The manager of Denmark, Kasper Hjulmand, has expressed frustration with what he perceives as the “absurd” handball rules in football following his team’s 2-0 defeat to Germany in a contentious last-16 tie. The match was marred by contentious decisions, including the disallowing of a goal and the awarding of a penalty through VAR.
Denmark had been performing admirably against Germany and believed they had taken the lead when Joachim Andersen scored three minutes into the second half. However, the goal was disallowed due to a marginal offside against Thomas Delaney, and shortly after, Andersen was penalised for a disputed handball following a VAR review. These decisions ultimately worked in Germany’s favour and diminished Denmark’s chances of a comeback, as Kai Havertz scored the penalty and Jamal Musiala secured Germany’s progression in the tournament.
Kasper Hjulmand, while gracious in commending Germany, was vocal in his criticism of the officiating. He vehemently contested the decisions, particularly emphasising the offside call as being determined by a mere centimetre. Regarding the handball ruling, he lamented the strict and unnatural requirements imposed on defenders, stating, “We cannot require our defenders to run with arms like this, it’s not natural. Joachim is running normally, it’s a normal situation.”
While Hjulmand reiterated that he is not fundamentally opposed to VAR, he strongly questioned its application in these instances. He stressed the need for decisive decisions that are clear and unambiguous, suggesting that “when a decision is good it should be visible from the moon,” and not dependent on minuscule measurements.
In addition to the controversial calls, the match was also characterised by a 25-minute delay due to an electrical storm, reminding Hjulmand of a previous experience where a player was struck by lightning during a match. This incident underscored the importance of player safety, prompting the decision to temporarily halt the game.
On the other hand, Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann, expressed satisfaction with his team’s resilience in the face of adversity and their performance in securing the victory. He identified himself as a proponent of VAR, despite Denmark’s dissatisfaction with its implementation, while also criticising the referee for disallowing an early goal by Nico Schlotterbeck, deeming him to be “petty” in his decision-making.
The heated match and Hjulmand’s impassioned critique of the handball rules have reignited the ongoing debate surrounding officiating in football. While both managers have differing views on the role of VAR and the decisions made, the controversy stemming from this match is likely to feature prominently in discussions about the future of the sport.