Paul Scholes: Man Utd legend’s terrible tackle for England against Sweden in 1999
It may shock you to know that only one English player was sent off while on international duty at the old Wembley Stadium.
That man was Manchester United legend Paul Scholes and his departure took place in a Euro 2000 qualifier against Sweden, which ended 0-0.
The midfielder received a second yellow card early in the second half of the game for one of his infamous dubious tackles.
Scholes had received his first booking in the 27th minute for another late challenge and it is fair to say that he should not have even been on the pitch at the early match.
This is because the first United man in the very first minute of action in the English capital committed a terrible tackle against Sweden’s Hakan Mild.
The ginger-haired maestro jumped into the air and brutally joined his opponent, leaving Mild with a bloody leg.
Is Mo Salah the best player in the world? | Soccer terrace
Unbelievably, the referee explained that Scholes’ dangerous tackle was not even worth booking.
Had VAR been in place as early as 1999, the Englishman would have been on the receiver’s side of one of the fastest red cards in the history of international football.
Take a look at all three of Scholes challenges from the game against Sweden in 1999 here …
Video
Premier League 2021/22: Matches, results, odds, ball, tickets and everything you need to know
It’s practically impossible not to nod at that movie.
Scholes excelled in so many areas of the game during his illustrious professional career for both club and country, but tackling was certainly not one of them.
He was often guilty of making mistakes and the unfortunate brand saw him sent off in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City 2011 for a ruthless tackle against Pablo Zabaleta.
As we mentioned earlier, Scholes’ red card in the Swedish game was the only one handed over to an Englishman at the old Wembley, but two more players have joined the club since the newer version of the stadium opened.
CONCERN GIVEAWAY
Steven Gerrard got their marching orders on England duty against Ukraine in 2012, while Harry Maguire was fired by the judge against Denmark in 2020.