by ‘I’m on Sky 10, 11 and very rarely say a referee is an absolute disgrace, but he was a SHOCKER’: Gary Neville again slams Wilton Sampaio after his performance in England’s defeat in World Cup against France
Gary Neville has launched another attack on referee Wilton Sampaio after the Brazilian’s performance in England’s World Cup quarter-final against France.
Sampaio faced extreme criticism after England were kicked out of the tournament, with several key decisions going against Gareth Southgate’s side during the match.
Neville, speaking on sky sportssaid the referee was a “shame” and said his performance was “strange”, but refused to blame him for England’s exit from the tournament.
Gary Neville launched an attack on referee Wilton Sampaio for his performance in England’s game against France
Neville said Sampaio was ‘awful’ and ‘had a shock’ as England were knocked out of the World Cup on Saturday
“I think the referee could have been better, I thought he was horrible,” he said. “It’s not me blaming the referee for England’s exit, I just thought he was awful.
“I don’t say much anymore. I used to do that when I played I kinda thought that but I’ve been on the sky for 10/11 years and very rarely say the ref was a disgrace – I thought he had a shock.
“We were sitting in the corner where the penalty was with Kane in the first half, there were three or four fouls in that area in the first half and I thought, how did it not not been given a fault? It was strange.’
The England players grew frustrated with the Brazilian’s performance as the game progressed
England were denied a first-half penalty when Harry Kane was tripped by Dayot Upamecano, while Aurélien Tchouameni’s opening goal was allowed to stand despite an apparent trip over Bukayo Saka in the preparation.
Sampaio then failed to give away a penalty when Theo Hernandez pushed Mason Mount, eventually changing his mind and pointing for the spot after VAR interference.
‘Even the sentence pronounced against [Theo] Hernandez was not given on the pitch, Neville continued. And don’t think too much about it, it was a flagrant foul.
“It’s a double mistake – the full-back lost his man and then hit him from the back. You see the defenders relieving the players – that wasn’t it, it was a barge in the back of a player. The referee was so bad. The first goal was hard.
Harry Kane was denied a penalty after a trip by Dayot Upamecano in the first half of the game
France’s first goal was also cleared despite a potential foul on Bukayo Saka
Neville then praised England for their performance despite being eliminated, insisting the Three Lions are on a “journey” under Gareth Southgate.
The World Cup was Southgate’s third major tournament in charge, with England coming close to success in all three.
“Football games are decided by thin margins and that’s what happened last night,” Neville added. “I was sitting on the platform thinking about his game now because they’re there, you could feel it, they were there for the taking. And we didn’t do that.
“You have to cross the line, you just have to do it. The best teams, the ones we remember, do that. But it is an evolution, part of a journey. I don’t feel so harsh when I say these players don’t have it, I don’t feel like that.
