Top Ten: World Cup’s most controversial refereeing decisions

FIFA officials have never been far from controversy at World Cup tournaments and, with Brazil 2014 barely underway, refereeing nightmares have already become a hot topic of discussion amongst the pundits.

Here is a countdown of the most disputed decisions in World Cup history.

10. ‘Howzat?’ – Luis Medina Cantalejo

In 2006, Australia had done brilliantly to progress from a tough group comprised of Brazil, Croatia and Japan but their luck ran out in the 93^rd minute of the second round when a shocking penalty decision handed victory to Italy. With seconds left on the clock, Italian left-back Fabio Grosso galloped into Australia’s penalty area before he was grounded by a sliding tackle from Socceroos Captain Lucas Neill. The Italian seemed to have made the most of minor contact and, when the replays were shown, Neill had actually made no intentional contact at all; Grosso simply ran into the Australian defender and toppled over him. The decision stood, Francesco Totti calmly converted the penalty and Italy went on to win the tournament.

9. ‘Flying Dutchmen’ – Howard Webb

When Howard Webb took charge of the 2010 World Cup final between Holland and Spain, nobody was expecting a bloody contest between two of the most elegant teams in football. However, Webb’s dream match soon turned into a nightmare as the Dutch got dirty and the Spanish got synical. The former police officer unleashed 14 yellow cards and a red to restore some order to a game which was spiralling out of control. Webb’s leniency with certain decisions would come under scrutiny though, after Nigel de Jong’s karate-style kick into the chest of Xabi Alonso only received a yellow card; one of the worst tackles in World Cup history and Webb had missed it. De Jong patted the English referee on the back as he pulled yellow from his pocket and Webb was booed after the game after the ‘worst two hours of his life.’

8. ‘The Whistleblower’ – Clive Thomas

The only Welsh referee at the 1978 World Cup, Clive Thomas produced a stand-out performance when Brazil opened their campaign against Sweden. Thomas awarded Brazil a corner in the final minute of the game, which was level at 1-1, and moments before Zico headed the winner the Welshman blew his whistle for full-time. Thomas had actually followed the rule book but he had denied Brazil of victory and will forever be remembered for ‘that Zico goal’.

7. ‘Losing control’ – Ali Kandeel

In a group-stage match between El Salvador and Mexico in 1970, referee Ali Kandeel blew his whistle to award a free-kick when the ball had left the field, however, it was unclear as to whom he had awarded it. Mexico quickly took advantage of the confusion, took the free-kick and immediately scored. Kandeel was surrounded by furious El Salvador players but, despite their dispute, the Egyptian refused to reverse the decision and Mexico’s goal stood. Comically, when Kandeel placed the ball on the centre spot, the El Salvador players continuously kicked the ball 2 yards away and pointed to the backs of their shirts as if to say ‘book me’. With no other option but to blow for half-time, Kandeel marched off the field having lost control of the match.

6. ‘Korea-ender’ – Gamal Al-Ghandour

In 2002, many fancied host-nation Korea to be knocked out in the group stages but the rank-outsiders made it to the semi-finals, defeating Italy and Spain in controversial style. In the quarter finals, Spain were left furious at two disallowed goals ruled out by Egyptian referee Gamal Al-Ghandour, who many believed was highly influenced by the 40,000 Korean spectators inside the stadium. The more shocking of the two disallowed goals came when Spain scored what seemed to be a legitimate header but Al-Ghandour and his colleagues decided that the ball had gone out of play before the cross was delivered. The Spanish became increasingly frustrated by the glaring bias of the officiating and were incensed at the final whistle after the Koreans had netted the winning goal. The hosts had been handed a miracle and the Spaniards had been robbed.

5. ‘They think the ball’s over’ – Gottfried Dienst

In the 1966 World Cup Final, England and Germany were held at 2-2 in Extra-time when Geoff Hurst struck a divisive third for the home side. The ball bounced agonisingly close to the goal line and the referee had to run over to the linesman to confirm his decision. Despite years of replays and analysis, whether or not the goal should have stood remains a mystery but the outcome of the game cannot be debated as Hurst added a third goal in the dying moments. History would repeat itself 44 years later though, and Germany would have the sweetest revenge in South Africa 2010.

4. ‘That’s a goal-kick’ – Charles Corver – France and Germany were two of the hottest teams in World football and they were tied 1-1 in the semi-finals of Spain ’82 when Patrick Battiston went clean through on goal. In a moment of madness, German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher sprinted off his line and jumped wildly through the air, knocking out the French striker with his hip and denying him of a certain chance to take the lead. Referee Charles Corver was 50 yards from the collision and, with the French players calling for a penalty and Schumacher’s dismissal, he was in no position to send off the goalkeeper. Remarkably, without looking to the linesman for support, Corver gave neither a penalty nor a red card and Schumacher restarted play with a goal-kick, having just commited one of the most brutal tackles in World Cup history. Even more infuriating for France, Germany progressed to the final after penalties.

3. ‘Three card trick’– Graham Poll

When Graham Poll travelled to the 2006 World Cup he was considered number one in English refereeing but by the end of the tournament he was considering his retirement from the game, in a state of humiliation. Poll took charge of Australia’s final group game against Croatia and failed to apply one of football’s most simple laws: two yellow cards and you walk. Josip Simunic received two yellows card during the match and was finally dismissed by Poll at the final whistle, when he was booked for a third time for dissent. Poll watched replays after the match and admitted he had accidentally given one of the yellow cards to Australia’s number three, Craig Moore. The English high-regarded referee flew home after the game and never returned to the international stage.

2. ‘The goal that never was’ – Jorge Larrionda

A moment which changed football forever; a moment of tremendous injustice which left a nation outraged and demanding for the introduction of goal-line technology to be imminent. It was the first stage of elimination at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and England were a goal down to arch-enemies Germany – a goal which soon came and went. When Frank Lampard’s shot lofted over Manuel Neuer and bounced two feet into the German goal, England supporters erupted in celebration of a remarkable comeback but they were soon confronted by a sickening realisation; the linesman hadn’t seen the ball cross the line and referee Jorge Larrionda was waving play on. Wayne Rooney led the dispute of the exasperated England players, demonstrating how far the ball had landed into Neuer’s goal, but to no avail. Larrionda’s decision effectively ended what had proved a miserable tournament for Fabio Capello’s team and England were again left pondering what might have been.

1.  ‘The Hand of God’ – Ali Bin Nasser

Quite possibly the greatest injustice in World Cup history, Maradona’s handball is the pinnacle of refereeing errors and it sparked a furious rivalry between Argentina and England which still runs strong today. It was the semi-finals of Mexico ’86 and perhaps England’s best opportunity to repeat their triumph at Wembley 20 years earlier, when the unthinkable occurred. Diego Maradona, jumping for the ball with goalkeeper Peter Shilton, punched in the opening goal of the game and, as the England players swarmed to referee Ali Bin Naseer in anger, Maradona ran off to celebrate his clever trickery. Nasser’s mistake gifted Argentina a place in the final and halted yet another promising England campaign at the semi-final stage.  Maradona, who eventually lifted the trophy in Mexico, went on to score a second in the match, the goal of the century; a moment which demanded little dispute, only applause.

By Sam Fletcher

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