Portugal forward Rafael Leão was sent off with a red card in a recent friendly against Chile, and according to renowned journalist Di Marzio's interpretation of the rules, Leão may face additional suspension.
Portugal forward Rafael Leão was sent off after clashing with Iván Ramírez in the friendly against Chile, putting his World Cup participation at risk.
The red card Leão received against Chile could cost him dearly. The Portuguese winger was dismissed after the altercation with Iván Ramírez, putting his World Cup debut in jeopardy. According to Article 69 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, Leão will be forced to miss the next friendly against Nigeria.
However, as Leão struck Ramírez during the altercation, he may be charged with aggravated violent conduct. If the Disciplinary Committee deems Leão's actions excessive, he could receive an additional two-match suspension, which would affect his World Cup participation. In this scenario, Leão would miss the first two group stage matches of the World Cup against the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uzbekistan.
If Leão's actions are deemed extreme, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee could impose a three-match suspension (the friendly against Nigeria plus two World Cup group stage matches). FIFA has previously only considered such extreme measures for incidents involving spitting, discriminatory behavior, or attacking officials.
Di Marzio also noted an interesting precedent involving Leão's national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo. In January 2025, the forward was sent off in Portugal's World Cup qualifier against Ireland for elbowing Dara O'Shea.
The Disciplinary Committee deemed Ronaldo's actions extreme but only issued a one-match suspension — suspended — due to his clean disciplinary record in 225 previous international matches. If the Portugal captain commits another serious violation before November 2026, he would serve the one-match suspension plus the two "accumulated" matches.