Denmark defender Joachim Andersen has slammed the harsh penalty call against him during their 2-0 loss to Germany at Euro 2024, branding it the "craziest" handball decision he's ever seen, according to Sportskeeda. Andersen's goal was disallowed for offside, and a penalty was awarded against him for handball, which he believes was an unfair call.
The controversial moment came in the 48th minute when Andersen's effort was ruled out for offside, only for the VAR to intervene and award a penalty against him for handball. Kai Havertz converted the spot-kick, and Germany went on to secure a 2-0 victory.
Andersen expressed his frustration in a post-match interview, saying, "It was crazy and not a penalty at all. I can't run around with my arms behind my back and play football. He's half a meter away from me and hits the ball on my hand, so I can't see what I could do to prevent it."
The Denmark defender also questioned the offside call, calling it "minimal" and "difficult to see." Andersen believes that if the goal had been allowed, Denmark would have won the game.
Despite the controversial loss, Andersen took pride in Denmark's performance at Euro 2024, conceding only four goals in four games. The defender will now shift his focus to helping Denmark qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Andersen's comments add to the ongoing debate about VAR's impact on football, with many calling for reforms to the technology. The incident will be remembered as one of the most controversial moments of Euro 2024.