2009 Republic of Ireland v France football matches

Route to the matches

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

The qualification process for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa began in 2007, and as Europe-affiliated teams (both being members of UEFA) France and the Republic of Ireland became two of 53 teams competing for 13 places in the finals.

Under the rules for the 2010 tournament, UEFA qualification was a two-stage process, as had previously been the case for qualification in 2006. Teams were able to qualify automatically by winning one of nine qualifying groups (the first round), and a second chance to qualify was given to eight of the nine second-place finishers via a knock-out phase (the second round) of four games between those eight second-placed teams, contested over two legs, home and away, with the winners of each pairing being awarded one of the four remaining UEFA qualifying places. Both France and the Republic of Ireland failed to qualify as winners of their first-round groups (France in Group 7, Ireland in Group 8), but both teams finished in second place with enough points to allow them to advance to the second round.

FIFA announced on 29 September 2009 that it would modify the draw system used to select second-round pairings by introducing a seeding system. In the draw, held in Zürich on 19 October, the eight teams were divided into two pots of four; France were seeded along with Greece, Portugal and Russia, while Ireland was unseeded, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Ukraine. Ireland was drawn to play France, with the first of their two games to be played in Ireland on 14 November 2009. The way the seeding process was handled led media reports and critics alleged at the time that UEFA altered the rules to benefit higher-profile teams such as France and Portugal.

The 18 November date of the second leg of the France vs Republic of Ireland play-off in Saint-Denis coincided with the date of a number of other World Cup qualification matches around the world, marking the completion of the entire qualification process for 2010. With their win, France ultimately joined Algeria, Greece, Slovenia, Portugal and Uruguay as the last of the 32 competitors in South Africa.

Under the agreed tie-break criteria, the team scoring more goals on aggregate wins the play-off. If scores are level on aggregate, the team with the higher number of away goals advances. If teams are level on away goals, 30 minutes of extra time is played. If the score is level after extra time, the match goes to penalties.

Pre-match

Venue selection

The Dublin leg of the tie was held at Croke Park instead of the Republic of Ireland's traditional home venue of Lansdowne Road, owing to ongoing redevelopment of that venue as the Aviva Stadium. The French leg was held at Stade de France, the French team's national stadium near Paris.

Analysis

Before 1990, the Republic of Ireland had never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, while France's best record was two third-place finishes, in 1958 and 1986. Between 1990 and 2006 (the year in which the most recent FIFA World Cup had been held), the Republic of Ireland and France had each qualified for three finals tournaments. The two teams' records for the tournament were as follows:

Matches

Dublin leg

Summary

The Republic of Ireland team chose a balanced 4-4-2 formation, while the French team opted for their customary 4-2-3-1 formation, favouring offensive play over defence.

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Saint-Denis leg

Summary

A controversial instance of misconduct occurred during extra time in the second leg of the two-legged tie, when the overall score was standing at 1–1 on aggregate. French player Florent Malouda took a free kick just outside the centre circle in the Irish half of the field. He lofted it toward French captain Thierry Henry, who was making a run in the penalty area to Irish goalkeeper Shay Given's right-hand side. The ball bounced once to Henry, now inside the goal area to the left of the goal. As it bounced upwards, Henry handled the ball twice with his left hand, stopping it going out of play and bringing the ball under control, before tapping the ball with the outside of his right foot past Given standing at the near goal post. The ball travelled the short distance to William Gallas arriving in the middle of the goal, who headed the ball into the Irish net to confirm France's place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The referee immediately signalled the goal as being valid. Irish players inside the penalty box appealed the decision by raising their arms, and as Henry wheeled away in celebration around the back of the Irish goal, Given ran to the referee gesticulating that a handball offence had occurred, while the Irish manager did the same to the fourth official.

The handball offence was not seen by the referee or his two assistants, according to the BBC. The match officials also missed an offside during the same phase of play.

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Post-match

View of match participants

Thierry Henry

Henry told a reporter after the incident, "Yes, there was hand, but I'm not the referee. Toto was going for the front, I was behind two Irishmen, the ball ricocheted and hit my hand. Of course, I continued to play... The referee did not whistle 'hand' but I can't say there wasn't hand." Henry later defended himself against criticism, stating, "Obviously I would have preferred that things panned out differently but I am not the official. I do not think we have stolen qualification".{{cite news |access-date = 19 November 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103165142/http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-world-cup-henry20-2009nov20,0,5392453.story?track=rss |archive-date = 3 November 2012 |url-status=live

After FIFA denied the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) request for a replay, Henry released a statement.

