Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Kieran Trippier confirms England CONSPIRACY THEORY at World Cup in Russia
KIERAN TRIPPIER has confirmed the truth of one of football’s big conspiracy theories sweeping the internet during the World Cup this summer.
Kieran Trippier has become 'integral' according to Rob Green
It all started when Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning late free-kick in the 3-3 draw with Spain was celebrated by just nine of their players in a bundle just off the pitch by the corner flag.
The goalkeeper stayed in his area and the last player to arrive stood pointedly just inside the touchline.
Similarly, when Harry Kane scored the winner against Tunisia in injury time in England’s opening game, while all the other Three Lions jumped on top of him, Trippier trotted towards the dugout and stood just inside the Tunisia half.
The laws state that a kick-off cannot be taken by a team while opposition players are in their own half – specifically, according to a FIFA spokesman, “Law eight says 'all players, except the player taking the kick-off, must be in their own half of the field of play,' at kick off.”
Yeah, I did ignore the celebrations against Tunisia
The issue became prominent in April 2015 when Macedonia’s under-16 side ran back into their own half to celebrate an injury-time goal and Gibraltar promptly kicked off and ran the ball into the empty net.
FIFA played down whether a team would be allowed to kick-off with players simply off the pitch rather than in their own half but until the status of inactive players is properly defined, international footballers, it seems, are taking no chances.
“Yeah, I did ignore the celebrations against Tunisia and just jog to the corner and stay in their half because of that rule,” Trippier confirmed.
World Cup Insider: Kane scores hat-trick as England beat Panama
“I don’t know if the rule is right or not or it makes a difference, it is just something that as players we are told to do.”
Thankfully, Trippier and the bulk of the England World Cup players also remained on the pitch to celebrate Kane’s first goal against Panama from the spot.
It meant that when Panama did sneakily try to kick off during the celebrations, they had to be hauled back to take the kick-off again.