Upsetting Misfortunes: How Germany's Luck with Referees Seems to Have Run Dry
DFB Team Experiences Defeat Due to Referee Decisions
By Ben Redelings
For decades, the German national team has had a knack for basking in the favor of referees in tense situations, even securing significant victories with the help of the whistle-blowers. But it appears these days are numbered. Now it seems like fortune has shifted course.
The Dutch have never forgotten the contentious scene that resulted in the 1:1 equalizer in the 1974 World Cup final. To this day, our northeastern neighbors remain heated over the moment when Bernd Hölzenbein tripped in the Dutch penalty area. The debate continues over whether the contact with Willem Jansen was as forceful as Hölzenbein's trip suggested.
Ever since, the Dutch use a German term to describe this clear mistake by referee Jack Taylor in their eyes: "Schwalbe". This term is forever linked to this pivotal blunder. In Germany, we don't dwell on this game-deciding moment anymore.
"Probably, I wouldn't have gotten the penalty, I'll admit - even though there was contact." Rudi Völler reflects on the decisive scene in the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina, when Roberto Sensini seemingly brought down Völler in the Argentine penalty area. Referees Edgardo Codesal Méndez from Mexico awarded a penalty in Germany's favor.
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The Echoes of Previous Controversies
Rudi Völler initially opposed the introduction of VAR, but he has since come around to the idea. In the back of his mind, the veteran national player and current DFB sports director also harbored his own situation in the 1990 World Cup final. With a second look, the penalty might have been called off.
The heated discussions about the implementation of the video assistant referee reached a boiling point due to another scene in which Germany played a decisive role. In the 38th minute of the round of 16 match between Germany and England at the 2010 World Cup, Frank Lampard netted the ball clearly behind Manuel Neuer's goal line with a 2:1 lead for Germany.
However, referee Jorge Larrionda from Uruguay was the only one who didn't see Lampard's shot clearly cross the line. The English still have a valid complaint about this scene to this day. In the end, the game concluded with a resounding 4:1 win for Germany, but the erroneous decision by Larrionda significantly influenced the outcome of the game.
"Football: Life's Drama!"
Available now at amazon.deIndeed, it's true that in the three games mentioned above, all of which could have gone either way, it's evident. For years, the "luck of the game", in this case instigated by the referees, was on the side of the German national team. However, that trend appears to have ended. It has ended dramatically.
Günter Netzer once stated after the match against England in the 2010 World Cup: "Football doesn't require video proof. Football is drama!" As we now know: Both can exist simultaneously! At the latest since the encounter against France in the third-place match of the Nations League in Stuttgart, it's clear: The German national team has lost its luck with the referees!
Whining Won't Help
Referee Ivan Kruzliak from Slovakia reversed his calls for Germany in crucial situations twice. Whether he was right or wrong is not the point. But it's clear that these incidents could have substantially altered the game's outcome.
VAR chaos, missed opportunities, and a DFB team unlucky against a cold French teamAnd while these instances, including the controversial handball scene of Marc Cucurella in the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship against Spain, should not be seen as excuses for the overall performance of the DFB team, it must be acknowledged: The games against France on Sunday and against Spain last year could have - like the games that went in favor of the DFB team in 1974, 1990, and 2010 - also played out differently if the referees had ruled otherwise.
But lamenting won't solve anything. As former Bundesliga player Jürgen Wegmann once so aptly put it: "First, we had no luck, and then we had bad luck too." The times will change for the DFB team as well, but one thing remains constant: "Football is drama!" It's just that the dramatic conclusion is different from game to game!
Sources: ntv.de
Community policy should be implemented to address the growing concerns over referee decisions in high-stake football matches. Vocational training for referees could help ensure fair and consistent ruling, reducing the impact of "luck" on the games' outcomes.
Striving for excellence in sports analysis, understanding the rules, and acknowledging the role of referees is crucial for every football expert, including bestselling author and comedian Ben Redelings. With his in-depth knowledge of the game, Redelings helps fans navigate through the often-dramatic world of futbol.