Henry said that he had considered quitting international football after the reactions to the incident, but was persuaded not to by friends and family.{{cite news |access-date=23 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127185522/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gCyUFs8CtdPiqV2EXuquuBsTGr5g |archive-date=27 November 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524190128/https://www.webcitation.org/5lVHgEA8q?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gASSEsbggEwuc-vXKQvrkKWuN6Ow |archive-date=24 May 2024 |url-status=dead

Henry later called FIFA President Sepp Blatter over the incident. Blatter stated Henry had told him his family had been threatened over the incident by fans.

Match referee

The match was officiated by a Swedish team. Martin Hansson was the match referee, assisted by his two assistant referees, Fredrik Nilsson and Stefan Wittberg.

Referee Hansson told Sveriges Radio Blekinge "I cannot comment on the game itself but life must go on. I will ride this storm as well".{{cite web |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524185645/https://www.webcitation.org/5lSOGJVOk?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gmYuZ__GTJUQ8RDofHm4Uko6JI7Q |archive-date=24 May 2024 |url-status=dead |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127054206/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/24/referee-thierry-henry-handball-france-ireland |archive-date=27 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127171817/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2009/11/24/sp-soccer-ref-ireland-france.html |archive-date=27 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604204329/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6930398.ece |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229035432/http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/sport/whytherefereemissedit.pdf |archive-date=29 December 2009 |url-status=dead

Team managers

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni stated he did not blame Henry, nor did he expect a replay would occur, but he did believe the incident would bring further pressure on FIFA to introduce goal-line technology, stating "There is a 30-second stop and we clarify the situation...I'm sure in the future they will have to do something about it. It wasn't up to Henry to say 'I touched it with my hand'".{{cite news |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091120051552/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8368100.stm |archive-date=20 November 2009 |url-status=live

French team manager Raymond Domenech said of the game, "I don't see what we could have done better...We needed to qualify and we did that, even if it was painful. Victories like this one, at the end of a difficult campaign, give this side heart and soul", although criticism in France of his team, which had existed before the game, continued. Domenech later criticised the condemnation of Henry and France, and questioned the right of former French players like Cantona and Lizarazu to criticise his record as the French coach.

Other players

Ireland captain and scorer of Ireland's goal in the controversial match Robbie Keane criticised the presidents of FIFA and UEFA following the result, claiming they would be 'delighted' that France had gone through. He told BBC Radio 5 Live, "They're all probably clapping hands, Platini sitting up there on the phone to Sepp Blatter, probably texting each other, delighted with the result." After Henry's statement, Keane concurred with his call for a replay in the interest of fair play, stating "On behalf of the Republic of Ireland players, I would like to thank Thierry Henry... As captain of the French team, to make such a statement took courage and honour, and all of us recognise that".

In general, the Irish players blamed the officials rather than Henry. Damien Duff admitted he would have done the same had it been to Ireland's advantage, and said: "If it was down the other end and it was going out of play, I would have chanced my arm. You can't blame him (Henry). He's a clever player – but you expect the ref to see it, it was so blatant." Many players, including Duff, supported call for the introduction of video technology. Sean St Ledger hoped France would be put in a 'group of death' in the World Cup draw, but feared they might go on to win the tournament.

Defender Richard Dunne later spoke of how he was unaware of the extent of Henry's involvement when he sat down with him on the pitch at the end of the match and admitted the handball. Dunne properly viewed the incident for the first time on a computer in his team's dressing room. He also described how "heartbreaking" the whole experience was, his lack of interest in the draw or who France's opponents might be in the finals and how "disappointing" it would be when the tournament eventually took place.

Given was critical of Sepp Blatter's later actions, stating his various announcements "rubbed salt in the wounds" and his contradictory comments about Henry were "beyond a joke". He expressed doubt he would get over the incident in his lifetime. Of Henry, he said "I'm not saying he's a cheat but what he's done is illegal".

Dunne was later critical of Blatter's offer of moral compensation, describing it as "taking the mickey". He doubted Robbie Keane would be going to FIFA to collect any such award. He reiterated the belief that ever since the earlier seedings controversy, FIFA had been showing France unfair favour.

Action taken

FAI appeal

The FAI filed a formal complaint with FIFA and the FFF, stating, "The handball was recognised by the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player himself." The FAI cited precedent for the invalidation of the result, using the example of a previous World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain, overturned by FIFA due to a 'technical error by the referee of the match'. In that game, the referee had failed to have a penalty kick re-taken after an attacker encroached on the penalty area. FAI chief executive John Delaney said "It is up to the people who govern the game now, if they really believe in the principles of fair play then step forward....If we had qualified in this manner, I wouldn't be happy" The president of the (FFF) Jean-Pierre Escalettes said "You have to take a philosophical approach to this match."

