Sports
Mark Halsey Questions Bryan Mbeumo’s Man Utd Handball vs Forest
It seems as though every week in the Premier League, a new VAR drama emerges. The most recent notable incident occurred during Manchester United’s 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Luke Shaw’s early strike gave the home team a 1-0 lead at Old Trafford, but Elliot Anderson found the head of Morato, who levelled the scores soon after the break. It took just two minutes, however, for the Red Devils to re-take the lead through Matheus Cunha.
Bryan Mbeumo then gave Man Utd a two-goal cushion, finding the back of the net thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ record-matching 20th Premier League assist of the season. This time, Forest took just two minutes to respond, as Morgan Gibbs-White’s tidy finish made for a nervy finish.
Michael Carrick’s team clung onto their 3-2 lead and picked up all three points. With it being such a tight final result, though, it made one VAR call even more controversial.
Mark Halsey Slams Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest Decision
When Cunha put Man Utd 2-1 in the 54th minute, he did so with a bit of help from the officials. Indeed, the ball clearly hit Mbeumo during the build-up. VAR reviewed the incident for three minutes before referee Michael Salisbury was sent the pitch-side monitor.
Despite this, Salisbury stood by his original decision and allowed the goal to stand. This was a surprise to Sky Sports co-commentator Gary Neville, who said: “I think that is an absolute shocker in every single way. “It’s ridiculous. The VAR have been quite clear, they said it has to be disallowed. He has handballed it and brought the ball back into play.”
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey, who worked in the top flight between 1999 and 2013, has now weighed in on the matter with a strong verdict. In his column for the Sun, he claimed that this was a big mistake by the officials, stating:
“Matheus Cunha’s controversial goal should have been disallowed. Bryan Mbeumo clearly controlled the ball with his arm and that action paved the way for Cunha to hit the back of the net.
“Manchester United forward Mbeumo had time to react by removing his arm. The fact that the ball clearly struck his arm enabled the Cameroonian to control the ball and get his shot away, with Cunha scoring the rebound. If the ball had not hit him, it would have continued travelling past him.
“United’s players did not even celebrate when the ball hit the net — which tells you everything. The easiest decision would have been for Michael Salisbury to award Nottingham Forest a free-kick.”
Premier League Speak Out as Cunha’s Goal in Man Utd v Forest is Allowed to Stand
The Premier League have spoken out after referee Michael Salisbury overruled VAR and gave the goal.
Halsey Questions PGMOL Interpretation of Handball Law
PGMOL expert Dale Johnson explained that VAR only allowed the goal to stand before Mbuemo didn’t score himself after the handball, which meant the officials were able to make a ‘subjective judgement of the handball offence’ from Cunha. He wrote:
“Mbuemo’s shot had gone in, the goal would have to be disallowed. Because it was blocked, it can be allowed to stand and becomes a subjective judgement of the handball offence.”
Halsey, however, suggested that the current handball law, simply isn’t clear enough. He claimed that PGMOL need to sort it out this summer, adding: “I like to see referees stick with on-field decisions when they view incidents on pitchside monitors, but I believe that was the wrong outcome.
“Forest boss Vitor Pereira understandably seemed dismayed by the decision and called for a Premier League summit to discuss handballs.
“I agree with him that we need to sort out the interpretation of offences that fall under law 12, for handling the ball, as fans have had enough. The debate once again sparked confusion around the handball law, with supporters left frustrated by what is and is not being punished in the modern game.
“Pereira’s calls for clarity are hard to ignore because incidents like this are damaging confidence in VAR and leaving fans, players and managers baffled week after week. With the final game of the Premier League next week, hopefully the PGMOL can get together in the summer and sort this out.”
One way to fix this would be to become much stricter with handball calls, as we see in the Champions League. Roberto Rosetti, UEFA’s head of referees, actually wants the law applied evenly across all competitions next season, which could see a change in the Premier League.
That interpretation of the law is quite unpopular among English fans who watch the Champions League, so it remains to be seen if PGMOL adopt the approach.
Barbara Paredes, the sister of Argentina star Leandro, has been caught launching into a bizarre rant about England after La Albiceleste were outfought and outclassed by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday night.
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, with their opponents forced to rely on physicality, foul play and defensive dark arts just to stand even the slightest chance of reaching penalties. Across the 90 minutes of normal time, Lionel Messi and co. committed 26 fouls and failed to register a single shot on target – two unwanted records that summed up a deeply frustrating night for the South Americans.
However, if anything truly exposed Argentina’s lack of class, it was the ugly scenes that unfolded after the final whistle. While Spain’s players rushed towards each other, their families and supporters to celebrate a historic triumph, several members of the Argentina camp appeared to let emotions boil over.
Punches were thrown, tempers flared, and Paredes was seen grabbing Gavi by the throat before throwing him to the ground – a chaotic and shameful ending that made nearly everyone realise how classless they can be in the pursuit of glory.
Leandro Paredes’ Sister Launches Into Bizarre Rant Abotu England
Since the semi-final win against England, many Argentines have struggled to keep the Falkland Islands out of their minds, with the players celebrating that win with a banner claiming the British-owned territory is theirs, and countless chants being sang before, during, and after the dramatic 2-1 turnaround victory – all of which FIFA refused to investigate, despite calls to do so.
