10 Biggest FIFA World Cup Controversies
3. Graham Poll's Three Yellow Cards Vs. Croatia
Every football fan loves shouting at referees, it's practically part and parcel of being involved in the game at this point. Star striker misses a simple chance? Ref's fault. Captain pulls up with an injury? Wouldn't have happened if the Ref spotted that earlier challenge, etc. etc.
Sometimes however, referees really don't help themselves.
The 2006 World Cup group F game between Croatia and Australia was a crunch match in deciding who would progress to the next round along with Brazil, with one of England's best referees in Graham Poll taking charge as the referee. The score ended 2-2 with Australia progressing, however the controversy had already begun a while before Poll blew the final whistle.
It all started in the 61st minute when Poll issued Croatian defender Josip Simunic with a yellow card for a foul on Harry Kewell. He then gave him another one in the 90th for another foul. And then another one in the 93rd minute for dissent and pushing him away.
For those who can't see what's wrong with the sequence above, a player needs to receive a red card and be ejected from the pitch following their second yellow, something which Graham Poll seemingly forgot to do. The controversy cost Poll and his team a chance at refereeing in the later stages of the tournament, and the English referee retired from all international tournaments following the World Cup.