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Refereeing can be a thankless task, no matter the sport.

As keepers of the rules and regulations on-field, refs are often the target of players’ and fans’ frustrations, but they’re expected to keep the game fair and under control. No matter how many passionate soccer players are screaming directly into their face.

While we’ve become accustomed to referees taking the heat, a recent moment during the annual Sidemen Charity Match at London Stadium captured a sassy response to a yellow card that even had the ref in fits of giggles.

Sidemen FC, a team created by the popular Sidemen YouTube group, went head-to-head against the YouTube All-Stars team at the annual charity over this past weekend and it’s clear that spirits were high from the comical hi-jinks that ensued.

In the midst of the hard-fought game, Max Fosh, a member of the YouTube All-Stars, found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card after a foul on Simon Minter, another online celeb player, in the 77th minute. While most players would accept the yellow card and continue playing, Fosh had something else in mind.

In a moment that’s been dubbed “epic banter” by fans across the world, Fosh pulled out an UNO reverse card and presented it to the referee, former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg.

We’ve all been on the devastating receiving end of a well-timed UNO reverse at least once, but usually this happens at tense family games nights.

Seeing the notorious card in the setting of a football match was a move from Fosh that left everyone in stitches, and subsequently, social media platforms have erupted with praise and belly-laughs for the creative response to a pesky yellow.

One fan described the hilariously-timed moment as “epic comedy,” while another marvelled at Fosh’s wittiness, saying, “Max Fosh just Uno-Reversed Mark Clattenburg for a yellow card, and it worked. What am I watching?”

The entertaining match concluded with Sidemen FC emerging victorious with an 8 – 5 scoreline. Millions of viewers tuned in to watch the game via YouTube stream, and the event achieved something truly remarkable – raising £2.4 million (over R56 million) for various charities.

Now that’s one way to play a proverbial ‘reverse’ card – giving back to the community. Kudos to the teams for showing that the spirit of footie has the potential to change lives, and sometimes, also leave us pissing ourselves with laughter.

Someone please send Eben Etzebeth a stack of UNO reverse cards for the next Springbok match, I wanna test a theory…

[source:ladbible]