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Referees, no matter which sport they officiate, ensure that the rules are enforced and are the final word where disputes arise. However, even they get it wrong and sometimes they make such monumental errors that the history books never stop reverberating.



Here are three major refereeing mistakes that are still talked about to this day.



1966 &#8211; Geoff Hurst’s World Cup Ghost Goal&nbsp;



One of the earliest FIFA World Cup (WC) controversies happened during the 1966 final in which a fired-up England was determined to beat West Germany and claim glory. Both sides managed to score two goals apiece, but going into extra time it was Geoff Hurst who changed the Three Lions’ fate.&nbsp;



In the 101st minute, he punted a shot that many to this day claim bounced off the crossbar, back onto the line but did not go over the line. Match official Gottfried Dienst contentiously awarded the goal, and Hurst scored yet another in the final minute to give England a 4-2 victory.&nbsp;



2002 – The World Cup of Favoritism



South Korea and Japan co-hosted a troubled tournament in 2002, with multiple allegations of referees favouring the hosts, to making questionable decisions that altered the trajectories of several matches.&nbsp;



Italy, Spain and Portugal’s games fueled speculations of a conspiracy as goals that should have been granted were disallowed and various penalties were awarded against the Mediterranean sides when they played either Japan or South Korea.



The most apparent indication of something amiss – aside from South Korea making it to the semis under suspicious and coincidental circumstances – happened in the quarter-final between the USA and Germany. Torsten Frings mishandled the ball in the second half, but the referee missed awarding a penalty, ultimately giving the Germans a 1-0 victory.&nbsp;



1986 &#8211; When The “Hand of God” Intervened



No other football controversy is more infamous than the goal that football legend Diego Maradona “scored” during the quarter-final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup.



Argentina and England slugged it out, with neither side conceding any ground, but it was in the second half that the first goal arrived. In the 51st minute, Maradona took advantage of a misplayed clearance to sprint straight up to English keeper Peter Shilton and contest the ball with his left hand in the air. Referee Ali Bin Nasser awarded the goal, and entered an incredible, if dubious, piece of footballing history into the record books.



Image Credit: <a href="https://blog.footballteamgame.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Maradona_shilton_mano_dios-1.jpg">Source</a>

Three Football Referee Fumbles

Football’s lasting popularity has meant that more and more supporters want to see their beloved teams play for glory, which has resulted in larger (and more impressive) stadiums and playing grounds being erected.



Gaze in amazement at these following four stadiums from across Europe that boast a superior number of seats:



4. Croke Park – 82 300



Nestled in the heart of Dublin, Ireland, this stadium – which was built in 1884 – is named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, one of the patrons of the Gaelic Athletic Association, which organises and runs most sporting activities in the country, and is Ireland’s largest sports ground.



It originally could house 27 000 people, but underwent an expansion program that saw completion in 2005 and greatly increased the number of seats to 82 300.



3. Santiago Bernabeu – 83 186



It is an understatement to say that Spain is a football-mad nation, and their stadiums reflect this love of the beautiful game. Named after legendary footballer Santiago Bernabeu, the Madrid-based home ground of Real Madrid was constructed in 1947.



At the time of its construction, the playing grounds boasted impressive capacity at over 75 000 spectators, but recent renovations gave the La Liga stadium increased its space to 83 136-strong audience.



2. Wembley Stadium – 90 000



On the other side of Europe, the English are just as frenetic about their football – if you’ll excuse the rowdy hooligans – and the most impressive gem in their arena crown is the world-famous Wembley Stadium.



Easily the largest stadium in England, Wembley was constructed in a peaceful suburb of London and first opened its gates in 1923, but was rebuilt into a towering colossus in 2007. The home of English football now has a capacity of 90 000 fans, and has hosted countless music and sporting events.



1. Camp Nou – 99 000



Remember that Spain is a football-mad nation? They lay claim to having the largest grounds in all of Europe as Camp Nou can cram in nearly 100 000 people.



The home of Barcelona FC came into being in 1957, but underwent several expansions before becoming the behemoth of football you see today. It was bursting at the seams when it saw a record attendance of over 120 000 for the Barcelona vs Juventus Euro Cup quarter final in 1986!

