Cristiano Ronaldo: Why did FIFA stop the ban on the World Cup?

There was no World Cup postponement like there was for Ronaldo, as the three-match ban remained in place but was partially suspended.

However, there are many examples of players receiving what could be considered lenient treatment.

In 2014, French defender Laurent Koscielny was sent off after slapping Ukraine player Oleksandr Kucher in the first leg of a World Cup qualifier.

Like Ronaldo, Koscielny was automatically suspended for his country’s final qualifier. FIFA then chose not to extend the Arsenal centre-back’s ban for more than one match, allowing him to play in the World Cup.

Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic was supposed to miss the first two matches of the 2014 finals after he was sent off for a serious violation in the second leg in which Croatia won over Iceland.

FIFA suspended him for one match, meaning he could play in the second match against Cameroon, which ended in a 4-0 victory for Cameroon in which he scored two goals.

Near the end of qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, Dutch midfielder Filip Cocu was sent off for allegedly striking a retaliatory elbow at an Albania player.

FIFA elected to ban Cocu for two matches, meaning he missed the final UEFA qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Macedonia, but he was free for the opening match of the World Cup.

Japan’s Makoto Hasebe was sent off for an elbow at the end of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, and like Coco he was given two games. However, he was not so lucky, as the second match was the first match of the World Cup.

Likewise, Iranian player Saeed Ezzatullah was sent off for dropping his shoe on an opponent’s head in the penultimate match of the qualifiers. FIFA chose to award the midfielder two matches instead of three, and he only missed the first match of the 2018 World Cup.

In 2002, Mexican midfielder Jesus Arellano was suspended for three matches for violent behavior against Costa Rica. He missed the final qualifier against Honduras and was scheduled to miss the first two World Cup matches.

But Mexico succeeded in its appeal just before the start of the finals, claiming that the suspension was too harsh. Arellano’s ban was reduced and he only had to sit out the opener.