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A goal awarded despite the ball not crossing the line, or denied when it clearly did. Before goal-line technology, these caused huge controversies. Lampard's shot against Germany in 2010 clearly crossed the line but wasn't given; Luis Garcia for Liverpool against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final in 2005; Geoff Hurst's 1966 World Cup final goal probably didn't cross but was given. Technology has mostly eliminated ghost goals, but the term lives on.
Frank Lampard's ghost goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup is still controversial. The ball bounced off the bar and clearly crossed the line, but without goal-line technology, the goal wasn't given. England were 2-1 down at the time.
The Ref
Feb 5, 2026
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