On 20 November, FIFA rejected the request for a replay, stating to the FAI:

After FIFA and Thierry Henry's statement, the FAI urged the FFF to respect their views and those of the captains of both teams, to replay the game to "protect the integrity of the game worldwide". The FFF, while sympathetic, endorsed the FIFA ruling.{{cite news |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122052408/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8372153.stm |archive-date=22 November 2009 |url-status=live Following the FFF's refusal to support a replay, the FAI expressed "deep disappointment".

FAI proposals and 33rd team place

At the request of the FAI, Sepp Blatter met an Irish delegation in Zürich for 90 minutes on Friday 27 November. The FAI proposed a number of ways the incident could be prevented in future and, agreeing that the match could not be replayed, they instead also officially requested to be allowed to enter the World Cup as an unprecedented extra 33rd entrant. Blatter stated that he would raise the Irish request at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the FIFA executive committee. RTÉ Sport speculated that the request would be "politely turned down". The request drew 'laughter' when he relayed it to the Soccerex conference the following Monday. Blatter was of the opinion that if the Republic of Ireland were admitted as an extra entrant, Costa Rica would also have to be considered as well, having also been unfairly eliminated by an offside goal in a play-off against Uruguay. FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke had ruled it out on 1 December, one day before the meeting, clarifying that Blatter's comments regarding other teams had already shown the request was "impossible" and had "no hope" of being granted.{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203065932/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8388671.stm |archive-date= 3 December 2009 |access-date=1 December 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=1 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203102444/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/30/republic-of-ireland-world-cup-fifa |archive-date= 3 December 2009 |url-status=live

The FAI's proposals included: no changes to competition formats mid-tournament (referring to the play off group seeding change), introduce video technology at the highest level, implement additional assistant referees behind the goal line for all international matches, introduce stronger sanctions for players who breach the Laws of the Game in a "match defining way", and issuing a statement that "FIFA does not condone breaches" of those Laws, referring to Sepp Blatter's previous statements of empathy with Henry. The FAI stated they did not ask for any action to be taken against Henry.

Delaney reacted angrily to Blatter's public disclosure of what was intended to be a confidential submission to the FIFA executive committee, complaining to the FIFA general secretary and calling it "disrespectful to our country", and stating the 33rd team proposal had been "very much peripheral" to their suggestions, and was only discussed "for a minute or two" in the meeting. The FAI asserted that the 33rd place request had not even been included in any of the written submissions to FIFA.

Sepp Blatter

Blatter had initially faced criticism for refusing to comment on the incident. His first comments came with a report in L'Équipe, and during his opening address at the Soccerex football conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, both on Sunday 29 November.

Blatter said that it had not been Henry's responsibility to tell the referee of the misdemeanour, comparing a similar incident in his own playing career, when he did not tell the referee about an advantage gained by shirt-pulling. Blatter said that referee Hansson "should have taken the time to reflect rather than immediately awarding the goal".

On the issue of fair play, Blatter said "There is a lack of discipline and respect in the game by the players because they are cheating" and "How can it happen that all over the world, through TV cameras, we have seen through a cheating handball that a pass was given for a goal? Everyone is asking what is and what isn't fair play. The highest crime in football is touching the ball with the hands". Referring to the possibility of using assistant referees or goal line technology, Blatter stated, "match control is now is on the agenda. How shall we avoid such situations as we have seen in this very specific match?" Blatter repeated his stated opposition to video refereeing, saying, "With technology, you have to stop a match. You have a look at cameras... We have to maintain the human face of football and not go into technology."

On the issue of fair play at the World Cup, Blatter commented after the FIFA executive committee's EGM:

Blatter apologised to the FAI on 2 December for the public disclosure of the FAI's submission to FIFA and for the media's perception of his comments at Soccerex, saying, "I have nothing against the Irish, they were very sporting people when they came to FIFA and it is a pity that it has been now communicated in this way." After the EGM, John Delaney described FIFA as the "biggest losers" in the controversy for having "made one mistake after another", referring to the mid-competition change in seeding rules for the play-off, the negative imagery of football as a whole generated by FIFA's actions and Henry's goal, and Sepp Blatter's subsequent dealings with the FAI.

