Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson issued a public apology following his red card in a 3-1 defeat to Flamengo in the Club World Cup group stage.
The Senegal international was dismissed shortly after coming on as a substitute, compounding a disastrous six-minute spell that turned the match on its head.
Enzo Maresca’s side had taken an early lead in Philadelphia thanks to Pedro Neto’s 13th-minute strike, but Flamengo stormed back after the break.
Bruno Henrique levelled the score before Danilo put the Brazilian side in front. Moments later, Jackson was shown a straight red for a rash tackle on Ayrton Lucas, and Wallace Yan added a third to seal Flamengo’s victory.
Jackson took to Instagram after the game, writing: “I want to say sorry. To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down.
“Another red card … and honestly, I’m so angry at myself. I work very hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of situation.
🚨 Nicolas Jackson statement after red card.
“I want to say sorry. To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down. Another red card and honestly, I’m so angry at myself. I work hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of… pic.twitter.com/ov2F8b6Kyh
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 20, 2025
“I still don’t fully understand how it happened. But one thing is clear: it wasn’t intentional. Just a football moment that went the wrong way.
“No excuses. I take full responsibility. I’ll reflect, I’ll grow, and I’ll come back stronger for the badge and for everyone who believes in me. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.”
It’s Jackson’s second red card in four matches, having previously been dismissed against Newcastle.
Manager Enzo Maresca said: “It happened against Newcastle and it happened today… it’s a little bit of a bad moment for Nico in this kind of things.”
Maresca also dismissed any link between Jackson’s recent struggles and the arrival of striker Liam Delap, insisting: “The red card had nothing to do with Nico’s future.”
