The Real Reason Why Referee Anthony Taylor Denied Germany a Penalty Against Spain, Despite Marc Cucurella Clear Handball in the Euro 2024 Quarterfinals

In the Euro 2024 quarterfinal match, Germany’s call for a penalty was dismissed in extra time before they suffered a last-minute defeat to Spain.

The hosts were furious when Jamal Musiala’s long-range shot hit the hand of Spain’s Marc Cucurella in the first half of extra time. Cucurella hand was close to his body but blocked Musiala’s effort, leading to immediate protests from the German players.

The Surprising Reason Why Germany Was Denied a Penalty Despite Cucurella’s Handball

Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Niclas Fullkrug immediately put pressure on referee Anthony Taylor, but he rejected their appeals. Taylor’s decision was supported by Stuart Atwell, the VAR official for the match.

According to ESPN editor Dale Johnson, the referee was correct in not awarding a penalty for this handball incident based on UEFA’s interpretation of handball rules:

“UEFA’s pre-tournament press conference on handball provided a specific example similar to Marc Cucurella’s, stating that such a handball SHOULD NOT be considered a penalty. The arm was close to the body, primarily directed downward along the body’s axis, and was in a position behind the line of the body.”

“This is different from the penalty awarded against Joachim Andersen for Germany. UEFA considers that arm positions like Cucurella’s are not unnatural and do not create a barrier. Fans might understandably think these two decisions are inconsistent.”

Christine Unkel, a rules analyst for ITV, also clarified the decision on social media:

Unkel wrote: “If you are calling for a handball penalty in the Spain vs Germany match, you are not the only one who is unfamiliar with the rules. Referees can certainly not award a penalty in the following scenarios:

“The arm is considered to be directed downward, close to the body, and in line with the body’s natural position. The arm is falling, making it smaller when in the correct position. Most importantly, the arm must be behind the body as the player moves forward.”

In the end, Germany was knocked out of the tournament by a 119th-minute header from Mikel Merino. This gave Spain a 2-1 victory in extra time and advanced them to the Euro 2024 semifinals against France.