A soccer player got a red card very fast. His name was David Pratt. He played in England. The game started. After two seconds, he pushed another player. The referee saw it. The referee showed a red card. Pratt had to leave the game. He did not touch the ball. He played for only two seconds. This is a world record. Many people still talk about it today.
📖 Level 2 – Intermediate
In 2000, a semi-professional soccer player named David Pratt made an unusual world record. He received the fastest red card in football history. The match was between Cross Farm Park Celtic and Taunton East United in England. Just two seconds after the referee started the game, Pratt violently elbowed an opponent. He later explained that the other player had insulted him before the match. The referee had no choice but to send him off immediately. Pratt never even touched the ball. His record still stands today, and the story has become a legendary warning about losing your temper on the pitch.
📖 Level 3 – Advanced
While most athletes dream of breaking records for goals or speed, English semi-professional footballer David Pratt secured his place in history for an entirely different reason. On December 3, 2000, during a Sunday league match between Cross Farm Park Celtic and Taunton East United, Pratt was shown a red card a mere two seconds after kickoff. Incensed by an insult from an opponent during the pre-match handshake, Pratt retaliated immediately with an elbow to the player's face. The referee, acting without hesitation, brandished the red card before either team had completed a single pass. Pratt exited the pitch without having touched the ball, setting an official world record recognized by many football authorities. The incident remains a cautionary tale about emotional control in sports, proving that records are not always glamorous—but they are unforgettable.
💬 Comments (0)