Dear Sir, May I Tell You About My 46 Red Cards?
There’s an old Greek saying: “Better to lose an eye than your reputation.” In the case of today’s protagonist, not only did he lose his reputation, but he almost caused others to lose an eye—or two. Gerardo Bedoya is infamous as “The Beast” or “The Monster.” And no, this nickname isn’t the “what a beast of a player” kind. At a modest 1.75m tall, Bedoya’s title is closer to “what kind of monstrous thing did he do this time?”
Born in a small Colombian town about 40 kilometers outside Medellín, Bedoya cemented his place in history as the footballer with the most recorded red cards. A staggering 46 red cards. Yes, you read that right—forty-six, written out in full for emphasis. He sits atop countless lists of “football’s dirtiest players of all time,” and frankly, it’s hard to argue otherwise. Some of those cards came from crunching tackles, others from arguments with referees, and quite a few for striking opponents. Let’s just say there’s variety. Sure, a handful may have been harsh or a result of his notorious reputation preceding him, but make no mistake—Bedoya was no saint and certainly not a victim of injustice.
Bedoya’s career began in Colombia’s first division as a left-back for Deportivo Pereira. After just one season, he took a big leap to the historic Deportivo Cali, where he stayed for five seasons. During his tenure, he made 152 appearances across all competitions, scored seven goals, won the league title in 1998, and earned a move to Argentina’s legendary Racing Club. At the time, Racing hadn’t won a league title in 35 years. Before memes were even a thing, Racing’s decades-long drought had made them a living punchline. Nobody believed they could win a championship. But those 35 years meant nothing to Bedoya, who, just months after arriving in Argentina, helped lift the coveted trophy. He contributed three goals that season, but one, in particular, became part of Racing folklore.
The scene was set: Racing, featuring players like Adrián Bastía, a young Diego Milito, and, of course, Bedoya, faced River Plate, led by stars like Andrés D’Alessandro and Ariel Ortega. Racing sat at the top of the table, but with three matches left, a loss could change everything. Esteban Cambiasso opened the scoring for River, sending the crowd at El Cilindro into a nervous frenzy. As the minutes ticked by, hope began to wane. Most fans resigned themselves to yet another year of heartbreak, certain this would be the day Racing blew it all. But Bedoya had other plans. In the 86th minute, following a cross and a partial clearance, the ball fell to his left foot. Without hesitation, he unleashed a thunderous strike to secure the final 1-1 draw. That single moment kept Racing’s dream alive and ultimately paved the way for their long-awaited championship.
Despite the draw, Racing dragged their fans through a suspense-filled rollercoaster before finally clinching the championship. Bedoya’s name became synonymous with one of La Academia’s most memorable seasons. He stayed with Racing for one more year before moving to Colón, followed by stints in Mexico and a brief return to Argentina, where he donned Boca Juniors’ colors for just three Copa Libertadores matches. Eventually, he returned to Colombia, signing with Atlético Nacional, a club from his home region.
Bedoya bounced around several teams, spending a significant chunk of time at Millonarios. Then, in a move that raised eyebrows, he crossed enemy lines to join Millonarios’ arch-rivals, Independiente Santa Fe. This bold switch allowed him to experience El Clásico Capitalino—Bogotá’s fiery derby—from both sides, complete with the hostile chants and relentless verbal abuse that come with such a rivalry.
A tough day for Kaka
In 2012, during one such derby, Bedoya cemented his reputation for violence. He elbowed an opponent to the ground, and as if that wasn’t enough, delivered a gentle-yet-malevolent kick to the face of the unlucky Jhonny Ramírez. The result? A 15-match suspension. Bedoya later admitted there was no excuse for his actions (a rare moment of accountability). For weeks, Colombian sports media—and even general news outlets—were consumed by his behavior.
Yet, amid the chaos, Bedoya added another unlikely feather to his cap. After helping Racing break their 35-year title drought, he repeated the feat with Independiente Santa Fe, who had gone 37 years without a league championship. Love him or hate him, Bedoya had a knack for being at the center of historic moments. He was also part of Colombia’s golden Copa América triumph in 2001, the national team’s only major international title to date. Bedoya played in five matches during the tournament and even scored the opening goal in the semifinal against Honduras. In total, he earned 48 caps for Colombia, embodying the paradox of a player fans loved to hate but couldn’t ignore.
His notorious red card in the Bogotá derby
Remarkably, Bedoya’s off-field persona was nothing like his on-field ferocity. His friends, teammates, and even rivals attest to this baffling duality. “He was a sensitive guy who always helped others. It seems contradictory, but off the pitch, he was friendly, warm, and kind-hearted,” said Óscar Vásquez, his Millonarios teammate. On the pitch, though, it was a different story. Bedoya often claimed he was unfairly targeted by referees, once quipping after a red card during his Racing days, “The referee doesn’t wear pants.”
Aside from his red cards, Bedoya also scored a fair number of goals—just slightly more than his dismissals—some of which were undeniably stunning
By the time he retired at 40, Bedoya had played 687 professional matches, accumulating a record-breaking 46 red cards along the way. “It hurts me, but I gave everything on the pitch, and I learned to live with it,” he admitted in an interview a few years ago. A leader, a man for the big moments, but also the kind of player who often left his team hanging at the worst possible times. And if you think Señor Gerardo mellowed out after retiring from his playing career, think again. After hanging up his boots, he became the assistant coach to Uruguayan manager Pelusso at Independiente Santa Fe. In his first game in that role, it took just 21 minutes for him to get sent off. As an assistant coach. He would repeat this feat twice more. Bedoya stayed involved in football, frequently stepping in as a caretaker manager for Independiente Santa Fe. As a head coach, he also managed to get himself ejected two more times, bringing his total to a staggering 51 expulsions across all roles in football at the time of this article.
