World Cup fans furious as they claim tournament 'rigged' amid Argentina VAR win
Frustration with FIFA officiating erupted once more on Saturday following a contentious VAR reversal that resulted in Switzerland receiving a red card mere minutes after the team had leveled the score against Argentina in the World Cup quarterfinal.
The incident reignited claims that the tournament has consistently favored Lionel Messi’s squad, even as Argentina ultimately required extra time to overcome a resilient 10-man Swiss side.
The controversy unfolded in the 72nd minute of the clash in Kansas City. Referee Joao Pinheiro initially cautioned Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a challenge on Switzerland forward Breel Embolo, only to overturn the call after a VAR review concluded Embolo had simulated contact.
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Since Embolo had already received a warning earlier in the contest, the second yellow card triggered an automatic dismissal, forcing Switzerland to compete the rest of the fixture with reduced numbers, just four minutes after Dan Ndoye had brought the Swiss level at 1-1, following Alexis Mac Allister’s early headed strike from a Messi corner.
The ruling immediately sparked outrage across social media, with supporters charging FIFA with skewing the tournament toward Argentina’s benefit. “Of course as soon as Switzerland ties it up with Argentina, the Swiss get a red card…. but, no, not rigged at all,” one supporter posted.
Another commented: “So many decisions that have been 50/50 in the past, but one team never gets a call against it, always controversy,” while a third simply questioned: “What is so special about Argentina?”
Despite having the extra man, Argentina found it difficult to penetrate Switzerland’s stubborn 10-man defensive wall throughout the rest of normal time. The Swiss remained solid into the additional period, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel producing several crucial interventions, including a firm denial of Lisandro Martinez late into added time.
It wasn’t until the 112th minute that Argentina finally found the breakthrough, with Julian Alvarez bending a magnificent right-footed effort from 25 yards into the upper corner, a strike widely hailed afterward as among the tournament’s finest.
Lautaro Martinez secured a third in the opening minute of second-half added time, capitalizing on a rebound following a Thiago Almada attempt that was parried, to confirm a 3-1 victory and propel Argentina into Wednesday’s semifinal against England. The discontent surrounding Saturday’s contest mirrors comparable grievances that surfaced following Argentina’s Round of 16 victory over Egypt on July 7.
Two disputed refereeing calls by official Francois Letexier, a ruled-out Egyptian strike, and a non-examination of a possible infringement on Mohamed Salah before Enzo Fernandez’s added-time winner, led Egypt to officially lodge a protest with FIFA. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan characterized the match as ‘a fix’ at the time, while forward Mostafa Zico described the officiating as “no fair.”
FIFA has categorically dismissed such allegations. Chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina tackled the Egypt controversy head-on, asserting: “Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone,” and noting that “match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best.”
With the victory secured, Argentina moves on to face England in a rematch of one of international soccer’s most legendary rivalries, while Switzerland’s World Cup campaign comes to a heartbreaking conclusion despite a display that many believed warranted a more favorable outcome.
