World cup Legends

WORLD CUP LEGENDS
THE GOAL THAT NEVER WAS?
For more than 50 years, England’s third goal in the inal has proved controversial,
with doubt cast over whether the ball crossed the line after it hit the crossbar and
bounced down. While the goal stood following consultation between the referee and
the linesman, the Germans have always believed it should have been ruled out.
In 2010, it appeared scorer Sir Geof Hurst himself thought the same. He told a press
conference to promote sponsorship of the Football Conference, “I have to admit that the ball
didn’t cross the line”. But it later emerged it was an April Fool’s joke, much to everyone’s relief.
Thankfully, in 2016 Sky Sports used the EA Sports Performance system to prove once and
for all that it did cross the line. Or maybe not. BILD Sports of Germany continued to dispute the
claim and there have been tests which show the opposite is true. A decision set to go into extra
time itself, perhaps.
1
Nobby Stiles collects the
ball centrally and sprays a
pass out to the right wing
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