Earlier this week German midfielder Christoph Kramer admitted he didn't remember any of the World Cup first half after suffering a bang in the head.
While one might have been able to forgive the German set-up for not realising the severity of the injury at the time and allowing him to stay on for another 14 minutes, it turns out match referee Nicola Rizzoli had informed them of an alarming exchange he had with Kramer shortly after the incident.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Rizzoli said:
Shortly after the blow, Kramer came to me asking: ‘Ref, is this the final?
I thought he was joking and made him repeat the question and then he said: ‘I need to know if this is really the final.’ When I said: ‘Yes,’ he concluded: ‘Thanks, it was important to know that.’
Rizzoli claims that he told Bastian Schweinsteiger about the conversation.
Surely Fifa will have to do something to take the responsibility out of players' hands in a situation like this? If this tale doesn't prompt some sort of action then I don't know what will.
hat-tip: Andy McGeady and The Guardian
