FIFA boss says Italy shouldn't have won World Cup

seaeagle

Blatter 'sorry' for Italy dive - FOX SPORTS - Fox Sports

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WORLD football boss Sepp Blatter has apologised to Australian fans for the Socceroos' controversial World Cup exit and claims Australia deserved to beat Italy at Germany 2006.

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Australia was cruelly knocked out of the World Cup by the eventual champions in the round of 16 after Italy was awarded a dubious penalty in the dying seconds.

Fabian Grosso appeared to take a dive in the penalty area under pressure from Socceroos defender Lucas Neill.

Spanish referee Luis Medina pointed to the spot and Francesco Totti buried the penalty to give Italy, which had been reduced to 10 men, a 1-0 win.

"I would like to apologise to our football fans in Australia," Blatter said.

"The Socceroos should have gone into the quarter-finals in place of Italy. They were up to beat Italy ... you go into extra time and you are 11 against 10. But that is presumptuous."

Blatter admitted the standard of refereeing at the World Cup was not as high as he would have liked.

"I said at the referees committee after the World Cup, when compared to the performance of 2002, you have improved, but in my opinion not enough.

"I think the referees were not at their best.

Sadly, all after the fact though. I still have flashbacks to that dreadful moment when the ref's arm went up to award the penalty. It was very late at night here (after midnight) and I could hear people yelling at the TV from all over the neighbourhood. That and England's Jonny Wilkinson kicking the field goal during extra time to defeat Australia in the 2003 Rugby World Cup are two of the most heartbreaking sporting moments that will remain in my memory forever. Crying or Very sad

jjww1001 · Joined: Nov 02, 2006 Posts: 7

After all I love BRAZIL football

piero · Joined: Feb 16, 2007 Posts: 78 Location: UK

But in 2002 Korea & Japan World Cup the referees with Italy were not at their best (especially with Croatia & Korea).
...so...

ITALIA ITALIA ITALIA ITALIA
Razz

KHyuga · Joined: Feb 26, 2007 Posts: 5

Blatter may have a point (for once). However, that's what happens when you refuse to use video replays to assist the referee in making decisions.

seaeagle

I agree 100% with you on the issue of video replays. Here we use them in rugby league, rugby union, and cricket. Despite what the critics initially thought it hasn't taken away the authority of referees. In fact many of them feel a lot better to be able to ask for a video replay on a critical decision. They get a lot less bad press the day after a match nowadays than they did before replays when every mistake would be dissected after a game.

I still get an ache in my stomach when I think of that moment in the last minute of the Australia-Italy match. That, along with Jonny Wilkinson's extra-time field goal to win the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup final against Australia, will remain an agonising memory until the day I die Crying or Very sad

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