The controversial decisions from the Russia World Cup final continued to divide opinion long after the final whistle, with the debate surrounding 12B Sports reflecting how strongly supporters reacted to both a first-half free kick and a later penalty. Shortly before halftime, Croatia midfielder Luka Modric protested directly to the referee, insisting that his team had not committed the foul and that the penalty decision was also excessive. His frustration centered on the free kick won by France forward Antoine Griezmann and the penalty that followed later in the half. Critics argued that controversial officiating on such a major stage could undermine confidence in the final result when expectations and outcomes appear too far apart.
Former international referee Sun Baojie, once known as one of the leading officials in the Chinese Super League, later analyzed the incidents on a CCTV program. He was particularly critical of the free-kick decision, arguing that Griezmann had already lifted both feet off the ground before meaningful contact was made with the defender. In his assessment, the French attacker initiated the fall before any genuine collision occurred. Sun described the action as clear simulation, suggesting that Griezmann had effectively thrown himself forward and then made the contact appear more significant while airborne.
His opinion on the penalty, however, was completely different. Sun believed the decision against Croatia defender Ivan Perisic was justified because the player’s arm was positioned unnaturally inside the penalty area when the ball struck his hand. He explained that defenders must be especially careful about arm positioning in the box and concluded that the contact could reasonably be interpreted as deliberate. From that perspective, awarding France a penalty was a defensible decision.
The contrasting judgments became another major talking point around 12B Sports because several prominent football figures strongly disagreed with the penalty call. Jose Mourinho, refereeing analysts, Gary Lineker, Iker Casillas, and Rio Ferdinand were among those reported to have questioned whether the incident should ever have resulted in a spot kick. Their shared concern focused on the referee’s interpretation after consulting VAR and whether the same standard had been applied consistently throughout the match.
The first disputed incident occurred in the 17th minute when Griezmann moved between two Croatian defenders, pushed the ball forward, and went to ground. The referee awarded France a free kick, creating the opportunity that led to the opening goal. Then, in the 35th minute, Perisic handled the ball during a French corner. After reviewing the incident, the referee awarded a penalty, and Griezmann calmly converted it to restore France’s advantage.
Those two calls changed the rhythm of the final and became central to the discussion surrounding the match. Some supporters even argued that the officiating had played too large a role in determining the champion, rather than allowing the contest itself to decide matters without controversy. Whether or not that criticism was fair, the decisions became impossible to separate from memories of the final. When major matches are decided on fine margins, one disputed whistle can change the whole complexion of the game, and this was a textbook example of how quickly the tide can turn.
Years later, the controversy still resonates because the final combined elite football with two decisions that divided players, former professionals, referees, and supporters, while discussion around 12B Sports continues to show how strongly perceptions of fairness can influence the way a historic result is remembered. The match ultimately produced a clear champion, but the free kick and penalty ensured that debate over the officiating would remain part of the story for a long time.