FIFA executive committee

On 23 November FIFA announced that the FIFA executive committee would hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on 2 December in Cape Town, where members were already due to meet to discuss the seedings for the World Cup, in order to discuss various recent incidents affecting the world game. According to BBC Radio 5 Live sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar, the Henry incident would be "high on the agenda". Gordon Smith, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association and a member of the International Football Association Board, believed that introduction of AARs in time for the World Cup would be pressed for at the EGM by UEFA president Michel Platini, who had been a long-time supporter of the concept; Smith said of the proposal, "I feel that it has its advantages at the highest levels of the games. When there's massive TV coverage the problems are highlighted all over the world so this is something we may have to look at."{{cite news |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128033305/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jagOT8yZYDaxf_tJtMTCatKD-udA |archive-date=28 November 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=26 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202120540/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/fifa-out-of-touch-claims-fai-chief-delaney-14574510.html |archive-date=2 December 2009 |url-status=dead

The EGM was held on 2 December at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The executive committee at the time consisted of FIFA president Sepp Blatter, eight vice-presidents and 15 members, and the FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke. The membership included representatives of various confederations and associations around the world. In response to Blatter's comments at Soccerex and before the EGM, the FAI formally notified FIFA in writing that they were withdrawing their request to enter the World Cup as a 33rd team, and accordingly this matter was not considered. The FAI's other suggestions were, however, discussed.

According to FIFA, the EGM discussion resulted in "concrete proposals" to ensure that improvements were made on the issues raised. According to Blatter, the committee recognised the game was at a "crossroads" and that, at the highest levels, where 32 cameras were to be used to film the 2010 World Cup, it was now "impossible" for just the referee and his two assistants to "see everything".

The EGM announced that FIFA would be setting up an inquiry into future use of extra assistants and technology. The new inquiry would, according to Blatter, "have a look at technology or additional persons". Described as a "full inquiry" or "working party" by media commentators, it was to comprise a new FIFA committee with input drawn in part from the existing FIFA referees', football, technical and medical committees.

The expected introduction of AARs for the 2010 World Cup was ruled out. The committee "stressed that it would be too soon to implement this new system at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa." Blatter explained that, as AARs had not yet been trialled outside of Europe, the committee was of the opinion that any experiment must be carried out "globally" before it could be used in a World Cup. Blatter confirmed that the experiment with AARs in the Europa League would continue into the 2010 knock-out stages. The meeting also ruled out the use of video refereeing systems similar to those seen in rugby, cricket and tennis. Blatter stated that two companies investigating goal-line technology were due to report their results to International Football Association Board (IFAB) in March 2010. FIFA also called on the general secretaries of the Continental Federations to propose improvements to the format of the qualification and play-off phase of the World Cup competition, for submission by March 2010.

Henry disciplinary investigation

On the issue of possible disciplinary sanctions against Henry individually, a FIFA spokesperson stated "The [independent] disciplinary commission...will decide if the case is of interest [when they meet sometime in the next two weeks]. The possibility exists of sanctioning a player for unsporting behaviour on the basis of video evidence".{{cite news |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125094127/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/france/6625117/Fifa-Frances-Thierry-Henry-could-face-World-Cup-ban-over-Ireland-handball.html |archive-date=25 November 2009 |url-status=dead

On 2 December after the FIFA EGM it was announced that FIFA's disciplinary committee would open an investigation into Henry's handball. No timetable was given for when the investigation, chaired by Swiss lawyer Marcel Mathier, would rule on the case.

Blatter said of the decision to single out Henry for investigation of a handball:

According to the Associated Press, the committee had the "authority to impose a one-match suspension on Henry, which would take effect at the start of the World Cup in June". According to the BBC, FIFA said "there was no certainty Henry would be banned if found guilty".

On 18 January 2010 it was announced that Henry would face no sanctions in relation to the incident, after the committee found it had "no legal foundation" to deal with the case, as the relevant rules only covered sanctions for preventing a goal by illegally handling the ball. FIFA rules reportedly forbade any other action as the referee had not seen the original incident. FIFA released the following statement:

The FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes hoped the announcement would mark the end of the incident, stating of the decision that is "not astonishing, it is logical".

France national team

FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke later denied that France's absence from the top 8 seeded teams for the 2010 World Cup draw had been a result of the controversy, stating that the change to the seeding system (using the world rankings as they stood at October 2009) was fairer than past systems.{{cite news |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205190802/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/02/france-world-cup-seedings |archive-date= 5 December 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203025953/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8390084.stm |archive-date= 3 December 2009 |url-status=live

In a quirk of the resulting draw, the lack of seeding ultimately did not have a detrimental effect on France, as they were drawn into Group A; since the seeding place in Group A had already been allocated to the host nation South Africa, a Group A draw was the only possible outcome where France would not have been placed into a group with one of the top seven seeded teams. South Africa were ranked 86th in the world at the time, making them the lowest-ranked team competing in the tournament; The Irish Times commented that this turn of events in France's favour would cause the Irish to feel particularly aggrieved. At the finals, France ultimately failed to qualify from their group, failing to win a game and managing only a solitary point in their first match against Uruguay; following a major disruption at the team's camp by the French players.{{cite news |access-date=15 May 2012

France and the Republic of Ireland did not meet in the qualifying matches for the 2012 European Championships. France were drawn in Group D while Ireland were drawn in Group B, although they were drawn together in the practice run for the draw held the day before.

