Celestine Babayaro might have hung up his boots years ago, but his infamous UEFA Champions League record is still holding strong. The ex-Nigeria international remains the youngest player ever to be sent off in the competition—a title no one exactly dreams of holding.
But finally, after 30 years, someone has stepped up to join the club. Enter Pau Cubarsí, a fresh-faced Barcelona defender, who, at 18 years and 42 days old, got himself sent off in Wednesday’s UCL clash against Benfica. Not quite Babayaro’s 16 years and 86 days, but hey, close enough!
Babayaro set the original record in 1994 while playing for Anderlecht in a 1-1 draw against Steaua București. That red card was his only one in the competition, proving that once was enough to make history. He went on to have a respectable Champions League career, racking up 16 appearances, one goal, and two assists—plus five more qualifying matches, just for good measure.
Outside of his memorable UCL moment, Babayaro made his mark at Chelsea from 1997 to 2005 before spending three years at Newcastle and a brief stint with LA Galaxy in 2008. Along the way, he picked up some serious silverware, including the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea in 1998, plus a collection of domestic trophies in Belgium and England.
Of course, his crowning glory came at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he helped Nigeria claim an unforgettable gold medal in men’s football. But despite all his accomplishments, one record just won’t leave him alone.
So, Pau Cubarsí, welcome to the club. But if history is anything to go by, you might want to keep that red card count low—unless you’re aiming for another kind of legendary status.