 2025) – Most recent entry to this list after slapping Michael Keane.
Additional notable clashes include:
- Bruce Grobbelaar and Steve McManaman (Liverpool, 1993) – Angry exchange but no sanctions.
- Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa, 2019) – Head-to-head without punishment.
- Marcão and Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray, 2021) – Aggressive contact followed by swings before red card.
International Debut Gap Records
Craig Gordon could set a remarkable milestone if he plays at the next World Cup. That would be over two decades since his international debut.
However, several additional footballers have experienced lengthier gaps between first cap and World Cup appearance:
- Essam El-Hadary (Egypt) – Over two decades and three months between first game (1996) and World Cup (2018). El-Hadary became the first African to stop a spot-kick in a finals match.
- Atiba Hutchinson (Canada) – Almost 20 years between debut (2003) and finals (2022).
- Pia Sundhage (Sweden) – Over a decade and a half between first appearance (1975) and women's finals (1991).
Biggest Home Defeats for Title Holders
Liverpool's latest 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest joins a group of shocking home losses experienced by reigning Premier League champions.
Some memorable examples include:
- Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (2011) – Biggest home defeat for a title holder.
- Leicester City 1-6 Tottenham (2017) – Equal scoreline with Harry Kane scoring four goals.
- Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham (2024) – Recent comprehensive defeat for the title holders.
Additional notable home defeats include matches with Leeds, Chelsea, and multiple other teams.
Title Winners with Negative Goal Difference
Is it possible for a team to win a title despite allowing more than they score? Yes, examples exist.
- Coritiba (Brazil 1985) – Won the championship with goals scored and goals conceded.
- POSCO Atoms (South Korea 1986) – Title winners with a negative goal difference.
Such rare achievements often occur in complicated tournament formats.
Your Questions
We invite submit any football questions on topics such as:
- Countries refusing World Cup places.
- Players receiving bookings while leaving the field.
- Amusing naming patterns in team lineups.
Feel free to share your queries and answers.
