UEFA calls for offside review / CNEWS

The disputed goal of Kylian Mbappé, in the final of the League of Nations is still at the center of the debates. The French striker and his teammates won the competition just a week ago, notably thanks to a goal initially considered offside.

The French football team indeed won last Sunday its very first victory in the League of Nations. After conceding the opener, Didier Deschamps’ men finally made the difference against Spain (2-1) and won thanks to the controversial goal of Kylian Mbappé. If the goal was “correctly” refereed, according to UEFA, the action remains however “against the spirit of the game”.

According to the head of the refereeing of the European football body, Roberto Rosetti, the Spanish defender Eric Garcia by trying to intercept the pass from Théo Hernandez in the 80th minute, has put Kylian Mbappé in play, even if he was further from the goal than he.

The former referee explains that this was possible since Eric Garcia « intervened to play the ball ». Heavily criticized in Spain, English referee Anthony Taylor « took a correct decision, based on the existing rule and its official interpretation », adds Roberto Rosetti.

UEFA wants to improve wording

The European football body is therefore advocating a reformulation of the offside rule. The current rules state that « a player in an offside position who receives a ball deliberately played by an opponent, including with the hand or the arm, is not considered to gain any advantage from his position, except by case of deliberate rescue by an adversary ”.

But according to Mr. Rossi, the case of the goal of the Parisian defender highlights the inconsistency between the interpretation of the rule and the spirit of the rule itself « which is to prevent any player from taking advantage of his offside position ”. For him, « UEFA’s position is that it is possible to improve the wording » of the rule enacted by the International Board (IFAB), the body governing the laws of the game, « to bring it into line with the objective of the law on offside and in the spirit of the game ”.

Roberto Rosetti announced that he « already made contact » with FIFA and IFAB, and « will discuss solutions at the next meeting of the technical advisory group » of the International Board, scheduled for October 27.