A World Cup round of 32 match between Germany and Paraguay descended into fury when a goal from Germany's Jonathan Tah was disallowed after a VAR review. The Bayern Munich defender had headed in from a corner, but the referee, after consulting the pitchside monitor, ruled that Germany's Waldemon Anton had committed a soft foul on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The decision, labelled “pathetic” by BBC commentator Alan Shearer, left Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann booked for protesting, and Germany eventually lost 4–3 on penalties.
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is a system introduced to help referees correct clear and obvious errors in four game-changing situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards, and mistaken identity. It uses multiple camera angles to review incidents and is operated by a dedicated VAR team in a remote hub. The referee can either accept their advice or view the incident on a monitor before making a final decision.
“Explains VAR in football using the Germany vs Paraguay controversy as an example.”
VAR was first tested in football around 2016 and was formally adopted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in 2018. It debuted at the FIFA World Cup in 2018 in Russia, and since then has been used in major tournaments and domestic leagues including the Premier League. Its stated aim is to reduce obvious refereeing errors, but it has repeatedly been criticised for slowing the game, for being inconsistent, and for overruling decisions that many feel are not clear errors.
For UK football fans, VAR remains a deeply divisive issue. In the Premier League, it is used to review goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity, and has led to lengthy delays and controversial calls that have affected title races and relegation battles. The Germany–Paraguay incident echoes similar complaints: former referee Darren Cann, working as a BBC analyst, said the call was “soft” and “hardly anything”, while Shearer argued the goalkeeper “buys it”. The debate touches on how much contact is enough to constitute a foul, especially in crowded box situations.
Q: Why was Jonathan Tah's goal disallowed? A: The referee ruled that Germany's Waldemar Anton impeded Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill just before Tah headed the ball. After reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, he deemed it a foul on the goalkeeper, which is protected from contact in the box.
Q: Is VAR used for all types of decisions? A: No. VAR can only be used for four categories: goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistaken identity. It is not used for yellow cards, free kicks outside the box, or other minor offences.
Q: Can the referee overrule the VAR? A: Yes. The referee can accept the VAR's recommendation or, as in the Germany match, view the incident on the monitor and make the final decision. The referee is not obliged to follow the VAR's advice.
What happens next? The controversy is likely to fuel further debate about VAR's role in football. FIFA and IFAB may review the guidelines for goalkeeper protection and what constitutes a “clear and obvious error”. Meanwhile, Germany are eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, and Paraguay advance to the round of 32. The tournament will continue to see VAR decisions scrutinised, especially in knockout matches where stakes are highest.