'French didn't mention this' - referee hits back in criticism over Argentina goal
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'French didn't mention this' - referee hits back in criticism over Argentina goal
(Reuters) - The World Cup final ended nearly a week ago but the drama around it continued as the match referee showed a photo on his phone during a news conference to respond to claims that Lionel Messi s extra-time goal should not have stood.
Argentina won the final in Lusail, Qatar 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 following 120 minutes of action, with Messi scoring twice and Kylian Mbappe bagging a hat-trick for France.
Szymon Marciniak, the first referee from Poland to officiate a World Cup final, faced criticism from French media that he should have chalked off Messi s extra-time goal because two Argentina substitutes appeared to enter the pitch before the ball went into the net.
French newspaper L Equipe mentioned the International Football Association Board s Law 3, paragraph 9, which includes that the referee must disallow the goal if a substituted player was on the field of play when the goal was scored.
Marciniak responded to the criticism in a unique manner.
He pulled up a screenshot on his phone that showed seven French substitutes had entered the field while they were celebrating one of Mbappe s goals.
"The French didn t mention this photo, where you can see how there are seven Frenchmen on the pitch when Mbappe scores a goal," Marciniak said as he held up the phone while speaking to reporters.
Marciniak s comments came after a petition, asking the final to be replayed due to officiating errors, was launched. The petition has so far crossed 220,000 signatures.
