Decision Disputes: Germany's Fortune with Referees Waning
In the game, the DFB-Elf suffered a defeat, with the referees appearing to decide the outcome.
By Ben Redelings (New Article Title Suggestion: Bad Calls: Germany's Struggle with Controversial Ref Decisions)
For decades, the German national team has enjoyed more than a few lucky breaks with referee decisions, even in contentious scenes, where such breaks often led to significant victories. However, these days, it seems fate has turned on them.
Ever since the 1974 World Cup final, the Dutch have carried an ongoing grudge against the Germans, thanks to a questionable referee decision. Bernd Hölzenbein collapsed in the Dutch penalty area under minimal contact from Willem Jansen. The English referee, Jack Taylor, failed to call a penalty despite strong evidence supporting the contention, a blunder that has since earned the term "Schwalbe" (Swallow) in the Dutch language. In contrast, German fans and pundits have been silent on the matter.
Flash forward to the 1990 World Cup final, where Rudi Völler claimed a penalty was awarded unjustly for a possible foul on Argentine player Roberto Sensini. Having revisited the incident, Völler today admits that he might not have received the penalty even if the contact had been stronger, as suspected.
VAR for the Better?
Initially against the introduction of video assistance refereeing (VAR), Rudi Völler has since embraced the technology, hoping it would rectify past mistakes like his own. In the case of the 1990 World Cup final, he believes a second look might have changed the decision.
The introduction of VAR and its potential to address controversial decisions such as these was driven by another questionable call, this time in the 2010 World Cup match between Germany and England. Frank Lampard's shot undeniably crossed the goal line before being cleared, but Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda failed to spot the infraction. England can still vote for a rematch to this day.
Despite the footballing follies of the past years, many of which saw the "luck of the draw" favoring Germany, times change. Today it is clear that the fortune of the German national team with referees has taken a sharp turn, for the worse.
Complaints Aren't the Solution
Referee Ivan Kružliak of Slovakia made decisions in critical moments that cost Germany points on two occasions last year. While these calls could be argued to be right or wrong, their impact on the game is undeniable.
In the aftermath of those controversial calls and the now-infamous handball by Marc Cucurella during the quarter-finals of the 2024 European Championship against Spain, Germany's disappointing performance should not be dismissed as mere referee misjudgments. Nonetheless, it's fair to say that the matches against France (2025) and Spain (2024) could have had different outcomes had some calls been different.
But complaining about the decisions will not alter the past or convince the referees to change their ways. As former Bundesliga player Jürgen Wegmann once quipped, "First, we had no luck, and then bad luck came along too." The tides will eventually shift for the German national team. One thing, however, remains constant: football will always be drama!
- Enrichment Data:Examples of controversial referee decisions in recent international matches for the German national football team:
- UEFA Nations League Match Against France (2025):
- Criticized by coach Julian Nagelsmann for several questionable decisions, including a disallowed penalty and a disputed foul during a goal, calling out the VAR protocol as misapplied in the latter instance.[1][2]
- Historical Context:
- The Disgrace of Gijón incident in the 1982 World Cup, although not primarily about referee decisions, highlights the contentious nature of international football matches involving Germany. This match-fixing allegation surfaced between West Germany and Austria but did not necessarily involve specific referee decisions.[3]
- Recent Match Against Portugal (2025):
- Portugal's Bernardo Silva expressed frustration about a goal allowed by the referee during their win against Germany, although the specific circumstances surrounding this controversy are not well-documented.[4]
From the disgrace of Gijón in 1982 to recent disputes in UEFA Nations League matches, controversial referee decisions have shaped the narrative of the German national football team's international career.
[1] (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/nagelsmann-criticizes-refereeing-in-nations-league-final)[2] (https://www.dh.de/sport/bundesliga/julian-nagelsmann-kritisiert-in-nations-league-finale-referees-97354134.html)[3] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgrace_of_Gij%C3%B3n)[4] (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/silva-reiterates-claims-about-alfred-freshwater-in-portugal-s-victory-against-germany)
Vocational training could benefit referees, as current decisions appear to be inconsistent, similar to the unpredictability seen in German national football matches. In light of this, implementing structured vocational training programs for referees might help improve their accuracy and reduce controversial decisions, paralleling the efforts made in sports like football through the implementation of VAR.
A community policy regarding referee disputes could also help address the ongoing frustration experienced by both players and fans, as Germany's history of controversial referee decisions has encouraged calls for greater transparency and accountability. Such a policy could involve detailed debriefings, analysis of referee performance, and repercussions for referees who repeatedly make questionable decisions, fostering a greater sense of fairness and trust throughout international football competitions.