FAI compensation

After the FIFA EGM, John Delaney said, "In terms of the football side, this is the end of the matter", but that "the incident will linger long in the memory like Diego Maradona's handball."

Match officials

In January 2010, match referee Hansson and his assistant Stefan Wittberg were both selected as one of the thirty officiating teams to be used at the 2010 World Cup; however, Hansson's other assistant on the day of the incident, Fredrik Nilsson who missed the handball, was not selected, being replaced by Henrik Andrén. FIFA had insisted at the time of the incident that, since selection of referees for the World Cup referee was based on long-term assessments, Hansson would probably make it to the finals. UEFA president Michel Platini called it a good decision, defending Hansson as having not been responsible for the incident as he had not seen the handball.

Reaction

The incident has been compared to Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in the 1986 World Cup, which led to the incident being labelled as the "Hand of Frog" the "Hand of Gaul" and the "Hand of Henry" affair.

Governments and politicians

Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen called on FIFA for a replay, stating that "fair play is a fundamental part of the game".{{cite news |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121222107/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1119/ireland.html |archive-date=21 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201044528/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKSP41482420091120?sp=true |archive-date=1 February 2013 |url-status=dead

The incident was criticised in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish Parliament.{{cite news |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604204512/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article6924267.ece |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505071927/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/worldcup/6608854/Thierry-Henry-defended-by-French-sports-minister-Rama-Yade-over-handball-row.html |archive-date=5 May 2013 |url-status=dead The French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot and Christine Lagarde Minister of Economic Affairs were sympathetic to the Irish viewpoint.{{cite web |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123211646/http://www.wsn.com/2009/11/19/football/news/world-cup-2010/politicians-target-domenech-but-federation-stands-firm_25619/ |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617230313/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6925154.ece |archive-date=17 June 2022 |url-status=dead

Sports administrators

On the eve of Henry's possible punishment being discussed at the FIFA EGM, FFF technical director Gérard Houllier defended Henry, stating the handball was instinctive and that the blame lay with the referee, pointing out that had the goal not been scored, the match would still have gone to penalties.{{cite news |access-date=1 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202052518/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8388335.stm |archive-date= 2 December 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604204546/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6939801.ece |archive-date= 4 June 2011 |url-status=dead

According to The Independent, the organiser of the 2010 World Cup Danny Jordaan resisted calls for video refereeing and believed that 'disputed decisions should be considered part of football'.{{cite news |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121133153/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/what-if-henry-had-done-the-decent-thing-1824116.html |archive-date=21 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=26 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302045325/http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/roe-valley-sport/Former-ref-slams-Henry-for.5858010.jp |archive-date=2 March 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203025527/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107104574569761136787596.html |archive-date= 3 December 2009 |url-status=live

Football personalities

While in Dublin on 26 November for a charity event, Pelé said "maybe the linesman could help, but even the linesman doesn't see the game. We say fair play, but you know I don't think it was unfair, something that goes in one second... The result was unfair, but unfortunately you can't change that"{{cite news |access-date=26 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524190928/https://www.webcitation.org/5lZpU39yy?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jFpr6AGd14N_Mh75Sjm0YVOX5EZw |archive-date=24 May 2024 |url-status=dead

Football pundits Johnny Giles, Eamon Dunphy and Graeme Souness, analysing the video replays on RTÉ Two, disputed whether Shay Given or anybody else was obscuring the view of the assistant referee from seeing the incident, although they were not certain the assistant could have flagged with certainty for handball even if he had a clear line of sight, due to the speed of the incident and flight of the ball.{{cite video |access-date=25 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123213914/http://www.worldcupbuzz.com/thierry-henry-handball-video/ |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213081417/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1120/1224259177809.html |archive-date=13 February 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=26 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127141229/http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12098_5719769,00.html |archive-date=27 November 2009 |url-status=live

