THE RECORD OF CARLOS ZAMBRANO

• Feb 6, 2026
• History Statistics

Zambrano’s red card record in ICC

In 2025, Carlos Zambrano became the first player in world football history to collect 4 red cards in a single season (and a single calendar year, too) in major international club competitions (ICC).
The 36-year-old Peruvian defender of Alianza Lima was sent off twice during the current Copa Libertadores campaign and then, after his club’s elimination in this tournament, again twice in Copa Sudamericana (details are below).
Zambrano’s 4 red cards laid in space of just 6 international games of his club. In other words, within this 6-game spell he avoided the highest punishment only twice.
In every case, his red card was composed of 2 yellows.     
The former record holder Elvin Cafarguliyev (Qarabağ) was sent 3 times in Europa League games during the same year (2024).