2009 Republic of Ireland v France football matches

Republic of Ireland vs France was a two-legged football play-off held on 14 and 18 November 2009 between the national teams of the Republic of Ireland and France as part of the UEFA second round of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The first match was held on 14 November in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, and ended in a 1–0 victory for France with Nicolas Anelka scoring. The second leg, played on 18 November in the Stade de France outside Paris, France, finished 1–0 to the Republic of Ireland (with Robbie Keane scoring). The tie went to extra time and a controversial William Gallas goal enabled by captain Thierry Henry handling the ball twice made the score 2–1 on aggregate and France progressed to the World Cup at the Irish's expense. After the second leg, Henry admitted to Irish defender Richard Dunne that he had illegally handled the ball in the build-up to Gallas' match-winning goal, which had been scored in extra time with 17 minutes remaining.

The incident prompted the Football Association of Ireland and Government of Ireland to request FIFA to either replay the game or allow Ireland to participate in the World Cup as an additional 33rd team. Henry faced accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct from fans and media outlets following the incident, with the incident being compared to Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal, and TIME magazine comparing Henry's goal (sometimes called "Le Hand of God" or "Le Hand of Frog", among other nicknames) to a top ten list of sporting cheats. Henry publicly reflected on retiring from international football due to the backlash, and referee Martin Hansson indicated he contemplated stepping down from officiating.

The result contributed to discussions about fair play in football and the potential use of video refereeing and Additional Assistant Referees. At an emergency meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee called in part as a result of the handball controversy, FIFA announced it was setting up an inquiry into the options for technology or extra officials in football, but ruled out any changes being introduced in time for the 2010 World Cup. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee reviewed Henry's actions and concluded that the FIFA Disciplinary Code did not permit sanctions in this specific case.