Tougher action on tactical fouls by Euro 2024 referees drives spike in yellow cards shown
Referee Anthony Taylor of England, left, pulls out a yellow card, after a foul play against Antoine Griezmann of France, right, by Jerdy Schouten of the Netherlands during a Group D match between the Netherlands and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Friday, June 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mathias Schrader)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mathias Schrader]
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Referees taking stricter action on tactical fouls is driving a spike in yellow cards shown at the European Championship. UEFA’s head of refereeing Roberto Rosetti detailed the trend after the group stage of the tournament in Germany. A crackdown on non-captains talking to the referee also pushed up the number of yellow cards. A total of 166 have been shown during the 36 games compared to 98 at the same stage of the previous edition. Tactical fouls break up a fast counter by committing an offense to force the referee to stop play. Rosetti says “referees are more alert about this.”
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German referee Daniel Siebert shows the yellow card to Romania's head coach Edward Iordanescu during a Group E match against Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Darko Vojinovic