Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart has questioned the officiating decision that disallowed Marc Cucurella's goal during Spain's FIFA World Cup 2026 last-32 encounter against Austria in Los Angeles, describing the ruling as overly lenient on the part of the match officials.

The goal was ruled out after the referee determined that Cucurella had fouled Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager in the build-up — a call Hart believes did not warrant such a significant intervention.

Hart, who earned widespread respect during his playing career for his reading of the game, suggested that Premier League goalkeepers watching on at home would have found the decision difficult to stomach, implying the contact was far from enough to justify the disallowance.

Spain and Austria met in their last-32 fixture at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the match taking place in Los Angeles as the tournament continues across North America.