FIFA says it “strongly rebukes” comments made by its ambassador Diego Maradona criticising American referee Mark Geiger’s handling of England’s win against Colombia in the World Cup last 16 on Tuesday.
After Gareth Southgate’s side booked their place in the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout, Maradona said Colombia had been the victims of a “monumental theft”. Maradona also said Geiger should have penalised Kane in the build-up to England’s second-half penalty, and criticised Pierluigi Collina, head of FIFA’s referee committee, for allowing Geiger to officiate the match.
FIFA says Maradona’s “insinuations” were “entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded”.
“FIFA is extremely sorry to read such declarations from a player who has written the history of our game,” the world football body said in a statement.