According to the French, Lionel Messi’s lead goal should have been disallowed. Now the judge defended himself.
Polish judge Szymon Marciniak received a furious avalanche of criticism from France after the World Cup final.
The French, among others L’Equipe magazine, according to Argentina Lionel Messi’s A 3-2 lead in the overtime match should have been disallowed because Argentina had too many players on the field.
Based on the pictures, Argentina’s substitutes had time to rush onto the field to celebrate even before the ball was even in the goal.
Messi’s lead goal was important but ultimately not decisive. France evened the score during the overtime match, but Argentina was better in the penalty shootout.
Now Marciniak, the referee of the World Cup final, responded at the press conference to the criticism of the French regarding the uproar in the follow-up match.
He dug out his phone and showed a photo of what appeared to be several French substitutes on the side of the field Kylian Mbappé scoring one of his three goals in the World Cup final.
Supplier Zach Lowy published a picture of Marciniak’s rapture on his Twitter account.
“The French didn’t mention this picture. You can see seven French people on the field when Mbappé scored,” Marciniak said, according to Lowy.
Lowy did not specify which of Mbappé’s three goals Marciniak was referring to. Mbappé scored two of his three goals from the penalty spot.
In Messi or Mbappé goal situations, the extra players hardly had an impact on the events on the field.
The French criticism aside, Marciniak has received enormous praise for the high-quality refereeing of the World Cup final from his colleagues, experts and social media users alike.
The stout Pole enjoyed great success.
“I had a hard time in the last year and a half. I had a heart condition. I had to stop refereeing, and I had to miss the European Championship (2021). The feeling was rough. Now I can’t help but smile,” the referee has told Reuters, among others.
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