10 Ridiculous Refereeing Decisions That Almost Ruined Football

8. Silvia Regina de Oliveira (Santacruzense vs. Atletico Sorocaba, 2006)

Another refereeing catastrophe that makes the list more for the scale of its mistake rather than the importance that the mistake had on the world of football. However, for a brief period it time it meant people from all over the world would hop onto YouTube to watch some action from the Paulista Football Federation. As this match was nearing its conclusion, Athletico Sorocaba were heading towards a 1-0 victory over Santacruzense. However, a young ball boy was going to make the headlines by coming onto the pitch and scoring a dramatic equalizer in the dying minutes of the match. But, this wasn't a Hollywood movie where a boy is picked from the side of the pitch to come on due to a massive injury crisis in the home team. He entered the game a ball boy, and he left probably never allowed to do that ever again, as with the ball out of play for a goal kick, the lad impertinently kicked the ball into the Sorocaba goal. As the goalkeeper went to retrieve the ball for the restart, he was rudely interrupted by the referee pointing to the centre circle as he awarded the "goal" to Santacruzense. Apparently he went by the discretion of his linesman, rather than rely on his own eyesight which must of seen a ball boy kick the ball from out of play into the goal. Cue widespread hysteria and bans all around for the officials of that game, who showed in this instance that four eyes are not always better than two. Or one. Or none. Incidentally though, the ball boy did win Santacruzense's Player of the Year award.