World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Rijkaard spits at Voller

By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer

Editor's note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we'll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with Rijkaard's well-deserved red card. 

Frank Rijkaard was literally spitting mad. 

The Dutch defensive midfielder had just been shown a yellow card for hacking down opposing forward Rudi Voller when the Netherlands and West Germany met in the second round of the 1990 World Cup.

The neighboring countries were already huge rivals who had met in the 1974 final. And already they really didn’t like each other, having played twice in qualifying games for the Italia ‘90. It showed at the main event. The tackles flew in on both sides. The emotions were flowing.

So upset was Rijkaard after being cautioned, in fact, that he committed perhaps the worst sin a soccer player can: with the referee looking the other way, he spit a wad of saliva on the back of Voller’s curly mane of hair. The German was incensed, and he protested vehemently to the official, who booked him for complaining! That wasn’t the end of it, though.

Later, after Voller bumped Netherlands keeper Hans van Breukelen, Rijkaard pulled the striker by the mullet, prompting the ref to send both players off. The latter got the last laugh, though, as the Germans went on to win the game and, 16 days later, their third World Cup.

One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.