Yesterday, Italy beat England in the Euro 2020 Championship 1-1 (3-2).
Editor's Note: We were rooting for England.
The defining moment of the Italians' victory was 36 year old Giorgio Chiellini clearly, and unarguably, playing the man and not the ball, and pulling down 19 year old Bukayo Saka from behind. There were only seconds left in regulation time. It is debatable whether Saka would have scored or not, but the ball was in front of him and he had a clear path to the goal.
The correct call on the field would have been a straight red card for Chiellini. He was beaten and he violently pulled a man down from behind. Until England wins its next trophy, this is the image that will be etched in the fans' minds.
If the ref made the right call, Chiellini would have been shown the red and Italy would have had to play extra time a man down. With one of the best Italian defenders ejected and playing shorthanded would have changed the dynamics of the rest of the game.
For those who say tugging on the jersey is a Yellow Card, they are Sunday League duffers. The Chiellini foul was tackling a player by using the jersey. Big difference.
Even in American Football that tackle is illegal. Look it up, tackling a player by the collar is a 15 yard penalty.
I'm not the only one who called for a Red Card.
"Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini had one of the most blatant red cards that wasn’t called in history." - Awesomo.com
"Definition of Anti-Football." - Express UK
"Most Cynical Foul in History." Daily Star UK
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