Published: July 6, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Football and cricket are two games in which a decision of the umpires or the referees comes under scrutiny and results in widespread debates. The ongoing FIFA World Cup has seen its share of refereeing controversies. The most discussed ones revolve around inconsistent Video Assistant Referee (VAR) red cards, razor-thin offside calls, and penalty decisions.
Croatia’s legendary captain, 40-year-old Luka Modric had some strong words against the refereeing and VAR interventions after Croatia’s World Cup exit against Portugal. “We deserved much more. Some things didn’t go our way. If the situation had been reversed, VAR would never have intervened,” Modric said.
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“I said from the beginning, when VAR was introduced, that I didn’t like it. It’s useful for some things, but it’s being used incorrectly and selectively. VAR should intervene only if it’s a clear mistake. Today’s incident was never a penalty. They were holding each other and both fell. You can’t decide a match like this with a penalty like that,” he said.
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Modric was referring to the incident where VAR flagged a pull-down tackle in which Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic and Portugal’s Renato Veiga both fell down together in the Croatia box. It was not clear who was the guilty player.
“These things frustrate me because they decide people’s fates. They affect your emotions after everything you sacrifice and fight for. We have young players coming up, and then something like this happens. It hurts, especially because it always seems to go against us. However, we won’t use it as an excuse,” he said.
Folarin Balogun sending off controversy
US striker Folarin Balogun was controversially shown a red card by Brazil referee Rahphael Claus and sent off for ‘serious foul play’ after a soft challenge on a Bosnian defender. Fans and pundits heavily criticized this decision, comparing it to an identical challenge by Lionel Messi earlier in the tournament that went unpunished.
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It was VAR that found Balogun guilty. But many independent observers noted that a freeze frame seen in the VAR does not take into account the intensity of the action and the purpose behind it. The VAR merely sees the act in isolation. For a drastic punishment such as a red card, the apparent foul has to be seen in a broader context. So, several hours later, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee held a review and rightly decided to waive the red card and cleared the player to take part in the next match.
Several blunders have made football less exciting
Then, Iran thought they secured a dramatic late draw against Egypt in the group stage. The goal was agonizingly overturned for offside after a lengthy VAR review, with margins deemed razor-thin. Indeed, Iran seemed to be getting every decision against it.
In another incident, Colombia were denied a perfect group-stage record against Portugal when a late, match-winning header from Davinson Sanchez was flagged offside. VAR upheld the decision by the narrowest of margins, sparking massive debates.
A controversial, seven-minute VAR review resulted in a penalty awarded to Belgium after a player kicked a Belgium midfielder. Many argued the contact was accidental and play-acting prolonged the review.
In another match, Ghana were denied a late penalty after Ezri Konsa challenged Prince Kwabena Adu inside the box. The referee and VAR chose not to intervene, sparking outrage among Ghanaian supporters.
Incompetent referee for France vs Paraguay game
One of the most incompetent examples of refereeing was witnessed in the match between France and Paraguay. It was a contest that was more about fouls than football. The match unfolded less like a sporting event and more like a battle between street gangs. To be fair, France tried to stay calm, because they had more to lose. On the other hand, Paraguay seemed to have reconciled to the fact that they may make an exit and didn’t care about it.
In the end, France’s narrow 1–0 victory was not merely because of superior talent. It was because they were patient and didn’t allow themselves to be provoked by blatant kicks and punches from the rivals.
As the match progressed, Paraguay not only committed countless fouls but also argued every decision of the Uzbekistan referee Ilgiz Tantashev. The reaction from commentators was understandably severe. Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart described the display as “an absolute disgrace.”
In the midst of provocation from the opposition bench, gamesmanship around the penalty spot, and the tension of the knockout round, Kylian Mbappe displayed remarkable control and slotted home the penalty that eventually led to France’s win. Pics: X/FIFA
In the midst of provocation from the opposition bench, gamesmanship around the penalty spot, and the tension of the knockout round, Kylian Mbappe displayed remarkable control and slotted home the penalty that eventually led to France’s win.
But even the penalty had its own story. Initially referee Tantashev ignored the appeals for a foul. It was only when the VAR referee Juan Lara of Chile brought it to the notice of Tantashev, that he ran across to review the incident on the screen.
FIFA must take a close look
But it’s time for the FIFA Referees Committee to think of the quality of refereeing and the competence of the officials who are being posted. It may be recalled that a Tunisian referee by the name of Ali Ben Nasser was officiating when Diego Maradona scored his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England.
The Tunisian didn’t have the experience and the expertise to deal with tricky situations. The most talked about fraud goal in the history of the World Cup, could have been averted if a more capable referee had been posted for that crucial game.
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Italian former referee Pierre Luigi Collina, who is chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee now, was himself recognized as the world’s best referee when he was active in the field. He knows what good refereeing is all about. He and the other committee members must take care to post officials who are capable of controlling every match in a strict and impartial manner that will enhance the quality of football which is being witnessed in the ongoing World Cup.
