- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
With the 2014 FIFA World Cup only days away, it seems appropriate to recap some of the biggest shocks, controversies and outrageous incidents the world’s largest sporting event has given us.
Worst refereeing ever
Referees occasionally have shockers that make us call for their heads, but Graeme Poll took the gold medal for sheer incompetence in 2006.
The whistle-blower with a tenuous grasp on the rules of football gave Josip Simunic three yellow cards in the same match against Australia. He did not record the first card, and later when Simunic received a second he remained on the field, not taking any time to point out to the hapless Poll that it was his second booking.
It took a third yellow for him to finally get his marching orders. For some strange reason, Poll hasn’t refereed in the World Cup since.
Phantom goal
England’s proudest moment as a footballing nation came in 1966, when they won the World Cup for the first and only time. But in the final against West Germany, the injury-time winner hit the crossbar and bounced down.
The referee relied on his linesman to make the call. The linesman called it a goal.
Many years later, and possibly regretting that he gave England a claim to a legitimate footballing achievement, the same linesman said he didn’t actually see it cross the line.
A little late for the Germans, but England have never gone close to lifting the Cup since.
Hand of God
The 1986 World Cup was most notable for Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God”.
The English goalkeeper had almost a foot height buffer over Maradona, which made the diminutive Argentinean’s header for a goal truly miraculous.
On reflection, the only miracle was how the on-field referee and two linesmen came to the conclusion that Maradona somehow grew tall enough to tip the ball past lanky goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his head.
Italian All Blacks
In 1938 Europe was about to be plunged into a brutal war and sport was not spared from the cross-border tensions. The French team played in their traditional blue, and Italy was scheduled to wear their alternate white kit.
But, as dictators do, Italian leader Benito Mussolini had other plans, sending the national team out dressed head-to-toe in black as a mark of support for his fascist regime.
The crowd was enraged and a minor riot ensued when the Italians won the game.
Zidane versus Materazzi
Red cards are generally debatable. Not this time.
Marco Materazzi was a pest of the highest order on the pitch, often driving opposition players to distraction. After a game of vile insults directed against his family in the climax of the 2006 tournament, Zinedine Zidane wheeled around and head-butted Materazzi in the chest, dropping him to the turf like a heavyweight boxer delivering a knock-out punch.
Zidane was sent off, Italy won, and Zidane retired.
Australian fans were left to rue the fact it wasn’t Fabio Grosso who received the full force of Zidane’s head.
German head hunter
Football is sometimes derided as being soft, with dives and simulation drawing free kicks and cards. This was not the case in 1982 semi final between France and West Germany.
The French striker broke the German defensive lines and fired a shot on goal. The German goalkeeper ignored the ball completely and went for the man instead, battering into the Frenchman.
The result? Knocked out teeth, a broken vertebrae and a resulting coma for the French striker – injuries which doctors described as more consistent with a motorcycle accident.
Meanwhile, the shot missed the target and the goalkeeper escaped even a caution from the match officials.
What are your favourite and most memorable World Cup controversies Roarers?
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.