The Handball Heard ‘Round the World

↵The World Cup field is set after a series of matches yesterday, none more anticipated than Ireland and France playing for one of the final spots in the tournament. The fact that with a loss on Wednesday, France – the 1998 winner and 2006 runner-up – would be watching from home is nearly unimaginable. Well, thanks to French superstar Thierry Henry, we don’t have to worry about that. Let’s give the guy a hand for some quick thinking…↵

↵

↵↵And this was in extra time. The header by William Gallas tied the game, but put France ahead on aggregate and into the World Cup. It’s one of the most blatant handballs in the history of the sport and has already been compared to Mardaona’s Hand of God goal in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup. It’s not an overstatement to say that Henry’s handball could change the course of soccer around the world, forever. It’s so amazing and egregious an oversight by the referee and linesmen that, undoubtedly, policy will be changing for FIFA some time soon. How long will it take for Ireland to recover? From the Times Online, word comes that Ireland is demanding a rematch. ↵

↵

↵↵⇥The Irish Justice Minister demanded a rematch today after a blatant Thierry Henry handball put France into the finals of the World Cup.↵⇥↵⇥Dermot Ahern, a passionate football fan, called for the sport’s world governing body, Fifa, to be called to account in the interests of fair play.↵⇥

↵⇥↵⇥“They probably won’t grant it as we are minnows in world football but let’s put them on the spot,” said Mr Ahern, the former Irish foreign minister.↵⇥

↵⇥↵⇥“It’s the least we owe the thousands of devastated young fans around the country. Otherwise, if that result remains, it reinforces the view that if you cheat, you will win.”↵⇥

↵↵Henry admitted he cheated – how could he not when the entire world saw him do it – but you really can’t fault him for trying. Obviously he was just hoping to keep the ball from going out of play and likely never expected the play to be allowed to continue. This is why you always play until you hear the whistle, right? I can tell you that when I was younger (on a much smaller stage, obviously) I had a ball crossed in to me in front of the net, and as it was almost bouncing past, I redirected it into the goal with my hand. The newspaper report – supplied by my coach, by the way – called it a ‘creative’ goal. Let’s chalk this one up to one creative assist.↵↵The point is, anyone would have done what Henry did, big stage or small ... no matter what some brash former Irish footballers might say.↵

↵↵The debate about this outcome will go on for decades. Whatever good will there was between the two nations has surely turned ill at the hand of Henry. Controversy always swirls around the world’s biggest sporting event, but with this as the official lead in to next summer’s World Cup, we should get prepared for anything.↵

↵↵For now, vive la France? Zut alors.↵

↵