Who has the most yellow cards in the Premier League history?

The bad boys of football: Who plays on the edge...

The Premier League has produced some of the greatest passers, finishers, leaders and entertainers in world football. 

But alongside the icons, there’s another category of player every fan remembers. The ones who played right on the edge and knew exactly when to make a tactical and calculated foul. 

That’s right, we’re talking about the Bad Boys.

These are the players who understood that sometimes you don’t need to win the ball cleanly,  you just need to stop the break, halt momentum, or send a message. And in a league as intense and frantic as the Premier League, those moments can shape titles and make careers. 

So who holds the record for the most yellow cards in Premier League history? And what does that tell us about how the game is played? Let’s break it down.

What is a yellow card?

A yellow card is the referee’s formal warning. It gives the offending player another chance to stay on the pitch for the remainder of the match. 

Yellow cards are given for a range of football fouls, including:

• Late or reckless tackles

• Repeated fouling

• Time-wasting

• Dissent towards the referee

• Simulation (the polite word for diving)

Two yellows in one match equal a red card, and then you’re off. It’s as simple as that. 

What is a red card?

A red card means instant dismissal. You leave the pitch, your team plays on with ten, and you’ll likely miss at least the next game too.

Red cards usually come from:

• Serious foul play

• Violent conduct

• Denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity

• Losing your temper at exactly the wrong time

While yellow cards are often tactical, red cards tend to be emotional. They’re the result of impulse, frustration, or the unfortunate result of an ill-timed tackle. 

What is the record for yellow cards?

The player with the most yellow cards in Premier League history is Gareth Barry, with a whopping 123 bookings.

Interestingly, Barry wasn’t known for rash tackles or aggressive confrontations. His reputation came from game management: slowing down transitions, interrupting counters, and making targeted challenges. 

He himself has admitted that he set out to perform tactical fouls that were just firm enough to stop the play, but not quite enough to get sent off. 

Other legends of the yellow card list include:

• Gareth Barry - 123 yellow cards (Aston Villa, Man City, Everton, West Brom)

• Wayne Rooney - 102 yellow cards (Everton, Manchester United)

• Lee Bowyer - 99 yellow cards (Leeds, Newcastle, West Ham, Birmingham)

• Paul Scholes - 97 yellow cards (Manchester United

Let’s be honest, if you watched Scholes play, those numbers feel light. Especially considering his sliding tackles often arrived half a second too late. 

What is the record for red cards?

The record for the most red cards in Premier League history is shared by Richard Dunne, Patrick Vieira, and Duncan Ferguson. Each player received a total of 8 red cards across their career. 

It’s an interesting group. Dunne’s came mostly from last-ditch defending. Vieira’s were often tied to the emotional, competitive heart of midfield battles. Ferguson’s reflected his presence: the physical, confrontational persona he carried into every match.

Is it true that Gary Lineker never got a yellow card?

Unbelievably, it’s true.

Across 16 years of professional football, including Premier League, La Liga, and international competitions, Gary Lineker never received a single yellow or red card. 

It’s an impressive and rare achievement considering Lineker played over 650 games for clubs like Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton, as well as the English national team. In an era that was far more physical than today’s game, managing to avoid a single card  is a level of self-control and clarity that’s almost unheard of. Fair play. 

How Match Bingo tracks football’s real “Bad Boys”

Match Bingo is soon launching a Bad Boys leaderboard that will compare how players and teams handle the physical side of the game, from tactical fouls to disciplinary trends.

The Match Bingo Bad Boys leaderboard highlights:

• Players who break up attacks at key moments

• Cards per 90 minutes

• When in the match cards are given

• Repeat patterns vs. one-off incidents

• Which clubs press, foul and disrupt the most

Once live, fans will be able to explore who pushes the line, who plays aggressively, and which clubs consistently play on the edge.

See where your club ranks

The story of yellow and red cards in the Premier League comes down to how players choose to approach the game. Some prioritise control and timing, others use physicality and disruption to influence the tempo. 

Match Bingo is full of live bingo cards built around these real match moments. We track every tackle, booking, foul, and all the last-minute drama, with exciting chances to play and win as the action unfolds.

Check the Bad Boys leaderboard and play along during your team’s next match.