Henry's former France teammate Bixente Lizarazu stated "It was not something to be proud of. I'm not going to party." Henry's former Arsenal and France teammate Emmanuel Petit wrote that "The feeling among the French public on Thursday morning was one of embarrassment – we didn't want to qualify in controversial circumstances, we wanted to beat Ireland by playing within the rules" and "Thierry's handball will not send out a good message", but he was of the opinion that this "very rare indiscretion" would not damage his reputation, explaining that "There is a referee on the pitch and if he didn't see that's not France's problem."{{cite news |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091120052346/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8368142.stm |archive-date=20 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124073710/http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_5709320,00.html |archive-date=24 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=23 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123211850/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5heW7bpwHQAyek9d06JJV6h8JXK0Q |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=dead

Another former Arsenal teammate Lee Dixon wrote that Henry had gone down in a lot of Arsenal fans' estimations, and Henry "has been a truly great footballer – one of the best players we've ever seen in the Premier League – but now people will remember him for that goal against Ireland. It's really sad". England footballer David Beckham defended Henry, stating "I honestly didn't think Thierry meant it...I know him as a player and a person. He's a good person and a great player... these things happen in football"{{cite web |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612103804/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Thierry-Henry-Replaying-Ireland-France-World-Cup-Play-Off-Match-Would-Be-The-Fairest-Solution/Article/200911315459101?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_3 |archive-date=12 June 2022 |url-status=dead

Henry's former Arsenal manager and Frenchman Arsène Wenger said of the incident that "This isn't the French way and football should learn from this", although he theorised that Henry did not inform the referee due to "the pressure and what's at stake".{{cite news |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121133137/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/he-should-have-owned-up-says-wenger-1823936.html |archive-date=21 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123200229/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/6615328/Arsene-Wenger-urges-France-to-replay-World-Cup-match-after-Thierry-Henry-handball.html |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413234144/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gXNUHAonU7uEq3ehrIp47t4H7WFg |archive-date=13 April 2010 |url-status=dead

Thierry Roland, described by the Times as the "doyen of French TV football commentators", said of the game "It's a scandal, a shame with a capital S."

Media

According to the BBC, the game "attracted mass news coverage across Europe". Agence France-Presse (AFP) described how the result of the game sparked an "international outcry" and how as a result of the handball, Henry had been "pilloried as a cheat around the globe".{{cite news |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124204822/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hDqWS6Zz3PoMQKp-vFqKtos0JEvg |archive-date=24 January 2013 |url-status=dead Ben Johnson, Tonya Harding, Doping in East Germany, Rivaldo at the 2002 World Cup, Boris Onishchenko, Basketboo, Hansie Cronje and the original Hand of God goal (listed as number 11).{{cite magazine |access-date=22 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925184845/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1925040_1925043,00.html |archive-date=25 September 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date = 22 November 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090926025241/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1925040,00.html |archive-date = 26 September 2009 |url-status=dead

Sky Sports estimated qualification for the 2010 World Cup was worth £26.7m to Irish football, and was worth a similar amount to the French. FAI chief executive John Delaney denied the issue was about money, rather a matter of "fair play and integrity". The 2010 tournament prize money was later confirmed by FIFA as being $9m for participating, a further $9m for exiting the group stage, with potential prize totals rising to $30m for the eventual winners.

Spanish media, where Henry had played his club football since leaving England in 2007, took great interest in the event. The Spanish daily sports newspaper Diario Marca carried the headline "Football rails against 'cheating' Henry".

French newspaper L'Équipe greeted the incident with the headline 'Hand of God', while Le Parisien had "Henry Saves France With His Hand.", and Le Figaro led with "Henry: 'I Am Not the Referee'." Australia's Daily Telegraph said Henry would "earn a place in infamy as one of the biggest cheats in world sport".

Swedish newspapers advocated that the Swedish referee used for the match Martin Hansson be removed from further major international assignments. Aftonbladet declared of the officials "that Team Hansson has also forfeited its right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation". Mark Ogden of The Telegraph criticised Henry for not informing referee Hansson during the game, and speculated the incident would 'ruin his career', comparing the cases of referees Anders Frisk and Tom Henning Øvrebø.{{cite news |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122115943/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/markogden/100003637/frances-thierry-henry-has-ruined-the-career-of-an-honest-man/ |archive-date=22 November 2009 |url-status=dead

