The World Cup Final: France vs Croatia (Kickoff 16H00 BST)

The position of the hand isn't in an abnormal position because he's jumping for a header. Ball clearly hits him accidentally because the French player misses the header. France aren't being denied anything by the ball hitting his hand, the next 3 players behind Perisic are all Croatians no French player close.

Most of all it's just not a handball because it isn't intentional. Rules state that the handball has to be intentional.
 
He clearly pulls his hand down and hand balls it. The fk are you some of you complaining about?
 
It will be a bit disappointing if France win like this to be honest. Dodgy free kick decision and debatable penalty. While being rather shite apart from that. Hope Croatia can either pull it back or France can at least put on a show in the second half.
 
the little movement between the hand and knee for me shiws he tried to disguise it aftrr it happened. it hits his hand as he moves it towards the ball and realises then moves his knee towards his hand to try and disguise it. i may be wrong but thats my interpretation from what ive seen so far.

Nah it happened way too fast for him to think about doing anything.
 
How can you prove whether or not there was any intention? They are all good actors. He could have moved his arm out of the way. No problem

If you think he had time to adjust to that then there's no point discussing it any further.
 
He was jumping, it looked like entirely natural movement to me and there was never any intention to handle the ball.

Handball is the most misinterpreted rule in football.
Indeed, you have been misinterpreting it, it seems. The fact that 5 refs in the studio thought that it might have been a pen, and then one of the best refs in the world (I guess, otherwise he wouldn't refereeing this) thought that it was a penalty after watching it like 10 times, makes it pretty clear in my opinion. You cannot move the hand in the direction of the ball while it is not attached to the body.
 
Correct me if I’m being stupid and pronouncing it wrong myself but is anyone else getting annoyed with Hoddle missing out the Z in Mandzukic?!
 
Indeed, you have been misinterpreting it, it seems. The fact that 5 refs in the studio thought that it might have been a pen, and then one of the best refs in the world (I guess, otherwise he wouldn't refereeing this) thought that it was a penalty after watching it like 10 times, makes it pretty clear in my opinion. You cannot move the hand in the direction of the ball while it is not attached to the body.

Agreed.
 
You honestly believe his instincts and reactions are so good that he can guess when someone will miss a header and adjust his arm accordingly
He sees the ball at the last second and swats it away.
If he didn't follow through like a vollyball player and it bounced off him instead I could see it being unintentional.
IMO he instinctively moves his arm towards it as a sort of last second panic manoeuvre.
Its not like it was a mile away from his body, he kind of flinched.
 
If you block a ball in close to goal with your arm it tends to be a penalty if your arm is out, whether you meant it or not. A cross in or a shot on goal, it's a pen as you've just stopped a goal or goal creating chance. Your arm needs to be by your side.
 
VAR gave the ref the possibility to judge it right, he didn't.
Not VAR's fault the ref is an idiot.
This situation is really badly defined by the rules. The fiftiest of fifty-fifty decisions. Highly unsatisfactory to have it play such a crucial role in a WC final.
 
The position of the hand isn't in an abnormal position because he's jumping for a header. Ball clearly hits him accidentally because the French player misses the header. France aren't being denied anything by the ball hitting his hand, the next 3 players behind Perisic are all Croatians no French player close.

Most of all it's just not a handball because it isn't intentional. Rules state that the handball has to be intentional.
That is subject to referee's opinion, which usually is based if the hand is on natural position (it wasn't), if it is moving in the direction of the ball (it was) and if it is touching the body (it wasn't).

Unless you put electrodes in people's heads you cannot know 100% the intention.
 
Indeed, you have been misinterpreting it, it seems. The fact that 5 refs in the studio thought that it might have been a pen, and then one of the best refs in the world (I guess, otherwise he wouldn't refereeing this) thought that it was a penalty after watching it like 10 times, makes it pretty clear in my opinion. You cannot move the hand in the direction of the ball while it is not attached to the body.

Like I said, refs get it wrong all the time. That's never deliberate in a million years.
 
He sees the ball at the last second and swats it away.
If he didn't follow through like a vollyball player and it bounced off him instead I could see it being unintentional.
IMO he instinctively moves his arm towards it as a sort of last second panic manoeuvre
Yep. He lowers his hand into the ball once the French player missed it.
 
Hate handballs. Whole rule needs to be revisited. A deflection 50 cm away from his arm and I got pundits here saying it's a clear penalty. I feel my World Cup final is ruined already.
 
You can see went the ref gave it. The ball didn't deviate on its path and Perisic missed his kick, his hand dropped down to hit the ball in the last second (whether you think it was intentional or not it's up to judgment).
 
Indeed, you have been misinterpreting it, it seems. The fact that 5 refs in the studio thought that it might have been a pen, and then one of the best refs in the world (I guess, otherwise he wouldn't refereeing this) thought that it was a penalty after watching it like 10 times, makes it pretty clear in my opinion. You cannot move the hand in the direction of the ball while it is not attached to the body.
Whoa now, you’re assuming experts know what they’re doing!
 
It didn't. No intention there, his hand went down to lift his thigh to block the ball. It's a natural movement.
That was a reffing error, not a VAR error.

The only way to rectify reffing mistakes it is to get rid of referees altogether. VAR only gives them a second bite at the cherry. It's their own fault if they can't take advantage.