The idea of introducing the yellow and red cards in the game of football is nurtured during the 1962 FIFA world cup in Chile.

In a match pitting host nation ,Chile against Italy ,a violent fight broke out between the two teams.

The saga is said to be the most gruesome brawl in football history.

Acting as the center referee of the clash, Englishman Ken Aston whistled the pioneer foul at 12 second and another at 12 minutes against the Italians.

These two reactions will push him to ask Italian player Giorgio Ferrini to leave the pitch.

Because of linguistic barrier, the player would not understand what referee said in English language.

Left with no option, Ken Aston will only use police intervention to send out the soccer actor from the playing ground.

At that time players were only sanctioned via words.

After returning home, the British referee was drawn to a set of traffic lights, where he got inspired to invent the red and yellow cards.

” while I was driving the light turned red and I thought, ‘yellow, calm down and red, stop, go out’. Ken Aston figured that the two cards and colors would be a clear code for players who did not speak the same language, as such the colors became universally understood.

The red and yellow cards, invented by Ken Aston who passed away on October, 23, 2001 aged 86, were first used at the 1970 FIFA world cup in Mexico.
The still play vital roles in the game of football today.

Legendary players like David Beckham, Samuel Etoo ,Didier Drogba, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and many others have each bowed to the power of these cards in their soccer carriers .

Nkenyi Romeo