A report on Euro 2024 published by the UEFA Referees Committee says Germany should have been awarded a penalty for handling the ball in their quarter-final defeat to Spain.
As part of UEFA's regular work in issuing guidance to referees, it reviews situations and gives advice on how they should be dealt with and noted that a penalty should have been awarded.
The match was 1-1 at the end of the first half of extra time when Jamal Musiala's shot hit Marc Cucurella's arm.
The German players were outraged that referee Anthony Taylor did not award a penalty, saying the Spanish defender had his arm close to his body.
The decision was upheld by VAR Stuart Attwell. Spain won the match 2-1 with a goal from Mikel Merino in the 119th minute and lifted the trophy by beating England in the final.
Before the tournament, UEFA's chief referee Roberto Rosetti had presented examples of a shot on goal with the arm close to the side, explaining that this should not be considered handball.
However, the Referees Committee's report stated that it did not consider Cucurella's arm to be close enough to the body. It stated that “hand contact with the ball which stops a shot at goal should be punished more severely and, in most cases, a penalty kick should be awarded, unless the defender's arm is very close to the body or on the body.”
He added: “In this case, the defender stops the shot on goal with his arm, which is not very close to the body, making it bigger, so a penalty should have been awarded.”
