Thierry Henry's Handball — France vs. Ireland (2009)

During the 2010 World Cup playoff on November 18, 2009, Thierry Henry blatantly handled the ball twice before crossing it to William Gallas for the winning goal against Ireland. Swedish referee Martin Hansson missed the infraction from just 5 yards away, and FIFA's refusal to use goal-line technology at the time meant no review was possible. France won 1–1 on aggregate, eliminating Ireland from qualification. Henry later admitted the handball but argued that referees should have caught it. FIFA's subsequent investigation led to no sanctions, but the outcry forced a 2010 rule change allowing extra officials behind the goals. The incident remains a textbook example of how a single missed call can nullify years of team effort, impacting over €15 million in potential revenue for Ireland's football federation.