Thierry Henry controlled the ball with his hand.  He flicked it to William Gallas who headed it into the net.  The goal, scored in extra time, sent France to the World Cup.  On the surface it’s an unrequited romantic narrative.  The heroic Irish were felled by dastardly Frenchman.  The incident played firmly into prominent stereotypes and, unsurprisingly, the media reaction was harsh.

Henry missed his chance to be a hero.  He should have eschewed sporting protocol, admitted his malfeasance to the world and pleaded with the referee to disallow the goal.  Not doing so stains his legacy.  He’s “an insincere cheat who has tarnished his reputation for good.”

The English consider themselves honest and virtuous, whether they are kicking an opponent or strapping Indian soldiers to canons.  Henry is the nefarious other, a continental and a cheat.  The English would never tolerate playing like his sort.  Not quite.

England played West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final.  The game goes into extra-time tied 2-2.  Geoff Hurst shoots.  It bounces off the cross bar.  It never crosses the goal line.  English players insist the ball went in.  The goal is awarded.  England win the World Cup.

Michael Owen scores his wonder goal against Argentina in 1998.  He scores because he dove to win a penalty earlier.  The Argentine defenders pull out of challenges because they fear him doing it again.

Wayne Rooney is a diver. Steven Gerrard is a diver.  One of the filthiest teams on record, Don Revie’s Leeds United, deceived and swindled their way to two league titles.  The English were so outraged they made Revie England manager in 1974 and still romanticize those teams.

“Continental” and “Latin” players are not dirtier.  They receive more media scorn when they do something dirty.

Henry cheated.  The handball was dishonest.  He committed a foul.  But, it was the referee who made the mistake by not seeing it. When a defender hacks someone down in the box, he does not leap up immediately and call for a penalty if one isn’t awarded.  Henry’s action was no different.  When fortune favors you in sports or in life, you run with it.

The incident should be a call for video replay and ways to improve refereeing, not an excuse to play up stereotypes and tar and feather a talented Frenchman.

Feel for the Irish, but don’t lament for them.  The team did not deserve to go to the World Cup.  They played cynical, defensive anti-soccer throughout qualification, leaving arguably their two most talented attacking players out of the squad.  They won four games, against the bottom two teams in the group.  They played to draw everyone else 0-0.  It was effective, but artless.

The Irish showed pluck in Paris.  Their fans are fervent.  But, their team has no business being there.  Their desperation was desperation of their own making.  There will now be three matches without Ireland at next summer’s World Cup.  Those three matches now have a chance to be watchable.