Former Premier League referee chief gives verdict on controversial England penalty in Euro 2024 semi-final – and responds to Gary Neville after the pundit branded call ‘absolute disgrace’
A former Premier League referee has spoken out about the controversial decision to award England a penalty in their Euro 2024 match against the Netherlands.
Gareth Southgate’s side were 1-0 down early in the match to an impressive strike from Xavi Simons, but were awarded a penalty out of nowhere when Harry Kane was teed up by Denzel Dumfries.
Kane had missed his attempt, but after a VAR check, referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot. Kane fired the ball in and managed to beat Bart Verbruggen from 11 meters, which brought the match back into balance.
The decision did not come without controversy, however, with Jamie Carragher taking to social media to criticise the decision, despite it being in England’s favour.
Keith Hackett, a former Premier League official who served in the Premier League’s first two years after rising to the top some 20 years earlier and once managing PGMOL, also strongly criticised the call on social media.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Hackett, now 80, wrote: ‘Well, we’ll accept the penalty. But the referee’s initial assessment was correct. No foul, both players went for the ball.
‘The VAR intervenes again incorrectly and as usual the referee walks to the screen, changes his mind at first sight and awards the penalty.’
He also responded to Gary Neville, who was working as a commentator for the match for ITV, who called the call “an absolute disgrace”.
“As a defender I think it’s an absolute disgrace, an absolute disgraceful decision to have something like a penalty against me, but in such an important game,” Neville said. “I was furious with the Denmark one last week, I was offended by that one, that was a disgrace.
“I have to say the defender just naturally goes in and blocks the shot. It’s not a penalty for me, it’s nowhere near a penalty for me. I don’t think many of the English players claimed it either.
‘Harry of course stayed down, he got a knock, but look, you’re lucky, England played a really good half.’
Hackett went on to rail against X again, posting: “Well said Gary Neville, you’re right.”