Hand Of God, Beckham v Simeone and England's World Cup referee controversies

The score was 2-2 in the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany when Geoff Hurst received the ball from Alan Ball in the box in the first period of extra time.

Hurst struck a fierce shot which bounced down off the underside of the bar before being cleared. Both teams contested whether the ball crossed the line before USSR linesman Tofik Bakhramov and Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst awarded the goal.

England went on to win 4-2 to lift the World Cup for the first, and only, time with Hurst scoring a hat-trick. The former West Ham striker remains the only person to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

Arguably the most infamous refereeing blunder to have gone against England came in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.

Diego Maradona put his side 1-0 ahead by rising above Peter Shilton and punching the ball over the line. Everyone in England was in uproar, only for the magician to double his side's lead minutes later with the widely-heralded goal of the century.

A late England goal was not enough as the Three Lions were beaten 2-1. The resentment from Shilton still lingers to this day. 

In this World Cup quarter-final, England were trailing 2-1 against the tournament’s surprise packages heading into the final stages before a questionable penalty was awarded to the Three Lions for a challenge on Gary Lineker.

The England striker converted the spot-kick to send the game into extra-time and, in the 105th minute, they were remarkably awarded a second penalty following another debatable challenge on Lineker.

Lineker stepped up to score again to earn England a 3-2 win and place in the semi-finals at the expense of the unfortunate Cameroon.

England had to win or draw against the Netherlands to pip them to second place in the group to qualify for the World Cup.

With the score at 0-0, David Platt was bearing down on goal only to be dragged down by Ronald Koeman on the edge of the area.

There was debate to be had over whether it should have been a penalty or a free-kick, but Koeman clearly should have been sent off, yet remarkably he only received a booking. The Netherlands went onto win 2-0 and qualify with Koeman scoring their first goal, and England coach Graham Taylor departed soon after. 

In what has become one of the most infamous knockout games in World Cup history, Argentina were ahead after just five minutes through a Gabriel Batistuta spot-kick, but England were afforded an almost immediate path back into the game by being given a penalty of their own.

Michael Owen burst into the penalty area and threw himself to the ground as Argentina defender Roberto Ayala pulled out of the challenge. Alan Shearer converted the penalty to level things up in Saint Etienne at 1-1.

Just after half-time with the score at 2-2, the drama continued to escalate.

David Beckham was on the ground after being fouled by Diego Simeone and he vented his frustration by kicking out at the Argentine.

In this same extraordinary game, England managed to keep the score at 2-2 despite being down to 10 men for much of the second half and they should have won the game in the final moments.

In what was virtually the final action of the game, an England corner found the head of Sol Campbell who nodded home and ran off in celebration, only for it to be disallowed for Alan Shearer supposedly elbowing the goalkeeper.

The Argentinians went on to win 4-3 on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals. 

There was little to separate the two teams in this World Cup quarter-final and, looking back in hindsight, it seems clear that Portugal's tactics were to wind up the inexperienced and fiery Wayne Rooney.

Portugal successfully achieved their aim on the hour when Rooney was sent off for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho and there was further cause for England anger when Cristiano Ronaldo was caught winking at his own bench in the aftermath.

With his Manchester United team-mate off the pitch, Ronaldo and his Portugal team-mates went on to win 3-1 on penalties after the game finished 0-0.

At the time, this was the most high-profile incident of a goal not being given for apparently not crossing the line, and it certainly pushed forward the introduction of goal-line technology.

With the score at 2-1 to Germany heading towards half-time, Lampard hit a superb shot which beat Manuel Neuer and bounced a foot over the line but was not given by the officials.

England went onto deservedly lose the game 4-1 to miss out on a quarter-final place, but the story may have been very different had Lampard's goal been allowed. 

In England's opener at the World Cup in Russia against Tunisia, they secured a 2-1 success thanks to Harry Kane’s brace, with the winner coming in second-half stoppage-time.

However, the use of VAR, and also the seemingly lack of it, could have led to a different outcome for Gareth Southgate’s side.

Tunisia equalised in the first half from the penalty spot after Kyle Walker’s arm caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, while Kane then appeared to be grappled to the ground before, and after, half-time without the officials calling on VAR.