The Biggest Controversies In The Football History

Football is the most popular sport in the world and is liked all over the world. However, this sport is also not free from controversies. There have been many such controversies in football history, which always remain a topic of discussion. These controversies have also worked to shame the football world.

However, controversies keep happening from time to time in almost every sport. Similarly, there have been many such controversies in football history, from fixing to the death of a player, in which the names of big players have come to the fore. Here, we are going to give you information about the top 5 biggest controversies in football history.

The Biggest Controversies in Football History

Andres Escobar was shot dead.

The brutal murder of Colombian football player Andres Escobar is still considered one of the biggest controversies in the history of football, which shook the whole world. The reason behind this is said to be the Colombia-USA match in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. That match was nothing less than a nightmare for Escobar. He scored a goal against his team, Colombia, in that match, due to which the USA got a spectacular 2-1 victory.

Due to this mistake of Andres Escobar on the field, many people had to face loss in betting and he also had to face a lot of criticism. A week after that match, Escobar was shot 6 times in the chest outside a nightclub in Medellin. Although the footballer was immediately taken to the hospital, he was declared dead there shortly after.

Legal Charges for Sexual Assault on Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the biggest controversies in the history of football is also a case of two major football legends, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. In fact, in June 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo was accused of sexual assault by Las Vegas resident Kathryn Mayorga. However, due to lack of evidence, the case was dismissed by the local court in 2019.

Similarly, Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr. was accused of sexual misconduct by a woman named Najila Trindade. However, later when the Sao Paulo police investigated, Neymar was found innocent and Najila Trindade was charged with extortion and conspiracy against the football player.

Also Read: Spain’s Lamine Yamal Becomes Youngest Goal Scorer In Euro History

The Calciopoli scandal

The Calciopoli scandal is considered one of the biggest and most infamous fixing controversies in the history of football, which involved Serie A clubs like Fiorentina, AC Milan, Reggina, Lazio, and Juventus. In this case, the Italian investigating authorities had also presented call recordings and much concrete evidence related to the club’s alleged match-fixing, which revealed the match-fixing with the referee’s panel. After being found guilty of this fixing, Juventus Football Club was relegated to Serie B and their Serie A titles in 2005 and 2006 were completely taken away.

Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’

An incident happened in the quarter-final match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup between England and Argentina, which caught the attention of sports lovers. Actually, in that match, Argentine footballer Diego Maradona scored a goal by punching the ball with his hand. Although, according to the rules, that goal should have been cancelled, referee Ali Bin Naseer declared it valid.

This decision of the referee was criticized not only by English fans but all over the world. Argentina won this match, but Diego Maradona had to face constant criticism for this dishonesty.

The Trophy Stolen in the 1996 World Cup

England, which is considered one of the best host venues in the world, witnessed an incident during the 1996 World Cup, which shocked the whole world. Actually, the title trophy of that World Cup was stolen from Central Hall Westminster, London. However, the trophy was later found by a mixed-breed dog named ‘Pickles’. But that incident raised questions on England’s security standards and is considered one of the biggest controversies in football history.