The Hand of God
The 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England was already layered with political tension from the Falklands War. But then, Diego Maradona made it legendary. In the 51st minute, the Argentine genius leaped for a looping ball along with England's
goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Maradona, eight inches shorter, somehow got there first, punching the ball into the net with his left fist. The referee, Ali Bin Nasser of Tunisia, didn't see the infringement and allowed the goal, much to the fury of the English players. Maradona cheekily described it afterwards as being scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." Just four minutes later, he scored the "Goal of the Century," but it's the handball that lives on as the ultimate act of sporting gamesmanship.
England's Ghost Goal
Two World Wars and one World Cup, they sing. That one Cup, won in 1966 on home soil, came with its own enduring controversy. In the final against West Germany, with the score tied 2-2 in extra time, England striker Geoff Hurst fired a shot that cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and bounced down. Did it cross the line? The English players celebrated, the Germans protested. Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst consulted his Soviet linesman, Tofiq Bahramov, who nodded to confirm the goal. England went on to win 4-2. German fans have cried foul for decades, calling it a 'Wembley-Tor' (Wembley Goal) that never was. Endless analysis has never provided a conclusive answer, but for England, it was the goal that brought football home.
South Korea's Miraculous Run
When co-hosts South Korea made an unbelievable run to the semi-finals in 2002, it felt like a fairytale. But for Italy and Spain, it was a nightmare of officiating. In the round of 16, Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno made a series of baffling decisions against Italy, including sending off star player Francesco Totti for a supposed dive and disallowing a golden goal for a dubious offside call. South Korea won 2-1 in extra time. In the quarter-finals against Spain, it was a similar story. Egyptian referee Gamal Al-Ghandour disallowed two perfectly legitimate Spanish goals, allowing the hosts to scrape through on penalties. The consecutive controversies led to widespread accusations of biased refereeing to favour the host nation.
Lampard's Goal That Wasn't
The 1966 final created a cosmic debt, and in 2010, Germany collected. In a round of 16 match in South Africa, England were trailing Germany 2-1 when Frank Lampard unleashed a brilliant long-range shot. The ball looped over goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, struck the crossbar, and bounced a full yard over the goal line before spinning back out. It was a clear goal to everyone watching. Everyone, that is, except referee Jorge Larrionda and his linesman, who waved play on. A stunned England never recovered, eventually losing 4-1. The sheer injustice of the moment, broadcast in high-definition replays around the world, became the single biggest catalyst for FIFA finally introducing goal-line technology.
An Irish Heartbreak
It may have been a qualifier, but the blatant injustice that denied Ireland a spot at the 2010 World Cup belongs on any list of football robberies. In a play-off second leg in Paris, the score was level on aggregate, forcing extra time. French superstar Thierry Henry controlled a long pass, but the ball was running out of play. In a split-second, he handled it twice, stopping the ball before squaring it for William Gallas to score the winning goal. The Irish players were incensed, but referee Martin Hansson missed it completely. Henry admitted the handball immediately after the game, and the incident became an international scandal, forever staining the French victory and cementing a bitter memory for Irish fans.
