You must be aware of the fastest goals in football history. However, are you familiar with the quickest red card?
Jean Clair Todibo’s Red Card could be a contender for this award, as the defender was sent off within nine seconds during Nice’s League 1 match against Angers.
Jean Clair Todibo’s Red Card
You read correctly; Todibo was indeed sent off immediately following the kickoff. That, too, in less than ten seconds. Not because the referee was irritated or offended. He was dismissed for a careless tackle on Abdallh Sima of Angers.
Angers took the field against Nice to begin the League 1 match. And from the beginning, they had a plan. As a result, they launched a fierce attack on the Nice team, who were caught off guard by some deft passing.
Had it not been for Jean-Clair Todibo’s tackle, Angers might have scored the match’s first goal in the opening minute.
The 23-year-old French professional forcefully took down the attacker after spotting the threat in Angers’ onslaught. The foul was clearly visible to the referee, who thus gave Todibo the red card without thinking twice.
Todibo appeals to Bastian Dechepy, the referee. However, the man in the middle accepted his decision without question.
Jean Clair Todibo’s Red Card has made history with his deeds. That being said, he wouldn’t be pleased with it. With this red card, he became the fastest booking in League 1 history.
But in the end, Nice lost the match. Their opponents scored the only goal just before the end of the first half. And despite being down to 10 men themselves in the 68th minute, they managed to hang on to the lead.
Following this defeat, Nice and Angers are level on eight points and occupy the 13th and 14th spots in the league rankings, respectively.
What are some of the fastest Red Cards in Footballing history?
Jean Clair Todibo’s Red Card might seem the fastest in the context of the game. However, a few other players have been booked and sent off even quicker than Todibo. Here is a brief list of such players:
The first name on the list is Sheffield United man Keith Gillespie, who holds the honour of being sent off within the first minute of his playing time. The event that led to his sent-off took place during a game between Reading and Sheffield United, where Gillespie, having come on the field, was found guilty of elbowing his opponent. Since the linesman had a clear view of the incident, he instructed the referee to penalise the player with a straight red.
However, the second incident on this list is even more ridiculous. A suspension within 2 seconds into the game is Lee Todd, a player who represented Sunda League Side Cross Farm Park Celtic. He was sent off for cussing at the referee, who blew his whistle too loud. This made national news as Todd was not only sent off but also fined 21 pounds and banned for 35 days.
