Keith Hackett

Tue 20 December 2022 17:13, UK

Keith Hackett has questioned why a video of Man United defender Lisandro Martinez and his Argentina teammates signing anti-English chants stopped Anthony Taylor from refereeing the World Cup final.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa, Uefa and Premier League referee delivered his verdict after the controversy blocked Taylor from officiating the final between Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France on Sunday (18 December).

In footage shared by Forces News last week (16 December), Martinez and his teammates are seen signing an anti-English chant that references the Falklands War after their win over Croatia in the semi-finals (13 December).

The Times reported the same day that it had stopped Taylor from being selected for the final after making it to the shortlist of officials who were kept on for the latter stages of the tournament.

“I think it’s a nonsense,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

“I just go back to my own experience in 1983 when I refereed the World Youth Championship in Mexico and there was a public meeting between me and the Argentinian referee that was pushed through by Fifa to say ‘The war is over. There’s no conflict, this is football’.

“I was involved in officiating the Argentinian team in that tournament.

“In that sense, 40-plus years on I don’t see it.

“Taylor was in contention because he was retained. Evidence proved that they selected a top-class referee, Szymon Marciniak.

“The number two choice would have been the American referee because he officiated very well in the tournament and must have been a very strong contender. In my view, it was between those two for the final.

“It finished up with the American as fourth official which was recognition for his tournament.

“I don’t think the Falklands War is in the public consciousness. Life has moved on.”

In other news, Man United have opened direct talks to sign a player and £45million will seal a January deal.