World Cup’s most controversial moments —VAR, Messi, Balogun and football’s biggest debates

For the last six weeks, the 2026 FIFA World Cup had breathtaking goals, sold-out stadiums and unforgettable superstars. 

Now that the final at MetLife Stadium is upon us, it’s time to look back at some of the most controversial moments of the tournament on the pitch. 

Whether it was a red card, a microscopic offside, a penalty awarded after a lengthy review or a controversial decision that never received a second look, technology and officiating became as much a part of this World Cup as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Some decisions were undeniably correct by the letter of the law. Others left players, managers and millions of fans wondering whether football had become too dependent on forensic analysis.

Here are the 10 moments that sparked the loudest debates of the tournament.

10. Breel Embolo’s heartbreaking red card for Switzerland

Switzerland’s quarterfinal against Argentina changed in an instant.

Referee João Pinheiro initially cautioned Argentina’s Leandro Paredes after a routine challenge on Breel Embolo before VAR intervened. Under FIFA’s new mistaken-identity protocol, Paredes’ yellow card disappeared, while Embolo instead received a second yellow for simulation after replays showed he had exaggerated the contact.

The dismissal forced Switzerland to play extra time with 10 men before falling 3-1.

Swiss manager Murat Yakin never accepted the outcome, calling the rule “completely unacceptable” and insisting his team “deserved to be in the semifinals.” His frustration centered less on Embolo’s embellishment than on why the original yellow card was issued in the first place, creating the chain reaction that decided the match.

9. Vinícius Júnior loses a goal over slightest touch

Brazil ultimately cruised past Scotland 3-0, but the controversy lingered.

Vinícius Jr. stole possession after Jack Hendry hesitated on the ball and appeared to score cleanly. VAR instead ruled the Real Madrid star had committed a foul moments earlier despite minimal contact.

Even refereeing analysts admitted Scotland caught a break.

The goal disappeared. The debate remained.

8. Iran’s dream erased by toenail

No team experienced crueler timing.

Ninety-three minutes into its final group match, Iran believed it had punched its ticket to the knockout rounds when Shoja Khalilzadeh bundled home the apparent winner. Shirts came off. The celebrations began.

Then VAR froze everything.

The offside graphic eventually showed Khalilzadeh ahead by virtually the smallest margin imaginable — a toe.

7. Croatia’s last dance ends with Connected Ball Technology

Luka Modrić thought his World Cup career had one final miracle.

Joško Gvardiol’s dramatic equalizer against Portugal appeared to rescue Croatia until Connected Ball Technology revealed striker Igor Matanović’s hair had brushed the ball milliseconds earlier, placing Gvardiol offside.

6. England’s SkyCam controversy

England’s equalizer against Norway may never stop being debated.

Norwegian players insisted goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland’s clearance clipped the SkyCam support cable suspended above the field before falling directly to England, eventually leading to Jude Bellingham’s goal.

FIFA later released evidence saying the ball never touched the wire.

5. Belgium’s last-gasp penalty against Senegal

With penalties looming, Belgium received one final lifeline.

A lengthy VAR review determined Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara had made slight contact with Youri Tielemans inside the penalty area. The contact looked minimal, but referee Saíd Martínez pointed to the spot after reviewing the monitor.

Tielemans converted, completing Belgium’s stunning comeback from 2-0 down in the 85th minute. 

4. Folarin Balogun’s red card becomes political

No decision escaped football and entered politics quite like this one.

Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina after VAR upgraded a seemingly ordinary collision into serious foul play for stepping on Tarik Muharemović’s ankle.

Then came the unprecedented twist.

Political pressure eventually resulted in FIFA suspending Balogun’s one-match ban, allowing the U.S. striker to face Belgium in the Round of 16. The reversal fueled accusations that football’s biggest powers played by different rules.

3. Messi escapes red against Algeria

The tournament’s biggest superstar also found himself at the center of one of its biggest debates.

Messi’s studs raked across Algeria captain Aïssa Mandi during Argentina’s opening match. Many expected at least a lengthy review for violent conduct.

Instead, play resumed with no card.

Messi finished with a hat trick while social media exploded with accusations that the sport’s greatest icon had received superstar treatment.

2. Jonathan Tah’s winner disappears

Germany believed it had survived Paraguay.

Jonathan Tah headed home what looked like the winning goal in extra time before VAR ruled teammate Waldemar Anton had illegally impeded goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

The contact appeared slight. The goal vanished.

Tah’s nightmare worsened when he later blasted the decisive penalty over the crossbar as Germany suffered one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.

1. Egypt’s disallowed goal fuels accusations of “VARgentina”

Nothing generated more outrage than Argentina’s Round of 16 escape.

Egypt appeared headed for one of the biggest victories in its football history before VAR erased a crucial goal because of a foul in the buildup. Minutes later, Argentina completed an improbable comeback, with Enzo Fernández’s dramatic winner surviving despite Egyptian protests over a nearly identical challenge.

The contrasting decisions ignited worldwide criticism and poured gasoline onto the already viral “VARgentina” conspiracy theories.

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan delivered the tournament’s angriest postmatch remarks, accusing FIFA of protecting Messi and declaring he no longer wanted to watch another minute of the competition.

Fair or unfair, those words captured the defining paradox of the 2026 World Cup.

Technology was introduced to eliminate controversy. Instead, it often became the controversy itself.

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