VAR is killing the joy of this World Cup

VAR is killing the joy of this World Cup, or at least it's trying to. So far, the tournament has been incredible, with great moments like Messi's goals and the good performance of the United States, as well as the massive presence of fans who are discovering how wonderful this country is. It's true that results and scores are important, but at the end of the day, what really counts is the spectacle and what it means for the fans. One of the greatest moments of joy came when Croatia, apparently defeated in their elimination match against Portugal, managed to score a goal 13 minutes into the second half, when it was expected that the game would be over. The goal tied the match and sent Croatian fans into a frenzy of celebration, transforming Joško Gvardiol into a true national hero in an instant that will remain in everyone's memory. It was an unlikely moment, almost a miracle for the Croatian fans, who reacted the way they should, with great joy and passion. That's exactly what makes this tournament so special. However, that happiness was abruptly erased by a VAR analysis that showed something that the human eye could not detect: another player had touched the ball with his head, even slightly, resulting in Gvardiol being ruled offside. Unfortunately, if this situation continues, this is what this World Cup will be remembered for. There will be Messi's moments of brilliance and the USA's run, but what about the Croatians who return home because of an almost insignificant touch detected by a chip inside the ball?  The use of replay has, for the most part, been positive for sports. Did VAR disallow a goal per hand? Excellent. Goal line technology? Perfect. An obvious offside call? No problem. But at some point, this technology went beyond the limits of reason, going from correcting visible errors to inventing situations that no one would ever notice. Recently, Chicago Cubs player Pete Crow Armstrong was called out on a play in which his hand left the plate for a millisecond. A few days ago, Iran was eliminated due to a computer detecting a toe in an offside position. Now, Croatia is out because, according to FIFA, "IMU sensors inside the Trionda ball are capable of determining any subtle contact, displayed to spectators as a 'heart battle' graph, allowing officials an unprecedented level of data to make quick and accurate decisions." Of course, correcting calls in games that happen at an impressive speed is important, and having the assistance of technology has, for the most part, been for the greater good. But what are we doing by putting the interpretation of the rules in the hands of a "Connected Ball Technology" which, according to FIFA itself, generates a graph that looks like a "heartbeat graph"? You don't need to be a football expert to understand the spirit of the competition, which is connecting skills, understanding paths and finding ways to get past 11 opponents. Croatia did this, only to be told by a computerthousands of kilometers away that his goal didn't count. Technically, FIFA didn't make a mistake in the call — that's the point of the explanation above. But that's almost the problem. When technology begins to impose regulation beyond the limits of human perception, it stops serving the sport and starts serving itself. In this case, the accuracy of the call was so exact that it made the timing seem off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter now?

This VAR update affects fans, teams, and the wider season picture — read above for the full breakdown.

What happens next?

Stay tuned for official updates and follow our coverage for the latest developments.