Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart has reflected on his memorable outburst at a ball boy during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In a match that England would ultimately lose 2-1 to Italy, Hart was captured on camera shouting, “Give me the ****ing ball!” at a ball boy in the game’s closing moments.
The incident, which occurred after Italy’s Andrea Pirlo struck the crossbar with a remarkable free-kick, quickly went viral and continues to resurface on social media.
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart has reflected on his memorable outburst at a ball boy during the 2014 World Cup.
Hart expressed frustration with the ball boys and girls for delaying the game.
Hart, who recently hung up his gloves, explained his perspective on the High Performance podcast. He said, “I had just witnessed one of the most incredible free-kicks ever, deep in the Amazon rainforest against Italy. And throughout the game, the ball boys and girls were taking their time returning the ball.”
“I was there to win the game, and we were trailing 2-1. I think we were in extra time, and I needed the ball urgently,” Hart continued.
The ex-England keeper admitted that his actions were “completely wrong” but emphasized that he was driven by a strong desire to keep his country in the World Cup.
“It was absolutely wrong of me to shout at anyone like that, but I needed the ball because I wanted to get the game going and give England a chance to equalize,” he said.
Hart added, “It happened a long time ago, and it’s only recently that people have been reminding me of it. But what can I say? I was just trying to do what I thought was right at the time.”
Hart acknowledged his mistake but stood by his intention to do what he felt was right.
England’s defeat to Italy was followed by a 2-1 loss to Uruguay and a goalless draw with Costa Rica, resulting in their elimination from the group stage.
Hart represented England 75 times between 2008 and 2017, establishing himself as a key figure in the national team during that period.