Soccer Players Wide-Eyed as ‘Felony Foam’ Makes World Cup Debut
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Netherlands defender Bruno Martins Indi’s eyes widened when referee Nicola Rizzoli sprayed a white foam on his cleats midway through his team’s 5-1 victory against World Cup holder Spain.
Indi, who plays for Rotterdam-based Feyenoord, was standing in a wall of players defending a free kick when the foam hit his white shoes on June 13. He looked down at his feet and complained to Rizzoli. Vanishing spray, an innovation to mark out distances for free kicks, is being used at the World Cup for the first time, proving a novelty to European players and referees alike.