Italian legends criticise officiating after England's World Cup defeat

England’s World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina ignited outrage in Italian television studios, with Serie A icons Marco Tardelli and Paulo Roberto Falcao harshly critiquing the officiating during a heated evening in Atlanta.

As reported by Corriere dello Sport, the Rai 1 studio was left stunned by a contentious first half, with Juventus legend Tardelli leading the charge.

“A match that starts and already Paredes commits a nasty foul for no reason. A disgrace. Then the English too, eh… No football. Only fouls!” remarked the 1982 World Cup victor.

His frustration also extended to the choice of the American referee: “The referee did nothing. It’s incredible, I’d like to know who put him there. What does an American referee have to do with this match? He’s not up to it.”

Falcao was equally outraged, highlighting one incident that went unpunished.

“At one point someone throws a punch and the referee doesn’t even give a red. Astonishing!” the Brazilian stated. “This is an assault, not a normal foul. That punch deserved a red, a full-blooded punch. I’ve never seen anything like it in football. If it carries on like this it certainly won’t finish eleven against eleven.”

Tardelli’s concluding remark encapsulated the studio’s consensus: “The referee is incapable of managing this match, there are too many fouls, and he even booked an England player before an Argentinian. It’s a disgrace.”

In the end, both teams finished with eleven players, and the drama intensified late in the match: Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal was cancelled out by Enzo Fernández’s stunning equaliser in the 85th minute, before Lautaro Martínez netted a stoppage-time winner, assisted by Lionel Messi, as the holders secured a final against Spain.

Source: Football Italia