8 January 2025

Throughout the history of the game, complaining about referees has been one constant that fans of every team can agree on.

As the match progresses, match officials come under more scrutiny, with managers, players and even pundits blaming the referee for something he missed during the match or a call that was wrong.

Referees are human and mistakes happen. With this in mind, we took a look at some of the worst refereeing errors.

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10

Germany vs England 2010

Referee: Jorge Larrionda

Lampard-Goal

England Supporters, look away now. Referee Jorge Larrionda made the horrific decision not to let Frank Lampard's goal stand against Germany in the 2010 World Cup.

The clash between England and Germany was in the round of 16 in South Africa, with the winners hoping to advance to the quarter-finals. With the Three Lions trailing 2-1, Lampard fired a shot that surprised Manuel Neuer, hitting the crossbar before crossing the goal line.

The players protested before Germany scored two more goals to send England packing. This would be one of the worst decisions in World Cup history.

9

Werder Bremen vs. Hannover 1975

Referee: Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder

This may not be as big a mistake as the others on this list, but Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder made a puzzling decision during his third Bundesliga match.

In a match between Werder Bremen and Hannover in 1975, the referee opened fire to announce the end of the first half after only 32 minutes, before the assistant referee intervened. He reached just 43 minutes heading into halftime.

the reason? He said he drank schnapps and beer before the match, claiming “We're men, we don't drink Fanta.”

8

Luis Diaz at Tottenham, 2023

Video Assistant Referee: Darren England

Luis Diaz Liverpool

During a Premier League Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur match in October 2023, VAR assistant referee Darren England made a huge mistake When Luis Diaz's goal was ruled out despite being offside.

PGMOL released the audio after the match, saying the foul was “poor concentration and loss of concentration”.

The Anfield team ended up losing the match 2-1, and ended it with only nine players on the field as well, and the decision angered Jurgen Klopp, who was not shy about making terrible decisions in matches.

7

Chelsea vs Barcelona 2009

Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo

Tom Henning Overbone

The second leg of the 2009 Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona will be one that referee Tom Henning Ovrebo will never forget.

He turned down four penalties against the Spanish side, then managed by Pep Guardiola, before Andres Iniesta scored a late goal to secure their place in the final at the Blues' expense.

He added: “Some days you are not at the level you should be. I could not be prouder of this performance.” It was added later after the match. Tell that to Chelsea fans.

6

South Korea vs Italy 2002

Referee: Byron Moreno

Byron Moreno

A series of dismal decisions by Byron Moreno led to Italy being eliminated in the round of 16 by South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, making him one of the most hated men in Italy.

The list of errors included sending off Francesco Totti for allegedly falling when a penalty kick should have been awarded, Damiano Tomasi's goal being disallowed for offside in extra time, and Hwang Sun Hong being given a yellow card instead of a red card for a strong challenge, which he later admitted. It was the wrong decision.

Ahn Jung-Hwan scored the winning goal with four minutes left in the match and was then scored He was sacked by his clubPerugia. It's fair to say they didn't concede the goal well.

5

Mali in Tunisia 2021

Referee: Gani Sikazwe

Janie Sikazwe

The Africa Cup of Nations always tends to offer entertaining moments, but during the 2021 edition, referee Gani Sikazwe made a name for himself.

In the match between Mali and Tunisia, Sikazwe blew the final whistle in the 85th and 89th minutes, which caused confusion among the players, as they headed to the dressing room prematurely for the second time.

They were ordered to end the match, but Tunisia refused to return to the field, leaving the result in one of the most strange moments in the history of the competition.

4

Argentina vs England 1986

Referee: Ali bin Nasser

Once again, more suffering for England. During the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match between England and Argentina, Ali Bennacer failed to notice Diego Maradona scoring with his hand.

He then blamed his assistant for failing to spot Maradona sending the ball into the net with his hand in what is commonly referred to as the “Hand of God” goal.

3

Chelsea vs Arsenal 2014

Referee: Andre Marriner

Kieran Gibbs Arsenal

Towards the end of the 2013/14 season, Chelsea inflicted a devastating 6-0 defeat at Arsenal, but that is not what the encounter at Stamford Bridge will be remembered for.

A penalty was awarded after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain blocked an Eden Hazard shot with his hand around the post, but instead of sending him off, the referee sent off his team-mate Kieran Gibbs. Mariner later He claimed to be “frustrated” To make such a mistake.

2

West Germany vs. France 1982

Referee: Charles Korver

Patrick Battiston races to a through ball against West Germany during the 1982 World Cup semi-final, looking set to score.

Seconds later, he was lying on the ground after suffering three fractures in his teeth and ribs and damage to his vertebrae after goalkeeper Tony Schumacher rushed to stop the Frenchman by any means possible, and collided with him with brute force.

Expulsion, surely? No, referee Charles Korver missed the entire incident, allowing the goalkeeper to continue playing. This remains one of the most scandalous moments of the World Cup.

1

Croatia vs. Australia, 2006

Referee: Graham Ball

Graham Paul

During a match between Croatia and Australia in the 2006 World Cup finals, English referee Graham Bull somehow issued three yellow cards to defender Josip Simunic, ending any chance he had of officiating the final.

The glaring error resulted in the Englishman having to pack his bags as he was being flown home from the tournament, ruining his reputation in the process.

What a mistake to make when the eyes of the world are on you.

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