Soccer and sportsmanship do not go together.

Absolutely, cause the great FRENCH football association, and public could not stand to lose in a rematch..... I lived in Europe for over 40 years, so don't TELL ME about the FRENCH'S strong willed constitution......it's famous....

Freedom fries rule!!!! And yeah old Handy Henry will be a hero in france, but everywhere else, not so much.

Erin go braugh!!!!

apart from the fact that the handball is probably a carrer ender for the player and the refs>

its certainly no worse than the ref at the us game last world cup

fact is neither france nor ireland played will enough to deserve to go forward. the irish looked like a bunch of Gaelic football players and the french looked like some fashion qweens showing off their body hugging "tops" looked more like soccer tennis than soccer>

hard to miss that handball though.

lately soccer has become a game of "looking for fouls", free kick and penalties rather than the game of skill it used to be.

now everyone is looking for a whistle and the ref has to be alot more discenring in their calls that put them in a much different role than that which they should be.

its a shame really.

If the French really believe in honor, then they'll boycott the world cup. They're going to lose anyway. Might as well go out with honor, and stand for principle, in otherwards actually do something useful for civilization other than kick a ball around for a living.

Wait, what am I thinking. These are professional athletes. Winning is everything, honor is for losers.

... and before it even gets started, the World Cup is already tainted. If Fifa has any hope of saving face on this blunder (and the blunder not being the official's missed call, but the blown opportunity to do the right thing...) they better hope France doesn't win.

But in the end, the only way to get Fifa moving is to not watch and not attend. Chances of that happening? Pretty slim, which, of course, Fifa is well aware of, which is why they're doing nothing about it. So suck on that one while you're forking over all your money soccer fans.

Stuff happens in the last popular "gentleman's" sport on the planet. But when the violator admits his guilt to all and sundry, the violated should get a second chance. That's sportsmanship. No matter the quality of play by either team, a major rule was broken and that was what gave France the victory. It's one thing to say the ref's decision is final when there is a dispute, did he or did he not hand the ball. Henry freely admitted his error. In a sportsmanlike gesture, he ventured there should be a replay. That should be enough for FIFA.

Better luck next qualifications, Ireland.

Out of curiosity wasn't it a French Player that was in trouble a few years back for head butting. There were calls for his removal from FoTball but no body did anything and the French said they would not even suspend him. I think their premise was that they had to have him as they went to the World Cup that year also. When it comes to the French and playing by the rules the two appear to be at extreme opposites. That's alright though as the French are the only only society that has never won a war. I guess if you can't defend yourself then you are allowed to break the rules in a game. As for me I just think the French are idiots.