Soccer is undoubtedly one of the most amazing things that has happened to humanity. The beautiful game has amassed millions of fans worldwide with its elements of drama, brilliance, and ability to unify people from different races. However, behind the jaw-dropping goals and legendary matches are shocking soccer scandals that have left fans questioning the integrity of the world’s most beloved sport. From unfaithful teammates to the “Hand of God” incident, here are the top five soccer scandals that will blow your mind.
Andres Escobar Murdered After 1994 World Cup
Andres Escobar represented his country, Colombia, during the 1994 World Cup. Heading into the World Cup, the 27-year-old was Colombia’s soccer team’s captain and a national hero. There were expectations that Colombia would win the tournament; however, the team kicked things off by losing to Romania. This loss led to the Colombian players receiving death threats.
There was an incident where a hacker gained access to the team’s California hotel suite’s TV and sent a warning that midfielder Gabriel Gomez should not be in the starting team or the whole team would be killed. In Colombia’s second match against the USA, Escobar accidentally scored a goal in his team’s net, losing the match 2 to 1. Los Cafeteros were subsequently sent out of the tournament.
Less than two weeks later, some men showed up in Escobar’s face while he was in his car outside a nightclub, asking him about his own goal. Eventually, the situation escalated, and one of the confronters put six bullets inside Escobar, allegedly shouting “Goal” with each shot. The Colombian police force later resolved the incident, which became one of the most tragic soccer scandals. They announced that the shooter was Humberto Castro Munoz, the driver and bodyguard of drug traffickers. These Gallon brothers had lost a significant amount of money betting on Team Colombia. Although he was sentenced to 43 years, Castro only spent 11 in prison on account of good behavior.
The Headbutt That “Ended” Zinedine Zidane’s Career
At the peak of his career, Algeria’s Zinedine Zidane was among the most decorated players ever. Not only did he score the deciding goal of the 1998 World Cup and win the Legion of Honour, but he was also a three-time FIFA Player of the Year and the 1998 Ballon d’Or recipient. Despite his accolades, Italy’s Marco Materazzi was able to get into Zidane’s head.
Zidane kicked off the scoring streak in the 2006 World Cup final match in Berlin. His goal gave France the upper hand for a while before Materazzi equalized. With 12 minutes left in extra time, both players felt the heat, giving soccer fans one of the top five biggest and mind-blowing scandals. Materazzi put his hand on Zidane’s back, and both men exchanged words, leading Zidane to headbutt the Italian in the chest. Zidane was sent off the soccer pitch, and Italy won 5-3 in a penalty shootout.
Reportedly, Materazzi had called Zidane’s mother a “terrorist whore”, which set the Colombian off and led him to be involved in one of the most controversial soccer scandals. Materazzi went on to win a libel settlement and claimed he told Zidane to give his jersey to the Colombian’s sister. Post-incident, Zidane hung up his boots and is now a coach, with Real Madrid winning two La Liga titles and three Champions League championships during his time.
John Terry Had An Affair With Chelsea Teammate’s Ex-Wife
Wayne Bridge first met Vanessa Perroncel in 2004. He was also best friends with his teammate and Chelsea legend John Terry. Vanessa and Wayne were together and had a son until they split following Wayne’s transfer to Manchester City, resulting in one of the biggest soccer scandals. At the time, Terry was already married to his childhood sweetheart, Toni Poole.
In 2009, Terry began to frequently visit Venessa and her son, Jaydon, at their house in Surrey. Meanwhile, Terry was in the public eye, thanks to his father gifting an undercover reporter cocaine and the then-Chelsea captain accepting a bribe for a private Chelsea facility tour. The tabloids went wild in 2010, posting several stories about the incident. Unsurprisingly, some called Vanessa a home-wrecker, while others claimed Terry had betrayed his wife and his close friend.
Both footballers played against each other in a Chelsea vs. Manchester City game, and Wayne Bridge went viral for not shaking Terry’s hand. Man City won the match 4-2. Although they have both retired from professional soccer and the story has died down, nobody except both couples knows whether or not Terry had an affair with Perroncel.
FIFA Makes Headline Thanks To Its Corrupt Officials
FIFA has existed since 1904, and rumors about the agency’s officials being corrupt started in the 1970s, giving way to one of the most surprising soccer scandals. The US Justice Department investigated FIFA, focusing mainly on settlements from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL media contracts. The investigation grew to include suspicions of bribery in the selection process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Daryll Warner, the son of CONCACAF President Jack Warner, was arrested in 2013 on charges of receiving bribes. Jack Warner was later charged with similar conduct. Charles Blazer, a former CONCACAF secretary general and FIFA official, pled guilty to ten counts of indictment. José Hawilla, a Brazilian sports marketing executive, pleaded guilty to four charges the following year.
The investigation concluded on May 27, 2015, when the US Justice Department issued a 47-count indictment charging 14 people, including seven FIFA executives, seven sports officials, and marketing professionals, with collecting $150 million in bribes over two decades.
The Swiss government worked with the US and detained seven FIFA officials in Zurich, including vice presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo, as well as executives Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, and José Maria Marin.
Maradona’s Questionable Goal During The 1986 World Cup
Let’s revisit the World Cup quarterfinal match between Argentina and England. At the age of 25, Maradona was already recognized as one of the best players in the world. He had been sent off with a red card in a previous World Cup loss to Brazil, so he was anxious to make amends. He did redeem himself. During the group stage, Maradona scored one goal and helped with four others.
Despite Maradona managing numerous great goal opportunities in the quarterfinal versus England, the first half ended 0-0. Argentina took a 1-0 lead six minutes into the second half. A sloppy clearing by England’s Steve Hodge resulted in a disputed ball between Maradona and England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. The ball made its way into the net, resulting in a goal.
England’s players instantly protested, claiming that Maradona had knocked the ball into the net with his left hand. Even with video technology available in 1986, it is obvious that Maradona used his left hand to send the ball into the goal.
Maradona’s two goals secured Argentina’s 2-1 victory, propelling them to the World Cup final, where they defeated West Germany. Maradona received the Golden Ball for being the tournament’s best player. The football legend later agreed that his “Hand of God” soccer scandal was illegal but said it was divine retribution for England’s conquest of the Falkland Islands four years prior to the match.
Will There Be More Soccer Scandals?
Although the sport inspires passion in fans worldwide, these soccer scandals remind us that integrity can be compromised even on the biggest of stages. Hopefully, over time, the lessons from these controversial moments will breed more transparency and fairness on and off the soccer pitch.
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