In Britain, where Henry had spent much of his club career, *The Sun'''s headline was "Le Hand of God: Cheat Theirry Does A Maradona.", while The Daily Mirror was "French Nickers.", with The Independent using "Hand Gaul!". The *Los Angeles Times'' speculated the incident had the potential to ruin his reputation with a moment of "eternal notoriety". The Guardian's chief sportswriter Richard Williams wrote that the incident was worse than Maradona's foul, describing his handball as "a street kid's instinct", while Henry's was "a sophisticated man, and a much-decorated one." Williams also critiqued Henry's decision not to inform the referee, citing previous club football examples of players not taking advantage of a referee's mistake: Robbie Fowler in 1997 unsuccessfully pleading for the referee not to give a penalty in his favour, Paolo Di Canio in 2000 catching the ball rather than scoring past an incapacitated goalkeeper, and Costin Lazăr in 2009 successfully insisting he would not take the penalty awarded to him for what he saw as a fair challenge.{{cite news |access-date=25 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122110922/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/nov/19/thierry-henry-handball-france-ireland |archive-date=22 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=23 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123163956/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8372123.stm |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=live

Patrick Barclay, Chief Football Correspondent for The Times, declared that the Henry incident "ended the argument" over the issue of video refereeing.{{cite news |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604204641/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6924057.ece?openComment=true |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604174600/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6924213.ece |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122172417/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/20/fifa-world-cup-additional-referees |archive-date=22 November 2009 |url-status=live |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604204828/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article6924257.ece |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead

Jonathan Clegg debated in The Wall Street Journal the effect of the incident on Henry's lucrative sponsorship deals, comparing it to incidents such as ING Group's withdrawal from the Renault F1 after the Crashgate controversy, the retention of sponsors by Harlequin F.C. after their Bloodgate fake injury scandal, and the enhanced fortunes of Zinedine Zidane in spite of his head-butting of Marco Materazzi in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final.{{cite news |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604123519/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704204304574546040168246268.html?mod=googlenews_wsj |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124023845/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/6621696/Boycott-threat-to-Gillette-products-over-Thierry-Henry-handball-row.html |archive-date=24 November 2009 |url-status=dead

American radio host Jim Rome commented: "I'm glad the guy did it; it led to a goal...How 'bout that guy. The guy was just trying to make a play. I thought it was smart; I liked it. It led to a goal; what's not to like?"

Speaking on Football Focus on 21 November, Philippe Auclair of France Football magazine said that, unlike Eric Cantona's "moment of madness", he could not see Thierry Henry earning a similar redemption in England for this "calculated moment of cheating".

On 22 November, the Irish Independent claimed that the FFF had been willing to stage a replay and that FIFA would not have prevented it, but the offer had been blocked by the French manager Raymond Domenech.{{cite news |access-date=22 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124095928/http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/domenech-blocked-replay-1950705.html |archive-date=24 November 2009 |url-status=live

A The Wall Street Journal editorial supported FIFA's decision not to replay the match and distinguished the refereeing error from the one in the replayed Uzbekistan-Bahrain match.{{cite news |access-date=22 November 2009

Henry Winter of The Telegraph wrote that FIFA had "gained some credibility" by deciding to investigate Henry after the EGM, whose presence at the World Cup would otherwise overshadow the Fair Play campaign, and that the Henry controversy made the case for having a panel of experts examine every major game after the event for infractions missed by the referee. Winter contrasted any possible punishment of Henry with the two-month ban issued to Diego Maradona for simply 'insulting reporters'. Diana Worman on Aljazeera.net criticised FIFA's decision to investigate Henry for an act that happens all the time, and would have only warranted a yellow card, writing "Henry should never have been expected to make a 'sportsmanlike' decision after the goal and it's unfair for Fifa to make an example of him". The Canadian Press criticised FIFA's "cowardly" decision to investigate Henry and do nothing to change the situation for the 2010 World Cup. The Irish Times stated that the FAI's recommendations to FIFA in the wake of the controversy had been "effectively disregarded" at the EGM.

After the announcement that Henry would face no sanctions, Simon Rice of The Independent declared Henry had "got away with it", and compared his lack of punishment to nine other notable sporting incidents: Michael Schumacher (1994 Australian Grand Prix), Sir Alex Ferguson (against The Football Association generally), Graeme Smith (4th test, South Africa v England, 2010), Eduardo (diving against Celtic, 26 August 2009), Toni Schumacher (1982 World Cup semi-final), Trevor Chappell (the 1981 Underarm bowling incident), Andy Haden (Wales v New Zealand, 1978), Diego Maradona (1986 Hand of God goal) and Fred Lorz (1904 Olympics Men's Marathon). After the announcement, Agence France-Presse speculated that any discipliniary action for Henry would have presented an "unwelcome precedent" for FIFA, and any punishment would have been merely symbolic, given the lack of prior cases of such retrospective player sanctions.

