Top 10 refereeing mistakes!
Which blunders make the list?
Referees have a tough job. The pressure on them is incredible, they take abuse from fans, managers and players.
However, sometimes it’s their own fault. Sometimes they just don’t help themselves at all and make some really hilariously bad decisions.
But which referees have made the worst errors? Let’s take a look!
10) Felix Brych – Hoffenheim vs Bayern Leverkusen – 2013
One of the more forgiveable errors on the list, nonetheless this is something of a howler. Leverkusen’s Stefan Kiessling rose like a salmon to head home a corner in what looked like a routine set piece goal; the ball nestling in the back of the net and referee Brych awarding the goal. However, upon watching a replay, it soon became clear that the ball had not entered the net via the goal – instead, it had managed to get through a hole in the side-netting.
9) Martin Hansson – France vs Republic of Ireland – 2009
The World Cup play-off decider could not have been more delicately balanced, with the heroic Irish holding France to a 1-1 draw in Paris and the tie all-square. And then a long free-kick into the area was blatantly handled – in two distinct movements – by France’s Thierry Henry, who then crossed for William Gallas to bundle home. Yet referee Martin Hansson failed to spot it, the goal was allowed to stand, and Ireland went out.
8) Howard Webb – Spain vs Netherlands – 2010 World Cup Final
Howard Webb had a very successful and prestigious career as a referee in England, so much so that he was selected to referee the 2010 World Cup final in 2010 between Spain and Holland. However, he didn’t have the greatest of games, and the worst incident was this one highlighted above, where he failed to send of Nigel De Jong for this horror tackle on Xabi Alonso. He DID send off Johnny Heitinga later on and Spain ended up winning.
7) Marco Fritz – Duisburg vs Frankfurt – 2010
After a defensive mistake by Frankfurt, who were already trailing 4-0, Duisberg midfielder Christian Tiffert tried his luck from 25 yards out. The ball hit the crossbar and rebounded a good couple of yards back into play yet, astonishingly, a goal was actually given following Fritz’ consultation with his assistant Thomas Münch.
6) Gottfried Dienst – England vs West Germany – 1966 World Cup final
The Swedish referee failed to spot that Geoff Hurst’s famous goal in the game hadn’t crossed the line. England went on to win their only world cup, but Germany got their revenge years later when….
5) Jorge Larrionda – England vs Germany – 2010
…this happened. England were robbed at the 2010 World Cup finals when this perfectly fine goal was deemed to have not crossed the line by Uruguyan referee Jorge Larrionda, and the Three Lions went on to lose 4-1, when the goal from Lampard would’ve levelled the score to 2-2.
4) Graham Poll – Liverpool vs Everton – 2000
Not the first time good ol’ Graham appears on our list. No Merseyside derby is easy to officiate but Poll had a nightmare here. With the score at 0-0 in the final seconds, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld booted a free-kick up field while the referee blew for full-time. Well – that’s what people expected to happen, except Westerveld’s clearance struck Don Hutchinson, Poll didn’t blow for full-time (despite later claiming that he had) and the ball rebounded into the net, claiming a late winner for Everton. However, he didn’t allow the goal and it turned into the ‘goal that never was’. Poll at least did admit that he “got it wrong” in terms of the timing of finishing the match, but wouldn’t go so far as to admit he hadn’t blown his whistle.
3) Andre Marriner – Chelsea vs Arsenal – 2014
Andre Marriner was appointed referee for this huge London derby in 2014, a game that was overshadowed by the fact that around the 20 minute mark, he sent off the wrong player. It started with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain handling the ball on the line to deflect away a shot from Eden Hazard. However, instead of sending him off, Marriner sent off his Gunners colleague, Kieran Gibbs, and Arsenal went on to lose 6-0 at Stamford Bridge.
2) Ali Bin Nasser – England vs Argentina – 1986
Again, one of the most famous decisions ever went against England sadly. With the score at 0-0, the Argentine Diego Maradona made a sudden burst forward, and played a one-two with Jorge Valdano, with the ball looping up in the air. Both Maradona and Shilton jumped for the ball, with the Argentinian emerging successful as the ball trickled into the net. Maradona has used his hand, but the referee nor his assistants had spotted it, and Argentina went on to win the world cup that year.
1) Graham Poll – Croatia vs Australia – 2006
Ah Graham, thou hast returned once more. Yeah, we all know the story. In the final group match between Croatia and Australia he failed to send off Croatian left back Josip Šimunić despite booking him twice. Šimunić stayed on the field, only finally departing when a post-final whistle third booking for dissent finally earned him a deserved red. Poll retired at the end of the next season.
By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10