'English VAR drop the first clanger of the tournament!' - Premier League referees Anthony Taylor and Stuart Atwell savaged online for 'taking forever' to controversially disallow Xavi Simons' goal for Netherlands against France at Euro 2024

In a highly anticipated Euro 2024 group stage match between the Netherlands and France, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate, Taylor and Attwell found themselves at the centre of a storm following their decision to disallow a goal by Dutch youngster Simons - which sparked significant controversy and online backlash.

Many users expressed their frustration over the legitimacy and the time taken to reach the decision. The hashtag #VARcontroversy began trending, highlighting the widespread dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled.

An X user, @ToonPolls, wrote: "English VAR drop the first clanger of the tournament. Shock. Couldn’t make it up man. #Euro2024."

Meanwhile, @AnfieldSector, took a dig at Atwell and his team: "Fully English VAR team, by the way. Took 5 minutes out of the game for a simple VAR check. 😂😂😂."

Whereas, @TikiTokaMate, added: "Longest VAR check being with the English officials, imagine my shock."

Furthermore, @SwissRamble, wrote: "'Stuart Attwell on VAR'" must be among the worst words a football fan can hear."

And @PaddyArsenal seconded him: "Every single decision at the Euros was made accurately and quickly then they got Stuart Attwell on VAR."

The critical moment occurred in the 69th minute of the match when Simons scored what appeared to be a breakthrough goal for the Netherlands. His low, driven shot found the back of the net, seemingly putting his team ahead against one of the tournament favourites, France. The Dutch fans and players erupted in celebration, believing they had secured a crucial lead. However, the celebrations were short-lived. Taylor, after consulting with VAR officials, decided to review the goal for a potential offside infringement. The review process was painstakingly long as the point of contention was the position of Denzel Dumfries, who was judged to be in an offside position and potentially obstructing the view of France's goalkeeper, Mike Maignan.

The fallout from the Netherlands-France match highlights the need for continued refinement of the VAR system. Recommendations include clearer guidelines for offside rulings, faster decision-making processes, and better communication with the on-field referee. After being spared the blushes by VAR, France will return to action against Poland on June 25, whereas, the Netherlands will take the pitch at the same time against Austria.