Everybody wants a piece of controversy these days! Controversy is that extra bit of spice involved to make it more glamorous and evasive.
Everybody wants a piece of controversy these days! Controversy is that extra bit of spice involved to make it more glamorous and evasive. So here we are talking about the best controversial goals ever to take place in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Was it a goal or was it not? Who got under the limelight? Here they are:
England’s ‘Ghost Goal’ in 1966 World Cup
England took on West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final at the Wembley stadium and eleven minutes into the extra time controversy struck! England player Geoff Hurst received the ball outside Germany’s six-yard box and took a shot at goal that went past the German goalkeeper, hit the top crossbar and bounced down before being cleared by a German defender. Though the visual was unclear, the goal stood and Hurst was awarded the goal. England went on to win the game 4-2 and win their only World Cup trophy. But still today, that ‘ghost goal’ is much talked about incident.
‘The Hand of God’ Goal
England were at the receiving end here when they took on Argentina during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. Star striker Diego Maradona may be termed as the ‘pantomime villain’ by the English media but his ‘hand of god’ goal went on to become one of the most infamous goals in World Cup history. When England midfielder Steve Hodge sent the ball back in mistake towards his goalkeeper Peter Shilton, in came Maradona to jump towards the English goalie. Soon after, the Argentine stretched out his left hand to beat Shilton to the ball and tapped it into the back of the net. And as they say, the rest was history.
Luis Suarez ‘handball’
Well it’s yet another South American but it’s a Uruguayan that goes by the name of Luis Suarez. When Uruguay met Ghana during the 2010 World Cup quarterfinal match, none had predicted that the tourney could have been marred by a controversial goal. Ghana was leading 1 until Suarez struck with his own version of ‘hand of god’ goal. Later, he would go on to block a Stephen Appiah shot at the goal line. Uruguay went onto win, 4-2 and after the game, Suarez would say: “The Hand of God now belongs to me.… I made the best save of the tournament.”
Carlos Tevez scores an offside goal
He might be discarded from the current Argentina squad but Carlos Tevez has his fair share of controversies that made him famous. During the 2010 World Cup, Carlos Tevez went on to score a clearly offside goal for his country against Mexico which should not have stood.
Luis Fabiano’s ‘handball’ against Ivory Coast
During the 2010 World Cup group stages, African side Ivory Coast were the victims of yet another controversial goal when Brazilian, Luis Fabiano halted the ball by his hand and the scored a goal!
Kuwait freaks out against France
During the 1982 World Cup, France had just scored its fourth goal against Kuwait but the latter thought it was not a ‘fair goal’. The Kuwaiti players went off the pitch in protest and in stepped their president, Sheikh Fahid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to inform the referee about the ‘allowed goal’.
Let’s hope, this current World Cup does not produce any ‘controversial moments’.
