This hand ball directly resulted in France's game-winning goal.
For anyone who isn’t aware of the situation, the French feel OK about being cheating, cowardly bastards. If you disagree, just ask an Irishman.
Thierry Henry’s hand ball directly led to France’s game-winning goal over Ireland – and ultimately – an invite to the World Cup this summer. People probably died over this. There’s arguably no fan-team relationship more passionate and genuine than a non-American country and its ”football” team.
Side note: I can’t blame the rest of the world for referring to soccer as football. Apparently it just makes way too much sense for Americans to adopt – kinda like the metric system.
The Irish appealed to FIFA to replay the game, since the goal was in the late stages of the match and the contest was likely headed for a tie. FIFA denied the appeal, which was no surprise. The Irish then desperately asked France to back their case. However, the French said they “understood the disappointment and bitterness of the Irish but the result could not be changed.”
Pussies.
The chances of FIFA allowing the replay — even if the French backed it — was very slim. They at least should have agreed, as a nice gesture, to support the idea of a fair result. And in the off chance that FIFA did call for a rematch — if I were the French, I’d be more than happy to prove we have the better team.
It would have been unprecedented; it would have been difficult to swallow if it cost your country a trip to the World Cup — but it was the right thing to do.
-Tidbit
