Most controversial moments of FIFA World Cup in history

A great sports event like FIFA is sure to gain lots of attention, as the world is focused on the favorite
team. There are lots of money involved in pulicity and ets, so the organi!ers are very interested to
make everything run smooth, as a great goal is easily forgotten when a controversial moment takes
place. "ut with all the attention, FIFA managed to produce some of the iggest controversies in the
sport world over the years.
#. $uwait vs France, %&'( ) The whistle ehind the goal
$uwait*s only appearance in the FIFA World Cup is rememered due to a controversy. As the team
managed to score a %+% with C!echoslovakia, $uwait met France at the %&'( FIFA WC hosted y
,pain. The president of the $uwait Footall Association was sitting in the pulic. -uring the match he
walked down the field and protested against a goal awarded y referee Miroslav ,tupar to the France,
after the whistle was lown. The decision was reversed, ut $uwait still lost the game with a score of
.+% for France. It was the first and last time a decision was altered y a memer in the pulic.
/. 0eru+Argentina, %&#' ) The Argentinian rie
The World Cup in %&#' was entering the finals and there were only ( matches to e played. The
Argentinian host team needed to score at least . goals in the game with 0eru, in order to skip the
"ra!ilian team and win the competition. The games did not took place simultaneously1 the first teams
to play were Argentina and 0eru. At the half of the game, the hosts already lead with a score of (+2, ut
then the team of 0eru simply locked, allowing the rivals to win with a stunning /+2. Most of the
viewers screamed 3rie4, ut it was never proved.
5. FIFA %&'( ) The united rie
Apart from the controversial game of $uwait, the World Cup from %&'( is rememered for another
mischievous plot etween many nations. West 6ermany, Algeria and Austria were playing a win or lose
game, which could end in the elimination of one of the teams from FIFA. A 6erman victory could
eliminate Algeria and this is what it happened. The match etween the 6ermans and the Austrians
egan with a goal for the first ones, then the players literally ran along the field doing nothing. This
plot eliminated Algeria, under the outraged sights of the fans which were shouting and flashed money
in the terraces. Africa filed a complaint to FIFA, ut it was re7ected. ,ince then, all the decisive matches
were played simultaneously.
.. FIFA (22( ) The host wins the match
In (22( ,outh $orea was one of the two countries which hosted the FIFA and they were playing with
the Italians. The referee "yron Moreno of 8cuadorian descendence attracted the world*s anger when he
helped the $orean team win the game y canceling the perfect goal of Italy. $orea won with (+% and
advanced to the match against ,pain. The 8gyptian referee 6amal Al+6handour also canceled two
perfectly legitimate ,panish goals, to allow the $orean team to win the match. With all the riing
going on, ,outh $orea lost the chance to win the FIFA Cup in the game against 6ermany.
9. Italy vs Chile, %&/( ) The military offensive
The World Cup of %&/( is rememered for the very violent mach etween Italy and Chile. The two
teams literally egan to fight, sharing punches and under+the+elt kicks for &2 minutes. The police had
to intervene . times and the referee stated he felt like an umpire in the middle of military maneuvers.
The ""C also descried the game in a very interesting manner, calling it stupid and disgraceful.
(. 8ngland vs West 6ermany, %&// ) The ,talingrad win
The last game in the FIFA %&// was played etween 8ngland and West 6ermany, the linesman eing a
,oviet man, Tofik "achramov. The game entered in e:tra time, as the score was (+(. 8ngland*s player
6eoff ;urst hit towards the gate, ut the all ounced ack and the linesman claimed it had crossed the
line, so the goal was awarded to the "ritish team. This rought 8ngland the first and only FIFA award
ever. "ut, many people claimed the all didn*t crossed the line, so the goal should not een awarded.
<n his death ed, "achramov was asked how he made his decision. The answer was simple and proved
that 8ngland didn*t earn the award at all1 3,talingrad4. =At ,talingrad #5.222 ,oviets were killed y
>a!is.?
%. Argentina vs 8ngland, %&'/ ) Maradona*s invisile head and very visile hand
In the second half of the match the all was disputed y Maradona and 0eter ,hilton, who were trying
to score for their countries. They oth hit the all with their head, ut the 8nglishman had an
advantage. ;owever, the goal was awarded to Argentina, who won the game with a score of (+% and
eventually won the FIFA Cup. "ut, the goal was highly controversial, as Maradona hit the all with his
hand + 3the hand of 6od4, as he later stated. The pictures which show very clear that Maradona used his
hand to score are the material proof that 6od had nothing to do with this goal, as honesty and sportive
spirit had nothing to do with the game.