By Ori Martins
The global stage is absolutely imperfect. It is grossly replete with irritating imperfections. And the FIFA World Cup is no exception.
It has been established that anytime the World Cup is played in the year with number six, the biggest football event on earth usually runs into troubled waters.
Perhaps, it was in 1966 that the first outrageous sign of the World Cup instability reared its ugly head. Two strange incidents took place in the 1966 World Cup Finals in England.
The World Cup was reportedly missing, many analysts say stolen. It was recovered through the employment of a police dog. And, in 1966, England controversially lifted the World Cup for the first and only time in a most questionable circumstances – The Three Lions third goal that gave England victory (4-2) in the final never crossed the goal line!!!
Four years earlier, FIFA had cancelled Garrincha’s red card to enable him play the final game as Pele’s injury never healed. Of course, that was what played out again in the Folarin Balogun’s case when his suspension going into the game against Belgium was called off. FIFA explained its decision based on Article 27 of its statutes.
In 1986, the second biggest World Cup player after Pele as stated by FIFA in 1999, Maradona, scored his controversial and famous Hand of God goal in the quarter final against England. After 40 years, England and Argentina are poised to meet again in the crucial World Cup semi final stage. When both teams clashed in France ’98, Argentina had defeated England after Beckham was sent out for a retaliation offence.
In 2006 in Germany, the world football followers were treated to a despicable spectacle on the final day when sensational Zidane gave an Italian a headbutt. That one minute distraction changed the course of that decisive moment as the French captain was sent off and Italy came from behind to lift the World Cup for the fourth time.
This is 2026 and the entire globe is awash with the tale of controversies,tension and anxiety that have trailed the World Cup in America, Mexico and Canada.
In a way, most of the complaints centered around Messi and Argentina being granted what traducers of the South American country called “unmerited favours” by the referees. Some of these informed football analysts based their points on the Messi’s hard tackle on an Algerian player that was ignored by both the referee and the VAR; the Cape Verde denied penalty appeal and the Argentina’s third goal that was obviously offside; and the Egypt encounter that is still being discussed ever that crucial battle.
As it has turned out to be, it is France versus Spain and England versus Argentina semi finals.
A Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has called on FIFA to take the semi final games seriously to ensure that the best two qualify for the final!