Football fans think France should be world champions for a third time

Football fans claim Argentina's third goal against France should not have stood - and Les Bleus should therefore be champions for a third time.

Lionel Messi scored his second to make it 3-2 in the 108th minute of the final at the Lusail Stadium, bundling the ball over the line after Lautaro Martinez's shot was parried by Hugo Lloris.

There was a suspicion of offside but replays showed that Martinez was just in line with the last defender. Jules Kounde got back into clear the ball but it had clearly gone over the line.

The controversy wasn't there, however. Viewers have spotted that some of Argentina's subs were already on the pitch before the ball had crossed the line and believe it should have been chalked off as a result.

Many were staggered that VAR did not take a closer look at the infringement.

One said: "Argentina Subs on the pitch when the goal has gone in how did #VAR miss that."

A second commented: "Just had a look at the third Argentina goal, 3 subs were on the pitch before the ball crossed the line. Shouldn’t that be disallowed?"

A third opined: "2 Argentina subs on the pitch as the ball crossed the line - should it have counted?"

A fourth weighed in: Argentina subs on the pitch before ball goes in, any breach of the rules here @FIFAWorldCup."

A fifth added: "Argentina subs on the pitch before the ball was in the net?"

A sixth explained: "Before Messi shot crosses the line. The Argentina subs have already entered the field of play. Meaning they had 13 players on the pitch when he scored. With VAR in place this goal should not have stood."

IFAB's laws state that "the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was:the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was: a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of the team that scored the goal; play is restarted with a direct free kick from the position of the extra person."

It does then add that, "If, after a goal is scored and play has restarted, the referee realises an extra person was on the field of play when the goal was scored, the goal can not be disallowed."

France equalised minutes before the end in extra time when Kylian Mbappe completed a World Cup final hat-trick with a second penalty after Gonzalo Montiel was penalised for a handball.

But when the game went all the way to penalties, Montiel proved to be the hero and rolled in the spot-kick to crown Argentina world champions again.

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Topics: Lionel Messi, France, Football World Cup, Argentina

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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