Former Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne has insisted France should not have been allowed to participate in the 2010 FIFA World Cup after a hugely controversial qualifying play-off. Dunne, who was an unused substitute during Ireland's last World Cup appearance in 2002, saw his chance to play at South Africa 2010 snatched away by one of the most infamous moments in football history.
Ireland's Unbeaten Qualifying Campaign
Ireland went unbeaten in their qualifying group but six draws from ten matches meant Italy finished six points clear of Giovanni Trapattoni's side to secure automatic qualification. The Boys in Green were forced into a two-legged play-off against France, a tie that would become legendary for all the wrong reasons.
After losing 1-0 in Dublin to a Nicolas Anelka goal, Ireland travelled to the Stade de France needing a victory to reach the World Cup. Robbie Keane scored shortly after the half-hour mark to level the aggregate score, sending the game into extra time.
The Handball That Shocked the World
In extra time, Thierry Henry controlled a cross with his hand before passing to William Gallas, who tapped in. The incident was not spotted by referee Martin Hansson or his assistants, and the goal was allowed to stand, sending France to the World Cup at Ireland's expense. Henry later issued an apology, but the damage was done.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Sport via William Hill's Jude Bellingham World Cup 2026 goals, Dunne said he has accepted Henry's apology but believes the match should have been replayed. "I have accepted it, yeah, of course. I mean the way FIFA is at the moment it probably should have been replayed," he said. "I don't think there's been worse requests than that, but now it is what it is. Football is like that sometimes; it kicks you in the balls and you lose out. That was our time then so it was unfortunate, but it is what it is."
FIFA Rejects Ireland's Replay Request
Ireland formally wrote to FIFA requesting a replay, but the governing body swiftly rejected the appeal, stating: "As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."
Years later, Henry revealed to Canal Plus what he said to the distraught Irish players: "You are talking about people I spent so many times on the pitch with. I just said to them, 'Yes, it was hand, I'm sorry.' And you know what? They told me: 'We don't blame you.'" He described the handball as "a reflex by a competitor, just like when you reach out for the ball on the line when your goalkeeper is beaten."
Dunne's Mixed Feelings on Henry's Apology
At the time, Dunne was critical of Henry and the officials, saying: "I think it was quite blatant that he cheated. The linesman was in line with the incident, it wasn't even a hard decision to make." Reflecting on the moment to L'Equipe years later, Dunne did not hold back on Henry's gesture when he sat next to him on the turf to apologise. "He felt regret and told me he had handballed it. I was thinking, 'why are you telling me this?' Could you not have told the referee a few minutes ago? It was a difficult moment for me because I was dejected from our elimination, and his admission made it even worse for me," he said. Asked whether he would have done the same thing, Dunne replied: "Absolutely not. What Henry did at that moment was a bit of showmanship. A way to show that he was a nice guy and that he wanted to apologise… It was nonsense."
France's Disastrous World Cup Campaign
If there is any consolation for Ireland, France were an embarrassment at the 2010 World Cup. Les Bleus picked up just one point and were eliminated in the group stage after massive internal problems, including players refusing to train under manager Raymond Domenech. Henry failed to start a single game at the tournament and retired from international football after the humiliating campaign, which remains a stain on French football.
