Qatar 2022 is almost here and with Iran and the US facing off in the group stages, and ongoing concerns around Qatar’s human rights record, the competition is already controversial. Politics and controversy are never far away in international sport however, and the World Cup is no stranger to it.
In this article the ClickPlay team review some of the biggest World Cup controversies through time.
1966 - England vs West Germany final
For England fans, the 1966 final has become the reference point for everything else in football, a high that the team have been trying to recapture ever since. Despite the halcyon glow around the match for England fans however, it was not without controversy.
During the 101st minute of the game, Geoff Hurst made a shot that divided critics and fans alike. The shot he made went into the crossbar, bounced down and then out of the area of the goal. This was well before goal line technology and, depending on where you were standing, both physically and in terms of team loyalty, the goal was either a beautiful fluke, or a refereering scam.
Opinions were immediately mixed.
Had it crossed the line? History was about to be made, as the goal was considered valid. This gave England a much-needed edge, which helped them secure a victory over the West German team.
Some doubt still lingers, though - many are still not sure whether it was truly a goal. Judge for yourself here!
2006 - Le Headbutt
French football star Zinedine Zidane was brought out of retirement to cement his legacy by leading the French team in 2006. However, his captaincy did not go quite as expected. While the French team performed well against Italy, during extra time Zidane came up against Italian Marco Materazzi.
While the defender and Zidane seemed to be having a somewhat fiery moment, Materazzi grabbed at Zidane, and Zidane responded by headbutting him in the chest. France lost the game and Zidane’s career ended on a rather inauspicious note.
1966 - Theft of the World Cup
Geoff Hurst’s goal (or non-goal!) was not the only controversy during 1966.
The World Cup was actually stolen just months before the match was meant to happen. It was on display to the public in Westminster Central Hall, under heavy security. Ambitious thieves still managed to snag the trophy, leading to chaos and anger. Not only that, but the thieves then tried to hold the World Cup to ransom for £15,000 in one of the greatest football scams ever!
The day was saved - not by the many humans on the police force, though. In the end, the World Cup was recovered by Pickles, a collie dog. Pickles found it wrapped up in newspaper in a South London hedge, and when his owner went to see what he was sniffing at, found the trophy just seven days after it had been stolen.
These World Cup controversies continue to be discussed to this day. Some are incredible, others are shocking, and future World Cup tournaments are sure to bring similar surprising stories!
