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Most Controversial WC Games Wayne Rooney was sent off in the second half for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho during a tangle for the ball. The bigger flashpoint was Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney's Manchester United teammate, who appeared to lobby referee Horacio Elizondo for the card and was then caught on camera winking to the Portugal bench after the dismissal. England, down to ten men, lost yet another shootout, and the "wink" became a lasting symbol of the rivalry — fueling months of speculation about whether Rooney and Ronaldo could still share a dressing room at United.

Most Controversial WC Games Japan's winning goal came after Kaoru Mitoma kept the ball in play by what looked, to the naked eye, like millimeters. VAR confirmed a sliver of the ball was still over the line, knocking Germany out of the tournament and prompting endless arguments about the geometry of the call.

Most Controversial WC Games Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz handed out a World Cup-record 18 yellow cards in a chaotic, ill-tempered match. Lionel Messi openly criticized him afterward, and the official was sent home from the tournament.