Referees are often accused of taking the fun out of football, and it is easy to understand why when spectacular goals are ruled out for minor infringements.
Here are 10 efforts that should have survived the rulebook on sheer aesthetic merit, including strikes involving former Liverpool and Manchester United players.
Lo Celso’s denied equaliser
Real Betis were matching Barcelona blow for blow when Giovani Lo Celso appeared to level the game with a superb half-volley.
The Betis supporters celebrated wildly, only for the officials to disallow the goal because of a debatable handball in the build-up.
It was the sort of decision that made pedantry appear to be the overriding objective.
Mac Allister misses out
Alexis Mac Allister scored twice as Brighton beat Leicester 5-2 in September 2022, but he was denied a hat-trick after an official spotted an infringement sufficiently minor to make the decision feel particularly harsh.
The disallowed effort ensured he would not complete a memorable treble.
Carroll’s spectacular double
Andy Carroll remains the only player to score for England at a major tournament and win the Grand National in the same year.
Although his movement can appear cumbersome, the former striker has also produced moments of remarkable technical quality. His two goals for Reading against Fulham last season were examples of that ability.
Both efforts were ruled out, but their quality remained. Anyone who appreciated the strikes would have struggled to care about the decisions.
Keegan’s volley
Kevin Keegan was one of the defining footballers of his generation, combining immense popularity with a winning smile, infectious enthusiasm and a perm that would have embarrassed Deirdre Barlow.
The former Liverpool player also possessed outstanding ability, demonstrated by an unstoppable volley against Manchester United in 1981.
The goal was disallowed because David Armstrong was judged to be offside, despite not becoming involved in the move.
“Ron Atkinson [United manager] was honest enough to admit that the spectacular volley should have stood instead of being ruled out,” reported The Guardian.
Osvaldo’s acrobatics
Dani Osvaldo was facing former club Lecce when he produced an extraordinary acrobatic finish that flew beyond Julio Sergio.
The effort had all the drama of a Roman amphitheatre, yet it was not allowed to stand. The application of the rules felt especially unforgiving in this case.
A bicycle kick at Camp Nou
Scoring a first-time volley and a bicycle kick that goes in off the bar at Camp Nou would be extraordinary against almost any opponent.
Doing so against one of the greatest football teams ever assembled would make it even more remarkable. The goal was instead ruled out for offside.
Rodman denied at Wembley
The United States Women’s National Team produced a flowing move at Wembley, finished calmly by Trinity Rodman.
It was a goal worthy of a meeting between the two best teams in women’s football, but VAR intervened and the effort was disallowed.
