*This content was translated by AI.
'The God of Football,' Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina), is sailing toward back-to-back World Cup titles, but his home country Argentina has become embroiled in controversy over claims that it is benefiting from officiating decisions.
Reuters reported on the 14th (Korean time) that "'VARgentina' advanced to the semifinals amid controversy. New referee regulations have fueled public distrust regarding the fairness of the World Cup," adding that "a former FIFA referee also pointed out that another refereeing controversy related to Argentina further intensified fans' dissatisfaction."
'VARgentina' is a nickname coined by fans, combining 'VAR' and 'Argentina,' to criticize and mock the perception that Argentina has repeatedly gained advantages through video assistant referee (VAR) reviews at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The media noted that "as defending champions of the World Cup, Argentina faced repeated complaints from opposing teams about refereeing decisions en route to the semifinals," and highlighted that "on social media, suspicions arose that this tournament has been unfolding in favor of Messi's Argentina."
It further explained that "the fact that VAR regulations have worked in Argentina's favor has further fueled anger among football fans. On social media, some fans even coined the nickname 'VARgentina,' a blend of Argentina and VAR."
Christina Unkel, a former FIFA referee who works as a rules analyst for Britain's ITV, told Reuters in an interview that "fan trust is now completely shattered." She added, "As both a referee and an analyst, I have experienced several major tournaments, but I have never seen such widespread controversy and discussion, not only on social media but across the board."
Argentina successfully reached the semifinals this tournament with Messi leading the team. However, multiple refereeing controversies arose during the process.
In the Round of 16 match against Switzerland, Swiss striker Breel Embolo (Stade Rennais) received a second yellow card and was sent off for simulation. The initial decision had been that Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors) committed a foul and received a yellow card. However, after VAR review, the ruling was completely reversed: Paredes' caution was canceled, while Embolo received a caution and was subsequently sent off. The free kick also shifted from Switzerland to Argentina.
The decision did not merely determine which player should receive a yellow card; it entirely overturned both the perpetrator of the foul and the team awarded the free kick. By forcing Switzerland into a numerical disadvantage, the ruling had a massive impact on the entire match.
Ultimately, Argentina, now with a numerical advantage, secured a 3-1 victory after an intense extra-time battle. After the match, Swiss coach Murat Yakin strongly criticized the decision, stating, "It is unacceptable."
Unkel also remarked, "I believe this regulation should not have been applied in the first place. Its scope was too broad." She continued, "The problem is that it goes beyond simply changing which player receives a caution. It flips a free-kick decision from one direction to the complete opposite. It fundamentally alters the basis of the ruling itself."
She further pointed out, "It now appears that VAR has officially entered the realm of 're-refereeing matches,' which it had previously sought to avoid."
Controversy also erupted during Argentina's Round of 16 match against Egypt. At the time, Egypt led 2-0 until the 34th minute of the second half but collapsed after conceding three goals in the final moments. Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan expressed strong dissatisfaction with VAR, stating, "What is happening now is not fair."
Egypt had taken a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute of the second half when Mostafa Mohamed (Pyramids) scored against the opponent's net. However, after VAR review, the goal was disallowed. The referee panel determined that a foul occurred during the build-up play.
In contrast, Coach Hassan pointed out that no VAR review was conducted when an Egyptian player fell inside Argentina's penalty area during stoppage time in the second half. Denied a penalty kick, Egypt immediately allowed Argentina to launch a counterattack and ultimately conceded the winning goal in a comeback.
Algeria, which faced Argentina in the group stage, also complained of being harmed. According to reports, Algeria claimed that Messi should have been sent off for stepping on captain Yacine Brahimi's calf in the first half. However, Messi avoided expulsion and later scored a hat-trick. The Algerian Football Federation reportedly submitted an official protest letter, stating that the refereeing decisions in the match were incorrect.
However, Unkel assessed that there was no clear case of obvious officiating errors in either the Algeria or Egypt matches. Reuters reported that "Unkel explained that referees often become the quickest and easiest targets for criticism when fans do not get the results they desire."
Meanwhile, Argentina is scheduled to face England in the World Cup semifinals at 4 a.m. on the 16th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA. Despite his considerable age, Messi has scored eight goals in this North American World Cup, placing him joint top of the scoring charts.
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*This content was translated by AI.
