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Former referee Xavier Estrada Fernández says he still owns the red card he showed former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo during a Real Madrid match in 2009.
Ronaldo’s eventful night against Almería
The incident occurred on 5 December 2009, when Real beat Almería 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ronaldo missed a penalty before scoring in the 84th minute, but his evening ended with a dismissal for two bookable offences.
The first yellow card was issued after the forward removed his shirt while celebrating. He then received a second following an altercation with Juanma Ortiz, bringing a dramatic end to Estrada Fernández’s first Real Madrid match as referee.
Ronaldo apologised the following day and acknowledged that he had made a mistake. Estrada Fernández later spoke about the intense media pressure generated by the decision and said he went almost two years without another Real assignment (via SER Chain).
Estrada Fernández kept the famous red card
Speaking about the incident, Estrada Fernández told Sport: “I still keep that card.” He also compared the step up from Spain’s lower divisions to the top flight with learning in karts before driving a Formula One car.
Ronaldo’s two spells at Manchester United
Ronaldo joined United from Sporting CP in August 2003 and won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup, as well as the 2008 Ballon d’Or. He moved to Real in July 2009 for a then-world-record £80 million. That decorated first spell has since received further recognition, with Ronaldo earning another award for his iconic 2008 campaign.
He returned to United from Juventus in August 2021 but left by mutual agreement on 22 November 2022 following an interview in which he criticised the club and then-head coach Erik ten Hag. Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr the following month and remains the Saudi club’s captain, having extended his contract until 2027.
Final Thoughts
- Estrada Fernández still possesses the red card used to dismiss Ronaldo in 2009.
- The dismissal came in the referee’s first match involving Real Madrid.
- He said he went almost two years without another Real Madrid assignment.
Featured image Yasser Bakhsh via Getty Images