The quarter-final between Germany and Spain was one of the most beautiful matches of the last European Championship but also the one with the longest trail of controversy. At the beginning of the second half of extra time, a shot by Musiala aimed at Unai Simón’s goal was intercepted with the arm by Marc Cucurella. Referee Anthony Taylor and VAR Stuart Atwell disallowed the penalty for the hosts, who were then eliminated by Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute goal.
The rest is history, with De la Fuente’s team lifting the Cup by beating England in the final. Today, two months after the end of the competition, the UEFA Referees Committee has analysed the refereeing during the continental tournament and has ruled that, on that occasion, an incorrect decision was made and that the English referees made an error in interpreting the rules.
“According to the latest UEFA guidelines, contact with the ball that stops a shot on target should be punished more severely, and in most cases a penalty kick should be awarded, unless the defender’s arm is very close to or above the body. In this case the defender stopped a shot on target with his arm away from his body, increasing the volume; a penalty kick should have been awarded.”