In 2006, a soccer match between the Netherlands and Portugal was called the Battle of Nuremberg. It took place in the round of sixteen of the World Cup, with the winner meeting England in the quarter-finals.
In a match as historic as soccer itself, this match unfolded in Nuremberg’s Frankenstadion on June 25th and produced the highest number of cards ever awarded in a World Cup game. Valentin Ivanov, a Russian referee, was responsible for issuing four red cards and 16 yellow cards in one match. Twenty cards were issued in a match that ended 1–0 in favor of Portugal, with a goal by Maniche in the 23rd minute.
Before the match, Valentin Ivanov had a reputation as a hard-line referee who never feared to show cautions when needed before the game. During Euro 2004, he issued 15 yellow cards and one red card just in 3 games. Before becoming a referee, he played professionally in Russia for seven seasons, mainly with Torpedo Moscow.
Rough Start
In the second minute of the match, Netherlands’ Mark van Bommel was booked for tackling Cristiano Ronaldo from behind. The Battle of Nuremberg was officially underway. Still recovering from the previous tackle, Ronaldo was again attacked. This time, Khalid Boulahrouz purposely struck Ronaldo in the thigh with his studs. Ronaldo left the field in tears after 33 minutes and was replaced by Simao.
Having been forced to play without Ronaldo before halftime, Maniche was booked for a foul on Mark Van Bommel 19 minutes into the game before he went on to score a goal four minutes later. After Porto’s defensive midfielder Costinha received a yellow card for an encounter with Philip Cocu, he was sent off for a handball after receiving his second yellow card.
During the 63rd minute, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Luis Figo received yellow cards. Khalid Boulahrouz was sent off with a second caution after fouling Figo, whose headbutt had sent Mark van Bommel to the ground. Portugal’s Deco received a booking for fouling Dutch defender John Heitinga as the game continued. In the heat of the moment, Wesley Sneijder pushed Petit to the ground and was cautioned, while Rafael van der Vaart received a yellow card for dissent.
Valentin Ivanov punished Portugal’s goalkeeper Ricardo for time-wasting in the 76th minute. Nuno Valente received another yellow card in the Battle of Nuremberg for a foul that seemed unnecessary at this stage. Following another handball by Deco, he was cautioned for a second time for delaying the restart and finally dismissed in the 78th minute.
Who Won The Battle Of Nuremberg
In the closing moments of the Battle of Nuremberg, Edwin van der Sar was furious after Simao drew the ire of the Dutch goalkeeper. While attempting to score a goal, the Portuguese player’s leg contacted Van Der Sar. However, no disciplinary action was taken. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst was the last player to be sent off in injury time for a foul on Tiago that resulted in a second yellow card.
Both the crowd and the players were left in a state of shock at this point. Shortly after the match, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the referee wasn’t at the same level as the players and participants. The referee should have received a yellow card. It was an emotional game with a dramatic finish and a deserved winner. But, unfortunately, the referee intervened inconsistently, and some players didn’t play fairly.”
Even though Blatter retracted his statements about Valentin Ivanov’s performance during the Battle of Nuremberg a few days later, he was dropped from FIFA’s Referees Committee for the remainder of the tournament.