The coaches of Uruguay and Ghana have brushed aside conspiracy theories claiming English referee Howard Webb was replaced as the man in charge of Friday's World Cup quarter-final because of the controversy over Frank Lampard's disallowed goal.
A Uruguayan referee team led by Jorge Larrionda was in charge of the England v Germany match when Lampard's shot clearly crossed the line but no goal was given. FIFA announced on Thursday that Portugal official Olegario Benquerenca will take charge of the Uruguay v Ghana quarter-final and insisted there was no question that Webb, who has not been given a last-eight match, had originally been earmarked for the match.
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said: "It seems every time there is a slight coincidence of any sort we start to dramatise things."
Years | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
2006 | Italy | France | Germany |
2002 | Brazil | Germany | Turkey |
1998 | France | Brazil | Croatia |
1994 | Brazil | Italy | Sweden |
1990 | Germany | Argentina | Italy |
1986 | Argentina | Germany | France |
1982 | Italy | Germany | Poland |
1978 | Argentina | Holland | Brazil |
1974 | Germany | Holland | Poland |
1970 | Brazil | Italy | Germany |
1966 | England | Germany | Portugal |
1962 | Brazil | Czech | Chile |
1958 | Brazil | Sweden | France |
1954 | Germany | Hungary | Austria |
1950 | Uruguay | Brazil | Sweden |
1938 | Italy | Hungary | Brazil |
1934 | Italy | Czech | Germany |
1930 | Uruguay | Argentina | America |