French media spot rule-breaking moment that could have handed team World Cup victory

Argentina and France played out one of the greatest games of international football ever on Sunday (December 18), but there are some people disputing the outcome.

Lionel Messi’s side won on penalties after the game was drawn 3-3 after extra time, and now the French media are trying to claim that the final Argentinian goal should not have stood.

They claim that there was a rule break before the ball went in that should have caused it to be chalked off.

Lautaro Martinez had a shot which was saved by Hugo Lloris before Messi poked it home.

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But according to French outlet L'Equipe, they think that two “emotional substitutes” ran onto the pitch before the ball crossed the line for Messi’s goal and therefore referee Szymon Marciniak should have disallowed it.

The publication ran the headline “Why Argentina's third goal shouldn't have been awarded”, and claimed that subs running on the pitch is “strictly prohibited”.

L'Equipe stated that a free-kick should have been given to France as a result, and quote that Law 3, Paragraph 9 of the Laws of Football reads: “If, after a goal is scored, the referee becomes aware before play resumes that an additional person was on the pitch at the time the goal was scored: the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was: a player, substitute, substituted player, sent off player or official of the team who scored the goal; play must be restarted with a direct free kick from the place where the extra person was.”

So, should the goal have stood?

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