This year’s FIFA World Cup is coming to a close. With only two matches remaining and the final to look forward to, it has been an absolutely great competition. Firstly, Croatia and Morocco will compete for third place. Then, in the most important match of the tournament, Argentina and France will face off in the final.
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Fans throughout the competition were quick to point out that there was not a single English referee chosen for any of Argentina’s matches. It is still the case, as no English referee has been chosen to officiate the final match. This has led many to believe that this was a deliberate decision by FIFA.
The reason why no English referees are officiating Argentina’s matches
It is no secret that there is bad blood between England and Argentina. This is due to the long-standing dispute over the Falkland Islands. This dispute has resulted in tension between the two countries for many years.
Dive Deeper: VIDEO: Massive Brawl Breaks During Argentina vs Netherlands as Game Ends With a FIFA Record of 17 Yellow Cards
It has been revealed that the reason why no English referees were chosen for Argentina’s matches is that FIFA was worried about the potential for bias. With the history of bad blood between the two countries, FIFA was concerned that an English referee might make a decision that was not in Argentina’s best interests.
With so much at stake in the World Cup, it is vital that the referee is unbiased and objective. It is also the reason why no Argentinian officials were chosen to officiate in the matches involving England.
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Controversial referee calls in FIFA World Cup
This year’s tournament has seen a number of controversial decisions made by referees. One of the most notable examples came in the quarter-final between Argentina and the Netherlands. The official in that match handed out a record 17 yellow cards, and he came under a lot of scrutiny for his decisions. He was sent home after the match.
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There is no doubt that officiating is one of the most difficult aspects of the game. However, when decisions like these are made, it takes away from the beauty of the game. What are your thoughts regarding these decisions? Let us know down below in the comment section.