World Cup ban? England players at risk of suspension
By Peter Smith
Image:Jesse Lingard was shown a yellow card against Colombia
Four England players could miss a World Cup semi-final if they pick up a booking against Sweden.
Players at the 2018 World Cup will be banned for one match if they pick up two yellow cards before the semi-final stage.
Image:Kyle Walker is one of the England players at risk
That means a booking for Jordan Henderson, Kyle Walker, Jesse Lingard or Ruben Loftus-Cheek against Sweden will see them miss a potential semi-final, should England win that match.
Image:Kevin De Bruyne has picked up a booking
When are bookings wiped?
Bookings will be scrubbed from players' records after the quarter-final stage, meaning no one will go into the semi-final fearing a yellow could end their hopes of appearing in a World Cup final.
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A player would only miss the final through suspension if they were sent off in a last-four tie.
Brazil pair Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne and France's Paul Pogba are other high-profile players one mis-timed tackle away from missing a vital match for their sides.