World Cup 2010: Worst calls ever made in World Cup history
The World Cup is a few days away, its going to be beautiful, controversial and life altering for many footballers from around the world. Lets analyze a few of the worst decisions ever made in the past tournaments by the men in power. Most hope that similar scenarios don’t arise again.
Let’s start with Fabio Grosso’s fall in the Italy vs Australia match in 2006. Ask your average Australian football fan who their most hated individual is, and Fabio Grosso will be high up on the list. All the talk revolves around a controversial incident during the 2006 World Cup second round clash in Kaiserslautern. The Azzurri were in a very uncertain position as they were down to 10 men and had used their three substitutes. They were starting to tire as the game moved towards the inevitable extra-time.
Well into injury time, left back Grosso pounced on a mistake, cut into the area before going down under the challenge of Lucas Neill. The referee pointed to the spot, and Francesco Totti buried his penalty with the last kick. As a result, Italy went on to win their first World Cup in 24 years, but Australia still argues to this day that Grosso dived to earn that penalty kick. While Neill was naïve in falling to the ground as there was definitely contact made – at the same time it was clear that Grosso was looking for the penalty to win the World Cup.
Then of course the controversies that surrounded Schande von Gijón (The Shame of Gijón as they call it) in a game between West Germany and Austria in 1982. Algeria will make their first World Cup appearance for 24 years, and if there is one team they will be dying to face will undoubtedly be Germany. Back in 1982, the North Africans caused a sensation when they defeated the European Champions West Germany 2-1 in the opening game of Group 2 thanks to goals from the legendary Rabah Madjer and Lakhdar Belloumi. Algeria attained four points from their three games, and would be guaranteed a place in the next round providing West Germany did not lose to Austria by one or two goals in the final game of the pool.
The West Germans launched a number of early attacks, taking a 10th minute lead through Horst Hrubesch. For the following 80 minutes, both sides, knowing that the current score-line would qualify them both, made virtually no attempt to attack the ball. The ball was almost continuously passed between the defenders.
The crowds in Gijon were disgusted by what they saw. Algerian fans waved banknotes and white handkerchiefs, while Spaniards chanted "Fuera, fuera" ("Out, out"). One German supporter was so ashamed that he burnt his national flag. Algeria complained to FIFA, but their protest was rejected. This game did result in one important change to the rules as from Euro ’84 onwards. Currently, the last game of a group in any international tournament always takes place at the same time so that teams do not know the required result in advance.
And then, who can forget Rudi Voller’s dive in the game between West Germany vs Argentina 1990. If you weren’t old enough, you must have at least heard about it or seen the videos. For many, it was poetic justice after a painfully negative Argentina side had somehow dragged itself all the way to the final by winning two penalty shootouts along the way. In the Rome showpiece against West Germany, the holders rode their luck in arguably the dullest final of all time. But they were then undone by the referee in the closing stages of the final. First Pedro Monzon became the first player in history to be sent off with a red card in a World Cup final after a clear dive by Jurgen Klinsmann on his challenge. Then, with five minutes remaining, the Germans were awarded a penalty kick when Rudi Voller went down far too easily in the box. Andreas Brehme converted the spot-kick and Germany were crowned as World Champions. Argentina cried foul, claiming that no one wanted them to win after they had knocked out hosts’ Italy in the semi-finals.
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