FIFA's subsequent decision to select referee Hansson as one of the 2010 World Cup officials was criticised by the Irish media, as well as UEFA president Michel Platini's comments that it would have been "great" if France and the Republic of Ireland had been drawn together for the 2012 European Championships.

Other

'A few hundred' Irish fans marched from Lansdowne Road Stadium to the French embassy on Ailesbury Road in Dublin, to demand a replay.{{cite news |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524185607/https://www.webcitation.org/5lSK3BX5I?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jg713cpixXegkmDsIpYRyCpEvjAw |archive-date=24 May 2024 |url-status=dead

The Irish band, The Mighty Stef, wrote "Protest Song with No Name",{{cite news |access-date=23 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217202602/http://www.phantom.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2999 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |access-date=23 November 2009 |access-date=23 November 2009 |access-date=23 November 2009 |access-date=1 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091204130251/http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/1201/bono.html |archive-date= 4 December 2009 |url-status=live

French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut said on Europe 1 radio that "We are faced with a real matter of conscience...We certainly have nothing to be proud of."{{cite news |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212125704/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1120/1224259178555.html |archive-date=12 February 2011 |url-status=live

Bookmakers William Hill stated they would refund any bets placed backing Ireland to qualify, to be "as fair as possible to everyone."

Thierry Henry was "booed relentlessly" by fans of Athletic Bilbao in his first competitive match after playing Ireland.{{cite news |access-date=23 November 2009

On 4 December 2009, Charlize Theron co-presented the draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, accompanied by several other celebrities of South African origin. During rehearsals she drew an Ireland ball instead of France as a joke at the expense of FIFA, referring to the Thierry Henry handball controversy and France's controversial qualification. The stunt alarmed FIFA enough for it to fear she might do it again in front of a live global audience.

Irish fans donned sombreros and cheered as Mexico beat France 2–0 in their second group stage match on 17 June 2010. France was subsequently eliminated from the World Cup following a 2–1 loss to host nation South Africa in their final group stage match, and finished at the bottom of Group A.

During the World Cup, English comedian James Corden refused to acknowledge France on his "human wallchart" during his post-World Cup match TV show James Corden's World Cup Live, replacing France with Ireland, and when chatting with the Irish member of the wallchart, referred to players such as "Terry Henry" and "Paddy Evra", Irish variants of the names of France players Theirry Henry and Patrice Evra.

The Irish playwright and novelist Dermot Bolger's stage play, The Parting Glass, is based around this game in Paris, with most of the second half of the play occurring during the actual match in the Stade de France, as an Irish father and son watch their final Ireland game together before the son emigrates to find work in Canada.

Comparison to other events

The 2010 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final between Louth and Meath held at Croke Park on 11 July 2010 drew comparisons with Thierry Henry's cheating due to its controversial ending in which Louth were wrongfully defeated by a last minute Meath goal which was thrown into the net and therefore should not have stood. Louth were in the lead at the time and would have won their first Leinster Senior Football Championship in 53 years if Meath had not been given the goal. Louth fans burst onto the pitch as the final whistle blew, chasing and physically assaulting the referee around the field, while a steward was knocked unconscious with a bottle during ugly scenes played out on live television. The referee was struck on at least three different points as he scrambled away from the baying mob. Meath chairman Barney Allen compared calls for the game to be replayed with Henry's moment of shame, saying "Ireland didn't get a replay when France got a lucky goal". As the controversy continued to erupt, RTÉ analyst Pat Spillane called it a "disgrace". Setanta Sports said the "goal" would "now go down in infamy as the GAA's Thierry Henry incident".

During the 2010 World Cup, in extra time of a quarter-final match against Ghana, Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez handled the ball in the penalty area to prevent a last-minute game-winning Ghana goal. The act drew comparaisons with Thierry Henry's handball

TV

In 2011, "L'Affair Henry the, ahem, touchiest sporting controversy in living memory" received its own episode of Scannal, the TV series dedicated to scandalous events. The Evening Herald reviewer called it an "entertaining, tightly-packaged edition" of the show but also opined, "Where Scannal stumbled, however, was in its failure to go in with both feet on the cringe-inducing elephant in the room: John Delaney's embarrassing plea to Fifa boss, the odious Sepp Blatter, to let Ireland be "the 33rd team" at the World Cup".

Early June 2010, Swedish film director Mattias Löw released the documentary film The Referee, produced for SVT - Sveriges Television, where he follows the referee, Martin Hansson, of the infamous playoff match in Paris, for a year leading up to FIFA World Cup 2010. The film portrays the Thierry Henry handball incident in Paris in detail from the referee's point of view.

References

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