Referee Szymon Marciniak has hit back at French accusations of bias and that he should have disallowed Argentina’s third goal during the World Cup final.
The Polish official has been widely praised for his performance during football’s biggest showpiece event, in which Argentina claimed a third world title, defeating France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Qatar. Lionel Messi (2) and Angel Di Maria found the net for the Albiceleste, while Kylian Mbappe struck a remarkable hat-trick for Les Bleus, with spot-kicks ultimately proving decisive.
However, in the days since, Marciniak’s performance has come under increased scrutiny, notably from the French side of the fence. Indeed, over 200,000 French fans have signed a petition to get the match replayed due to perceived ‘mistakes’.
