Howard Webb's Confession: "I Caused Tottenham's Defeat"

Former English Premier League referee Howard Webb confessed to a British media outlet that "the result of the match between Manchester United and Tottenham held in April 2009 was changed due to a wrong decision." Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] Howard Webb, a referee who officiated in the England Premier League (EPL) for 11 years, confessed to a past mistaken call he made.

In an interview with the British sports magazine 'The Athletic' in May 2020, he admitted, "The result of the match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in April 2009 was overturned due to a wrong decision I made."

As the referee at the time, he awarded a penalty kick to Manchester United in the 12th minute of the second half when Tottenham was leading 2-0, and Cristiano Ronaldo successfully converted it, leading to a 5-2 comeback victory.

He said, "I was excited because I had been selected as the referee for the FA Cup final," and "Tottenham was leading 2-0 in the early stages of the second half."

He added, "I saw Carrick first take the ball, and then the goalkeeper touch him. It was an easy situation to call a penalty kick," and "As usual, I waited for the players' protests. However, Gomez's reaction was not what I expected, and I realized I had made a mistake."

He continued, "I did not realize I had made a mistake when I maintained the decision," and "After realizing it, I hoped Cristiano Ronaldo would miss the penalty kick."

Meanwhile, Howard Webb served as an EPL referee from 2003 to 2014 and also officiated the 2010 South Africa World Cup final.

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