Top 10 Most Famous Handball Incidents in Football

During the Euro 2000 semifinal, Portugal faced France in a tense 1-1 draw. The match went into extra time under the golden goal rule, but both teams struggled to break the deadlock. With just three minutes remaining, Abel Xavier, the right-back from Portugal and Everton, decided to block a shot from Sylvain Wiltord using his hand. Initially, it seemed like a regular tackle, but upon closer inspection, the referees penalized France for a clear handball by Xavier, who appeared to have deliberately used his left hand to stop a shot from a tight angle.

The Euro 2000 semifinal ended in controversy as France defeated Portugal in a dramatic extra-time win, courtesy of a penalty by Zinedine Zidane, awarded after the assistant referee, Benkö, allowed it. The match was delayed for at least three minutes as Portugal’s players and bench erupted in anger at the decision. Luis Figo appeared to storm off the pitch in frustration, but returned just in time for Zidane to score the decisive goal.

In the 2001 Champions League match between Real Madrid and Leeds United, Raul Gonzalez, the Madrid forward, slyly used his hand to score a goal. Despite protests from Leeds players within the penalty box, who argued that the ball had been handled, referee Ryszard Wojcik allowed the goal to stand. Real Madrid went on to win 3–2, with both teams advancing to the quarterfinals. However, Raul later faced a £7,600 fine for the ‘handball’ goal, as it was deemed a clear act of cheating.

Raul Gonzalez scored the opening goal for Real Madrid by striking past Leeds goalkeeper Nigel Martyn, securing a 3-2 victory and ensuring the reigning European champions topped their group. After the match, referee Wojcik apologized to Leeds players in the dressing room, acknowledging that the goal had been scored with a hand. Since both teams progressed to the knockout stage, the incident didn't hold as much weight, but Leeds manager David O'Leary praised the referee for admitting his mistake and apologizing.

In 1977, Wales played Scotland in a World Cup qualifying match, where a victory would have secured Wales' spot in the 1978 World Cup finals in Argentina. The game remained goalless until the 78th minute, when a controversial incident involving Joe Jordan of Scotland occurred. Jordan, the Scottish forward, was battling with Welsh defender David Jones for a long throw-in in Wales' penalty box. Jordan then deliberately punched the ball toward Wales' goal, surprising both the Welsh players and fans.

Referee Robert Wurtz awarded a penalty. Replays clearly showed that it was Jordan’s hand, not Jones’, that made contact with the ball, yet the referee upheld his decision. Scotland’s Don Masson converted the penalty, breaking the hearts of Welsh supporters. In the final moments, Kenny Dalglish added another goal. Joe Jordan denied any handball and never apologized. To this day, Welsh fans remain upset when recalling the incident during the World Cup qualifiers.

No list of infamous football incidents would be complete without mentioning Luis Suarez. Whether it's diving, biting, or insulting, Suarez is a player who fits the bill. In the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals, his team, Uruguay, faced Ghana in a match that ended in a draw, sending the game into extra time. In the dying moments of the match, Suarez took on the role of a temporary goalkeeper. He headed the ball off the line, preventing a certain goal and conceding a penalty kick.

Despite the clear infringement, Ghana missed the penalty and ultimately lost in a penalty shootout, much to the disappointment of fans worldwide. Notably, Luis Suarez remained unrepentant for his actions after Uruguay’s victory in the shootout. Suarez’s punishment was a suspension for the semifinal. His behavior continued to spark global debate, with incidents such as biting Branislav Ivanovic in 2013 while playing for Liverpool and later biting Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons during the 2010 World Cup. Fabiano scored one of the most remarkable goals of his career in Brazil's 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast, a win that secured Brazil's progression to the knockout stage with a match still to play. However, replays showed that Fabiano used his arm to control the ball before scoring, and the ball even slipped off his arm at the start of the play.

After the match, there was heavy criticism, particularly from Ivory Coast's coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who accused referee Stephane Lannoy of allowing a 'free goal'. Luis Fabiano had been leading Brazil's attack in top form against Ivory Coast in Johannesburg. Ivory Coast were furious after Fabiano's second goal was allowed, despite it seeming that he had handled the ball twice in the process of setting up the goal. Brazil sealed the win seven minutes later when Kaka delivered a pass to Elano, who caught Ivory Coast’s defense off-guard and scored with ease.

