Eh! In 2010 in Bloemfontein, England were 2-1 down to Germany in the Round of 16 when Frank Lampard's shot crashed off the crossbar... BOUNCED a full meter behind the line... and then bounced back out. Replays were CLEAR — the ball was a yard over the line. The referee waved play on. NO goal. Germany went on to win 4-1 and FIFA was finally forced to introduce goal-line technology. Lampard's ghost goal CHANGED football forever!
Year: 2010 Match: Germany vs England Location: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Round: Round of 16 Category: Controversy
The Moment
- Lampard's shot in the 39th minute clearly crossed the goal line by approximately a meter
- Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda waved play on, dismissing the obvious goal claim
- Germany ran away with a 4-1 win and England were eliminated from the tournament
- FIFA President Sepp Blatter publicly apologized to England following the match outcome
- The incident directly led to the introduction of goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup
The Verdict
Lampard's ghost goal might be the most consequential bad decision in football history. England were ROBBED of a 2-2 equalizer and FIFA were finally FORCED to embrace goal-line technology. The injustice in Bloemfontein literally changed how football is officiated forever. Sometimes a wrong call changes EVERYTHING!
Tomorrow: #19 — Stay tuned for the next magical World Cup moment!
