Graeme Souness raises World Cup conspiracy theory after “peculiar” FIFA response

Peter Walton admitted it was “very peculiar” that FIFA did not show VAR footage of Japan’s goal being overturned with Graeme Souness claiming it offered fuel to believe there was “something untoward”

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

The video will auto-play soon8Cancel

Play now

Japan V Spain In Pictures

FIFA were slammed for their “very peculiar” response to Japan’s controversial goal with no replays shown after VAR opted to give Ao Tanaka’s winner against Spain… a strike which ultimately sent Germany home.

Initial angles appeared to show the ball had gone out of play. However, after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was given and a new angle appears to suggest it was the right call.

But there was confusion even after the game with no evidence of the footage viewed by officials being shown, unlike is usually the case after decisions checked by VAR. Former referee Peter Walton admitted on ITV he found that unusual – and Graeme Souness claimed it left room to fuel conspiracy theories the decision may not have been correct.

HAVE YOUR SAY! What did you make of the handling of Japan’s controversial winner? Join the discussion in the comments section.

Asked about the lack of replays shown by FIFA, Walton said: “Well that is very peculiar, because at the start of this tournament, for offside decisions it was that those decisions would be shown automatically to the stadium so the people in the stadium could see it, that technology is still available for the people in the stadium.

“I’m at a miss as to why they haven’t showed it yet. They’ve got their reasons and only time will tell. I do think the evidence will appear sooner or later whether that ball hasn’t crossed the line.”

Whilst Walton is confident evidence will eventually be made public, a baffled Souness said: ‘We’re getting close to an hour since the incident. The longer they don’t come up with a picture, that last bit would show me that ball is out of play.

Initial pictures appeared to show the ball had crossed the line (

Image:

PA)

“The longer we don’t see that picture which shows conclusively that it’s not gone out of play, you’d think there’s something untoward going on. It has to be.

“There’s 80 million Germans, right now, going mad that shows that ball didn’t go out of play. I think every TV studio, pundit, people doing your job [presenting] is waiting, why, nearly an hour later are they not showing it?”

He added: ‘This is not subjective, this is a black and white situation. Show us the pictures.”

Gary Neville, meanwhile, felt the incident marked a wider problem with communication over decisions at this World Cup. He stated: “From the very first day of this tournament, I don’t think we’ve been able to communicate big decisions properly to fans at home and even at us, even how decision are being overturned.

Footage seen by VAR to overturn the decision was not shown during or immediately after the match (

Image:

AFP via Getty Images)

“The goal was disallowed and seen something we haven’t seen in this studio, around the world, we can’t get the angle of what VAR have seen.”

Souness continued: “Every television studio, every pundit has an interest in this World Cup will be wanting to see the picture where at the end where this happened. In real time, as it happened, the ball went out, the pictures we’ve seen shown the ball went out.

“Why aren’t FIFA showing us something which is so controversial that it just cost the Germans dearly. Why are they not showing it to us? This is enormous, 45 minutes later, why aren’t they showing it? Clear it up for us, please.”