One of the most infamous handball moments in football history belongs to Ronaldo in a match against Manchester City. In the 2010 Champions League semi-final, Ronaldo's team claimed a 1-0 victory, but not without controversy. During a cross, Ronaldo jumped up to head the ball but quickly realized it was too high. Instead of letting it pass, the Portuguese superstar grabbed the ball with his hands and threw it into the net. Much like Scholes' handball, the incident was more comical than serious.

According to the rules, such actions should typically result in a penalty. However, many fans believed that Ronaldo wasn't booked because he was in an offside position when Jese crossed the ball from the right wing. Instinctively, Ronaldo went to intercept it. Nevertheless, the referee didn't call offside, and the moment became one of the many spontaneous quirks of Real Madrid's star player. The referee even seemed to appreciate the humor of Ronaldo's action and decided against issuing a yellow card for his playful interference.

Paul Scholes is regarded as one of the most gifted footballers ever produced by England. A Manchester United legend who retired in 2013, Scholes could have played for any top team during his prime, his technical ability on par with the finest midfielders in the world. One of his most famous handball incidents occurred just before the 2008 UEFA Super Cup, where Manchester United faced Zenit St. Petersburg. The Russian team stunned the European champions, leading 2-1 with only minutes left in the game.

As a cross came into the box, the fiery-haired midfielder couldn't resist any longer. Paul Scholes leaped into the air and swatted the ball into the net. The referee promptly sent him off amidst the amusement of the crowd. Had it been any other part of his body, it would have been a stunning goal. Despite all his accomplishments with Manchester United, this handball incident remains one of the least proud moments of his career.

Diego Maradona is undoubtedly responsible for the most famous handball goal in football history. The event became so iconic that it was dubbed the 'Hand of God' after Maradona famously referred to it in a post-match interview. During the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, Argentina, led by Maradona, faced England in a tense match. Maradona challenged England's goalkeeper, Peter Shilton, in the air and 'headed' the ball into the net. At 0-0, Maradona had earlier embarked on a brilliant dribble through midfield, although his pass to Jorge Valdano was miscontrolled.

Steve Hodge of England had a chance to clear, but his attempt went wrong, allowing Maradona to contest the ball with Shilton. With Shilton holding an 8-inch height advantage, Maradona's only option was to use his arm to push the ball into the net. The Tunisian referee failed to spot the handball, which led to a 2-1 victory for Argentina. This goal is arguably the most famous in football, but according to Maradona's teammate Jorge Valdano, it was far from a random act of brilliance by the Argentine legend.

France's hopes of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup were thrown into turmoil during a tense playoff against Ireland. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the return match saw France struggling to break through, forcing extra time. With Ireland's defense holding strong, Florent Malouda took a free kick into the penalty area.

Thierry Henry handled the ball to control it and set up a crucial pass for France, which resulted in a goal. The problem, however, was that Henry had used his hand. The ball was flicked onto the head of William Gallas, who scored, sealing a controversial win for France and effectively ending Ireland's World Cup dream.

Henry’s handball sparked an uproar in Ireland, and many fans were furious about the injustice. The backlash against him was so intense that Henry publicly considered retiring from international football. His brilliant career was marred by the incident, and he even received death threats for his actions.

Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi scored one of the most controversial goals of his career against Espanyol, mirroring Diego Maradona’s famous 'Hand of God' goal from 1986. From the moment Messi stepped onto the field, comparisons to his compatriot and football legend Maradona were inevitable. A particularly contentious moment led to a fierce debate between the two—Messi’s own 'Hand of God' moment.

During a La Liga match in 2007, Messi's Barcelona team was trailing Espanyol by one goal until the 43rd minute. At that point, Messi recreated a version of Maradona’s infamous goal. Although Espanyol players protested the handball to the referee, their complaints were ignored, and Messi's controversial goal stood. Messi later added another goal in the second half, but the game ended in a 2-2 draw after Espanyol scored a well-deserved equalizer in stoppage time. Meanwhile, Maradona’s 'Hand of God' goal helped secure Argentina’s World Cup victory, albeit amidst much controversy.