Gary Neville has blasted the decision to award Harry Kane a first-half penalty in England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands, labelling the call ‘an absolute disgrace’.
Xavi Simons broke the deadlock with a thunderous strike early on in Dortmund but England fought back and were level just 11 minutes later after Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to have fouled Kane, who converted from 12 yards.
Replays appeared to show the England captain following through and connecting with the bottom of Dumfries’ boot while firing a shot over Bart Verbruggen’s crossbar.
However, Felix Zwayer booked Dumfries and pointed to the spot following a brief VAR check and the decision has divided fans and pundits, with Lee Dixon and Ally McCoist left stunned on ITV’s commentary of the incident.
Ex-England and Manchester United right-back Neville was equally gobsmacked in the ITV studio at the half-time break, insisting VAR should not have intervened as it was ‘never a penalty’.
‘Look, as a defender, Mark [Pougatch], I think it’s an absolute disgrace. It’s an absolute disgraceful decision, that,’ an animated Neville said.
‘To have that given against me as a penalty, at any time, but in a game of such importance…
‘I was fuming with the one the other week, the Denmark one, the handball, that was a disgrace as well. I was offended by that one.
‘I have to say, he just goes in to try and block the shot. It’s not a penalty, for me. It’s nowhere near a penalty and I have say, I don’t think there weren’t many England players claiming for it either.
‘Harry stayed down, he got a little bit of a tap on his foot, but it’s never a penalty for me.
‘Obviously you take your luck. England have played really well in that first half.’
Ian Wright disagreed with Neville, though, arguing that Dumfries’ challenge on Kane was ‘reckless’ and would have been deemed a foul in any other area of the pitch.
‘When you look at the way that penalties are given now and the way the game is with things that go to VAR, that was reckless,’ the former Arsenal and England striker bit back.
‘From Dumfries, the way he’s challenged there. Gary! That’s why he’s given it! We’ve got VAR, we’ve got everything and they’ve given it.
‘If that’s anywhere else on the pitch you’d get a foul for it. Penalties are given for those.’
Neville refused to lie down, suggesting that fans and pundits were ‘going mad’ if Dumfries’ challenge was deemed a foul in the modern game.
‘We’re all going mad. We all don’t know what a penalty is [anymore], we think that’s reckless…’ he added.
‘If someone thinks that is reckless… we’ve conditioned ourselves now in the game whereby we think that’s reckless and that’s a penalty.
‘Honestly, that is not a penalty.’
Christina Unkel, ITV’s refereeing analyst in Germany, appeared to agree with Neville’s stance and was taken aback by the decision to consult VAR for the 18th-minute penalty incident.
Asked whether there was any suggestion of a foul on first viewing, she replied: ‘No. No suggestion by the VAR for recommendation of a penalty.
‘Once Kane gets the shot off and it’s clear and natural… we’ll take a lot to see if Dumfries’ action goes above and beyond.’
Unkel added: ‘One of the surprising things here is is there a studs contact? Yes, from Dumfries on to the top of the boot from Kane.
‘However, Kane is getting the shot off completely his momentum is following him through.
‘I’m quite surprised this is being sent. It’s not a clear and obvious error and in fact the preferred recommendation is for this not to be a penalty.’
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