The use of VAR in this World Cup has attracted a range of differing opinions from across the football community. There are former players who claim that it is ruining the game, expert pundits who think it is helping to get the deserved results and then Morocco’s Nordin Amrabat thoughts on the system he described to the TV cameras as ‘bull***t’.
So it is causing some real debates over whether it is helping or hindering the game. One person who is unlikely to be against its use is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has broken yet another record – his penalty (that he missed) against Iran was the 19th penalty awarded in the tournament, which is more penalties than in any other World Cup.
VAR is leading to more penalties being awarded
This penalty kick record is probably not one of his favourite records but it certainly shows us how the use of VAR is affecting the outcomes of the Russia World Cup. With the referee now able to use solid evidence to review whether penalty kicks should be awarded, there is less fear of making the wrong decision. When the stakes are so high, a penalty kick can be the difference between leaving the tournament after the group games or having the chance to progress to the final.
There are definitely a few teething problems with VAR though, with concerns over it not being used for some of the big decisions so far. Nordi Amrabat spoke for all of the aggrieved players that felt that VAR had stood in the way of their deserved result.
How VAR could have rewritten football history
It is difficult to keep everyone happy but if you think about how this technology could have affected huge moments in football history – the ‘Hand of God’ goal would have been disallowed and with goal-line technology, Frank Lampard’s strike against Germany would have stood.
So whilst the implementation of the system isn’t completely smooth, the long-term differences it can make are clear to see. Getting knocked out of the World Cup is painful for players and fans but getting knocked out unfairly is even more heart-breaking to take. So for that reason alone, VAR should be here for the foreseeable future.