[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

and the cheating of 2014. Brazil stole the opening game against Croatia.

Don't even get me started.

EDIT: Congratulations, you got me started.

From Wikipedia:

Brazil vs Croatia




Referee Yuichi Nishimura (right) at the Group A opening match


Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura faced heavy criticism for his performance in the Group A opening match between Croatia and the host team Brazil as several decisions favoured the host nation.
In the 71st minute, Croatia defender Dejan Lovren put his hands below Brazil striker Fred's arms in the Croatian penalty area, after which Fred fell down. Nishimura decided to award Brazil a penalty kick which forward Neymar subsequently converted for their second goal in a 3–1 win. The call was condemned by various sources, including former top-level FIFA referees,[28] newspaper writers,[29][30][31] players from other teams,[32] and fans in Nishimura's home country,[33] saying that Lovren's contact was minimal and that Fred went down on his own. 12 minutes later, the Croatians had an equaliser controversially disallowed for a supposed foul by Croatian forward Ivica Olić as Brazilian goalkeeper Júlio César went down in a high-ball duel, another call that was also condemned by many sources.[34][35][36][37]
Earlier in the game, in the 26th minute, Neymar elbowed Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić, after which Neymar was issued a yellow card. Croatia was at that time leading the game 1–0.[38] Many critics agreed that Neymar's punishment was too lenient and that Neymar should have been issued a full red card, which would have taken him out for the remainder of the game and left Brazil with just 10 players on the field.[33][39][40][41][42]
Also, while the match being equalised, Ivica Olic was running with the ball in a fast Croatian counterattack, Dani Alves tripped him with his knee against the heel but, even though it was not on purpose, Olic was right about to face the keeper and the Brazilian deserved a red card for it. Nevertheless, the Japanese referee didn't show Alves any cards because he didn't give Croatia the free kick. Right after that, FIFA repeated the action on the screens twice, being the first in a very complicated angle to determinate if there was or was not a contact between the players, and being the second showed from a very good angle but right after the contact between the player was made.
Near the end of the match, right before Oscar scored a third goal for the home team, Ramires went on a tackle with a very hard kick against Rakitic's legs in the center of the field that made the Croatian fall and lose the ball. No foul was called, and the ball was taken by Oscar who ran with it and scored.
Renowned former top-level FIFA referee Markus Merk questioned FIFA's appointment of Nishimura as the referee in the opening match, labelling the refereeing in the match as "embarrassing".[43] Massimo Busacca, Head of Refereeing Development at FIFA, defended Nishimura's penalty kick decision and insisted that Lovren's contact was significant enough.[44][45] FIFA's marketing director Thierry Weil rejected suggestions that the Brazilians were favoured by Nishimura.[44]