{"id":687234,"date":"2026-07-12T06:42:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T06:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/687234\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T06:42:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T06:42:09","slug":"world-cup-2026-breel-embolo-sent-off-as-result-of-mistaken-identity-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/687234\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup 2026: Breel Embolo sent off as result of mistaken identity rule"},"content":{"rendered":"

Switzerland’s Breel Embolo became the first player to be sent off as a result of a new law for mistaken identity at this summer’s World Cup.<\/p>\n

Embolo, booked in the first half, was sent off after 72 minutes of his country’s quarter-final defeat by Argentina <\/a>following a second yellow card for simulation. <\/p>\n

The caution was initially handed to Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for what at first appeared a clumsy challenge, until the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened to send referee Joao Pinheiro to the monitor.<\/p>\n

On review, the official deemed Embolo to have dived. <\/p>\n

The Switzerland forward was distraught to be shown a red card with his side having levelled against the defending world champions just five minutes earlier. <\/p>\n

Embolo, 29, left the pitch in Kansas City in tears, consoled by his team-mates.<\/p>\n

“There was definitely no reason to award a yellow card,” said Swiss coach Murat Yakin. “It was a harmless situation. He should have let play continue.<\/p>\n

“We were punished because of a rule that is unacceptable. I don’t understand it. The fact that they intervened unnecessarily is extremely hurtful. It’s a rule that has nothing to do with football.<\/p>\n

“It destroyed our game. We have to accept it, but it is painful to lose that way.”<\/p>\n

However, there was limited sympathy for Embolo, who plays for French club Rennes, from pundits watching the match.<\/p>\n

“I feel for Embolo’s team-mates, I don’t feel for him. He has cost his team maybe getting through to the semi-finals,” said former Major League Soccer striker Bradley Wright-Phillips on ITV.<\/p>\n

Jobi McAnuff, a former Jamaica international, added: “Breel Embolo let himself down, he let his team-mates down.<\/p>\n

“Everything looks worse in slow motion and he ends up getting the yellow card for simulation. Maybe he felt the contact was going to come sooner and it didn’t.<\/p>\n

“It was simulation but you can’t help but feel sorry for him.”<\/p>\n

Argentina eventually ran out 3-1 winners against the 10 men in extra time and will face England in the semi-finals in a match that will be shown live on the BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“This team has so much passion. Despite the fact we were one man down, we gave it all. I’m extremely proud of everyone,” said Yakin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Switzerland’s Breel Embolo became the first player to be sent off as a result of a new law…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":687235,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[218,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-687234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-football","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=687234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/687235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=687234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=687234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=687234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}