ESPN FC’s Dale Johnson assesses the big calls made by the referee in the World Cup final, which saw Argentina crowned champions after a penalty shootout.
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26 Comments
This was a fixed world cup for Messi to win. The whole world saw it with the calls throughout Argentina games. It's not Messi's fault, it's on fifa . They did what they had to do for the money and a proper sendoff for M10.
Br half these comments say this just because there Argentina fans and if France would of won it would of been differ
penalty for Argentina was a joke, he dived after being just touched with a hand and only during the dive he made contact with Dembele legs ( and was clearly looking to find that contact while falling), it's obnoxious
Pepe and Bruno was right.
The worst referee for me in this world cup.
I've watched 40 years of world cup finals, never seen 3 penalties, never…
What the penalties do is
Put the game into hands of referee, Stoped the flow of the game,
In my opinion he ruined it…
Very well analyzed sir. Thank you for posting this.
On Thuram there is actually a contact on his left foot not just the right leg.. if you give it to DiMAria you have to give it to Thuram.. and Otamendi not booked or sent off was disgraceful but hey Messi “won”
The first penalty was soft and shouldn't have been given. Otamendi should have been booked. The referee was poor at assessing counter attacks and playing advantage when it came to any french counter attacks… He always stopped the play and allowed Argentina to gather themselves…
France n. 9 put hand on ball BEFORE The kick that caused the penalty
Di Maria was already falling down. Any soft touch in the pk area doesn’t guarantee a pk
Romero did fouled after fouled, but Referee did not even warn him..Yellow card was not applicable to him, as it seemed.🙄
Some of the childish fanboys don’t know much about Football ⚽️ but would pretend as if they’re experts. 😂😢
What about the morocco penalties in the semifinal, 2 possible penalties no VAR
Having watched the first penalty numerous times, based on Di Maria's expression and body language, it does not appear that he intentionally went down. He was assessing how to pick out a team mate. Dembele's foot brushed his left foot as he was about to plant it, his feet got tangled, and he went down.
A soft penalty? Yes. A dive? I don't think so.
Did Dembele impede his progress? Yes.
Personally, I would have waved it off and spoken to Dembele. I don't like to see penalties given unless they are iron clad.
Otamendi's challenge, I have seen that play on so many times in my life that I would call that one soft as well. However, given what was called for Di Maria, the referee correctly called it a penalty.
He missed messi goal that should of been disallowed
Soft penalties makes a weak team winner .just like balon dors world cup has become a mockery of a show…
What about hand of france player before 3rd penalty won by france
God, is he saying that the referred was correct to give the first penalty? What an idiot, this is why I don't want to watch football anymore.
Rigged world cup.
They had 6 free penalties and got away with many cards all tournament not rigged at all tho…😂
Argentina got 7 penalties this world cup and being the first team to get it every game to have a chance to go 1-0 fifa did what they had to do to make sure Argentina will win the world cup FIFA FIXING IT FOR ARGENTINA how did portugal get 5 Argentina refs in there matches its corrupt money talks 2026 world cup will be even worse
Clear red
Last man overtaken
No challenge on ball
He was tugging the shirt
This Argentina team was awarded the most penalties in a World Cup.The 5 penalties given to Argentina is the most of any World Cup since 1966. Clear bias of course because of Messi. The coverage of what he's done has been overblown, yes he's good but did he deserve the MOTM award in a game where Alvarez scored 2 goals and won a pen. Diego Maradona himself said Fifa has a Messi bias back in Brazil WC.
Who will remember this , so please forget this and celebrate argentina victory ,
The last penalty given to France. The ball got to Mbappe after touching the hand of a French player
Last penalty shouldn’t be called as the was a previews play has a clear hand ball by a France player. Is incredible nobody talks about that If VAR is not there for this mistakes, it shouldn’t be there at all.