4 Largest Football Stadiums in Europe

It’s game day. You have your scarf ready, you and your mates have been to the pub for drinks and some food, and as you walk along to the stadium you hype each other up for what is no doubt going to be a cracking game of footie. Just before kick-off, you and the rest of the crowd get into the spirit with your club’s anthem.



No self-respecting football team would take to the pitch without their fans cheering and singing their anthem, check out these four popular anthems:



Blue Moon &#8211; Manchester City



It’s the perfect match: a blue celestial body symbolising hope and promise, with a football club that wears a blue kit and have proven to be a promising team.



Musical icons, Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, wrote the 1934 pop ballad, “Blue Moon”, and although the lyrics reflect a waning, rare love, the fans’ love for the Blues has never left.



Glory Glory Man United – Manchester United



First sung before the FA Cup Final in 1983, “Glory Glory Man United” has endured nearly as long as the club’s legacy, along with minor tweaks to the song as the team has changed.



“As the Reds go marching on, on, on!” will have any Manchester United fan chanting with high emotions and fierce pride; and they should as their club is one of the most popular and holds a history that is rich with awards from several competitions across several decades.



I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles – West Ham United



Anthems are often seen as hard-hitting, emotive pieces of music, but West Ham’s song of choice is a whimsical number that dares to dream big and floats on positivity.



John Kellete’s 1918 has a somewhat apocryphal history of how it ended up as the Hammers’ anthem, but it is generally accepted that it first popped up in the 1920s and since then, it has been sung at every game.



You’ll Never Walk Alone – Liverpool



Nothing rouses a Liverpool supporter more than hearing a large crowd singing “Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart” before ending off with a heart-felt “You’ll never walk alone!”.



Originally a show tune from the 1945 musical titled “Carousel”, the track was part of the time’s top ten tracks of the day, and played fairly often via the stadium’s address system where it quickly became the anthem of Anfield.



Image Credit: <a href="https://www.football-stadiums.co.uk/images/Articles/anthems/a.jpg">Source</a>

4 Most Popular English Club Anthems

Cameroon and Gabon begin their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaigns today, Wednesday 24 December, at Stade Adrar in Morocco.



The five-time African champions, the Indomitable Lions, enter the tournament looking to rebuild after failing to qualify for the World Cup. With a squad transition underway, Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo has taken the captain’s armband to lead the attack.



The Cameroonian side will be without goalkeeper Andre Onana, leaving Devis Epassy to take charge between the posts. He is joined by La Liga newcomer Karl Etta Eyong, who is expected to earn his first cap during this tournament.



Gabon, meanwhile, must navigate their opening fixture without their all-time leading scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is sidelined with an injury. The Panthers will instead look to forward Denis Bouanga and the experienced Mario Lemina to provide leadership and offensive threat.



Recent history suggests a tight encounter, as the two nations have shared two wins each and a draw over their last five meetings. With Cote d’Ivoire also in the group, avoiding an early defeat is essential for both sides’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages.



Image Credit: <a href="https://www.cafonline.com/media/y22lxfaj/b25kmnr1234.jpg">Source</a>

Cameroon and Gabon Set for Tense AFCON 2025 Opener

Liverpool have confirmed that Alexander Isak can expect a considerable recovery period after undergoing surgery for a fractured leg and serious ankle injury.



The Swedish striker, who joined from Newcastle United in September for a record £125 million, was injured during the Reds’ 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday, 20 December.



The incident occurred as he was scoring the opening goal, at which point a heavy challenge from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven left the 26-year-old forward writhing in visible agony. While club management have not set an official return date, medical experts suggest Isak will be sidelined for several months, with some analysts fearing he may not feature again this season.



The injury is a devastating blow for manager Arne Slot, whose attacking options are already depleted. With Mohamed Salah away competing for Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo injured, Slot must now rely heavily on in-form young Frenchman Hugo Ekitike.



This setback caps a frustrating start to Isak’s Anfield career, which has been hampered by fitness issues and a prior groin injury. Liverpool must now decide whether to enter the January market to bolster a frontline that has suddenly become dangerously thin.



Image Credit: <a href="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/getty-2252896838/crop/MM5DENRTGQ5DCNBYGI5G433XMU5DAORRGM3Q====/GettyImages-2252896838.jpg?auto=webp&amp;format=pjpg&amp;width=2048&amp;quality=60">Source</a>

Alexander Isak Faces Lengthy Recovery

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