Which hosts have benefited from bias by the officials?
Dodgy
Italy 1934, apparently.
Argentina 1978 definitely.
England 1966 benefited from dodgy decisions against Argentina, Portugal and West-Germany.
South Korea 2002. Let's say that Portugal and Italy had legitimate grievances, and that Spain did not have the rub of the green (though that goal was correctly disallowed).
The jury's out
Sweden 1958 certainly had the ref's favour. Hamrin should have been sent off along with Juskowiak in the 59th minute, when it was 1-1. When Walter had to go off after a bad foul, it was 11 vs 9, and Germany conceded two in the last ten minutes. But I have no idea whether Sweden benefited from poor refereeing in other matches.
Chile 1962. Two Italians sent off in a brutal game... I have no idea whether or not that was unfair, or what else happened with Chile that World Cup. 1962 is a blind spot for me.
Spain 1982: There was Mal Donaghy's red card, and that late penalty and Yugoslavia that saw Spain through into the next group. I recall no controversies in the games against West-Germany (by the England game any bias would have been academic)
Brazil 2014: Up to the QF, Brazil seemed to get all the marginal decisions in their favour. Croatia had some fair complaints in the opening match. But against Colombia, they had Thiago sent off (correctly) and Zuniga's foul on Neymar should have been a red card. On balance, I'd say all seemed more legit than dodgy. But all these marginal decisions were exasperating...
All seems legit
Mexico 1970
West-Germany 1974
Mexico 1986
Italy 1990
USA 1994
Japan 2002
Germany 2006
Au contraire
France 1998. The unfair red card against Blanc and the justified red card against Zidane seem to indicate no official favour.
South Africa 2010: It was a hapless team, and they were not robbed of anything, but the referee in the Uruguay game definitely was not a homer.
Dodgy
Italy 1934, apparently.
Argentina 1978 definitely.
England 1966 benefited from dodgy decisions against Argentina, Portugal and West-Germany.
South Korea 2002. Let's say that Portugal and Italy had legitimate grievances, and that Spain did not have the rub of the green (though that goal was correctly disallowed).
The jury's out
Sweden 1958 certainly had the ref's favour. Hamrin should have been sent off along with Juskowiak in the 59th minute, when it was 1-1. When Walter had to go off after a bad foul, it was 11 vs 9, and Germany conceded two in the last ten minutes. But I have no idea whether Sweden benefited from poor refereeing in other matches.
Chile 1962. Two Italians sent off in a brutal game... I have no idea whether or not that was unfair, or what else happened with Chile that World Cup. 1962 is a blind spot for me.
Spain 1982: There was Mal Donaghy's red card, and that late penalty and Yugoslavia that saw Spain through into the next group. I recall no controversies in the games against West-Germany (by the England game any bias would have been academic)
Brazil 2014: Up to the QF, Brazil seemed to get all the marginal decisions in their favour. Croatia had some fair complaints in the opening match. But against Colombia, they had Thiago sent off (correctly) and Zuniga's foul on Neymar should have been a red card. On balance, I'd say all seemed more legit than dodgy. But all these marginal decisions were exasperating...
All seems legit
Mexico 1970
West-Germany 1974
Mexico 1986
Italy 1990
USA 1994
Japan 2002
Germany 2006
Au contraire
France 1998. The unfair red card against Blanc and the justified red card against Zidane seem to indicate no official favour.
South Africa 2010: It was a hapless team, and they were not robbed of anything, but the referee in the Uruguay game definitely was not a homer.
Comment