Controversy Surrounding World Cup Referees

The World Cup has always had deep secrets and many controversial things happening every time it rolls around, so are we surprised that there’s controversy surrounding the referees? A ref was removed from the World Cup after an Argentina-Netherlands clash. Following his performance officiating Argentina’s quarterfinal win over the Netherlands on Friday, Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz was reportedly removed from the 2022 World Cup and will not work any of the tournament’s remaining games. The Spanish referee has already left Qatar and is headed back home. Both teams were enraged with Lahoz throughout the match, which Argentina won. Lahoz handed out 18 yellow cards and 1 red card in the match, including a World Cup record of 15 players receiving a card. Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries was sent off during penalties. They also had 10 minutes of added time in regulation. “I don’t want to talk about the referee because you can’t be honest,” Lionel Messi, Argentina player told reporters after the match. “If you talk they sanction you; FIFA must think about it, they can’t put a referee who isn’t up for the task for these instances.” In the first half, Lahoz opted to not give Messi a yellow card for a deliberate handball. But despite that Argentinians were much more vocal against Lahoz. “The referee was giving everything to them,” Said Argentinian goalie Emiliano Martinez as he speaks about his frustration after the game to news reporters. “He gave 10 minutes for no reason…He just wanted to see them score. He is useless.” World Cup watcher Lana Towner states, “I don’t think Lahoz was fair during the game at all. He made so many mistakes and unnecessary calls.” Hopefully, next World Cup we and the players get better, more fair referees.