World Cup 2018: Mark Halsey recalls player asking for booking as England vs Belgium could be decided by fair play

England vs Belgium could go down to yellow cards

On a day where the winner of Group G in the World Cup could be settled by the number of yellow and red cards picked up by England and Belgium, former referee Mark Halsey has made a stunning omission that he has booked players in the past after they’ve asked for it.

Much debate has been made of how finishing second in Group G makes for a more favourable route to the final, as it would mean avoiding the likes of Brazil, Portugal and Argentina but with England and Belgium level on points, goal difference and goals scored, it could go down to disciplinary.

England currently top the group on account of having one fewer yellow than Belgium do but if coming towards the end of the game both teams are level then disciplinary – and careless yellow cards – could come into play.

And when asked by CNN if he had ever experienced anything like this potential scenario, former Premier League referee recalled an incident from 2011 when a player actually asked to get booked.

“He's just said 'listen, look, we've got a game Tuesday. If I don't get cautioned now and get one Tuesday, I'll miss the big derby on the Saturday,” Halsey told CNN. “So he just asked me if I could show a yellow. And I did actually.

“I said to him, 'Alright, we've got 10 minutes to go, when I give a free-kick against you' -- and I knew I would because he's that sort of player -- 'just leather the ball 50 yards away and I can caution you for dissent.”

“If you've got big games coming up and you're on four yellow cards, one more means you get suspended. I just said to him, ‘Don't do nothing stupid.’

“He came up to me at the end of the game and said, 'Thanks for that Mark.’”