While Sunday’s final loss should refocus attention on Spain’s deserved victory or prompt an honest conversation about Argentina’s misconduct, Paredes’ sister has renewed hostility towards England by passionately telling reporters (watch below):
“Getting this far and beating England along the way meant everything to us. We might not have the fourth star, but we have the Falklands for ourselves.”
The Falklands had been a huge topic in the build-up to England’s semi-final defeat and rumbled on for days afterwards, following uproar over the banner held up by Argentina players. The UK government even chimed in, saying: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.”
UK Government Could Take Unprecedented Action Against Argentine Players
According to the Mirror, Argentina’s Premier League stars could theoretically have their UK work visas revoked if their conduct is considered “not conducive to the public good”, with the Home Office holding the legal authority to do so. Nevertheless, legal expert Asma Bashir has described such an outcome as “highly unlikely”.
But that’s not to say La Albiceleste won’t get away with other issues they’ve been involved with throughout the tournament. They’ve managed to stay out of political trouble, but their aggression in the final is subject to an ongoing investigation, with a range of punishments being mapped out.
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Spain’s Gavi has spoken out after chaotic scenes following the 2026 World Cup final saw him physically involved with Argentina star Leandro Paredes.
The Barcelona ace was an unused substitute as Ferran Torres smashed in a 106th-minute winner for La Roja to add a second star to their badge. Argentina players and staff weren’t particularly happy at the full-time whistle, as several incidents threatened to overshadow Spain’s success on the pitch.
Nicolas Otamendi confronted Rodri, an Argentine coach struck Dani Olmo and Paredes and a teammate threw Gavi to the ground. FIFA have opened an investigation into the chaos that followed the final.
Gavi on Potential Punishment For Argentina’s Paredes
There have been calls for punishments across the board for Argentina. Several players and coaches will be nervously waiting to find out what the governing body decides to do. Some have called for the South Americans to be banned from the next World Cup over their actions.
A more likely scenario could see several players handed individual punishment, whether it be a suspension or a fine. However, Gavi doesn’t believe Paredes deserves to be banned, despite being physically assaulted by the 32-year-old.
Speaking after the game, the Spain No.9 claimed the post-match scenes weren’t appropriate for young viewers, but stated the Argentina players should escape sanctions (as translated by Spanish outlet SER):
“I don’t think they should be sanctioned. I understand it’s not a good image for the younger players, but football also has that violent side. Perhaps the most logical thing would be to send him off during the match. In the end, it’s all football.”
Paredes Ignored Fallout in World Cup Final Statement
It was initially reported and believed that Paredes was sent off during the incident. However, FIFA later confirmed that this was incorrect and the Boca Juniors man saw his red card ‘deleted’ from the record.
Paredes has since posted a statement on social media, where he thanked his nation’s supporters. But he failed to mention what happened after the match.
He wrote: “Today, I write with a heavy heart, having been unable to bring our country the joy it so richly deserves – but with a chest full of pride for having given everything we had and for flying our flag at the very top once again!
“It was an honour to be part of the best Argentine national team in history.”
After Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final, Lionel Messi has been dealt a further blow, with a little-known FIFA rule preventing him from returning to MLS action with Inter Miami for the next three weeks. The league is already back up and running, but it will have to make do without its biggest star for the time being.
The 39-year-old may have played his final World Cup match on Sunday night, with Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner proving the difference as La Roja claimed their second world title at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Unfortunately for Argentina, that was only half the story, as they have since come under heavy scrutiny for a series of ugly scenes that threatened to overshadow Spain’s triumph.
Enzo Fernandez became just the sixth player in the competition’s history to be sent off in a World Cup final, while La Albiceleste set two unwanted records by committing 26 fouls and failing to register a single shot on target in normal time.
Tempers then boiled over after the final whistle, with the likes of Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina throwing punches and grabbing opponents by the throat, as Messi distanced himself from brawls that ultimately left a sour taste on what had been a questionable run to the final in the first place.
Why Lionel Messi Can’t Play in MLS for Three Weeks After World Cup Loss
Tears flowed for Messi at full-time, and he now has a long time to reflect on his international career’s past, present, and future, as he must now rest for 21 days before returning to action. That’s because FIFA and FIFPRO, the global body that represents professional soccer players, agreed in 2025 on a rest period at the end of each season for health reasons. In a statement at the time, they wrote:
“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season.
“This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
Messi, along with fellow Argentina and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, will not play in Inter Miami’s next two matches and will not be available for the MLS All-Star Game on July 29, as reported by ESPN. That would mean that the duo will not play in Wednesday’s match against Chicago Fire or the Saturday match versus CF Montreal.
In fact, if both players choose to take the full recovery period off, they will not play across the next four matches, with a return date of August 9th. Luckily for the David Beckham-owned side, though, they are the only two allowed to do so from the entire squad.
Has Messi Played His Final World Cup?
If – and its a big if – Messi has played his final World Cup, then he leaves behind him a legacy that places him as one of the greatest players in the competition’s history.
Across 34 appearances, he scored 21 goals and provided his teammates with 12 assists. He featured in three finals, won the 2022 edition, and is undoubtedly the most-loved footballer of all time.
The tears he shed at the weekend could be for a whole host of reasons. While it could be an expected emotional outpouring, or a reminder that he’s played with the weight of his father’s illness on his mind – it could also signal that his time at the top is over.
He will be 43 by the time the next tournament rolls around, and with two Copa America titles and a World Cup mantle, he may not wish to try complete football all over again, having already done it. That said, his quality throughout this summer suggests he could still hold his own in four years.
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