FIFA has found itself in the spotlight for negative reasons, evoking associations with Agatha Christie detectives. The article examines a case of misidentification that occurred during the World Cup, analyzing the consequences of this error for the game and the athletes.
During a match when the score was 1-1 in the 67th minute, Argentine player Leandro Paredes received a yellow card after tackling Bril Embolo. However, video analysis showed that the Swiss player was already falling before contact with Paredes, leading to Embolo receiving a warning under the 'misidentification' protocol used in this World Cup.
The referee explained the incident using the concept of 'misidentification,' resulting in Bril Embolo being sent off. Swiss coach Murat Yakin expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating: 'We were punished because of a rule that, in my opinion, is completely unacceptable. It is very painful that we were taken out of the game like this. I do not think we deserve this today.' Despite playing with ten men, Switzerland managed to draw the game into extra time before the tired side won 3-1.
Earlier in this World Cup, a referee mistakenly gave an American player, Tim Rimm, a yellow card, but the VAR system corrected this by overturning the card and awarding it to Paraguayan Miguel Almiron for simulating a foul. Nevertheless, this explanation did not appease the anger of Swiss fans and neutral spectators regarding the system itself.
This case of misidentification is not a minor error; unlike the 2014 World Cup where a photo of US President Barack Obama was used on a jersey instead of defender Chris Smalling, this situation affects the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) protocol itself.
The VAR rule allows for the correction of 'misidentification,' transferring a yellow or red card from an improperly penalized player to the player who actually committed the offense, or even to a player on the opposing team if they were the true offender.
The author compares the situation to a crime scene where the culprit must be identified among suspects. However, it is noted that some figures sitting in the VIP boxes are missing from this 'list.' A broader reflection concerns how misidentification is a primary cause of wrongful convictions in the United States.
In the context of football, the author points out that football has been turned into a tool for sports money laundering, as sponsors such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Lay's, and Budweiser benefit without bearing responsibility for linking their products to diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Critics point out that key figures, such as Gianni Infantino, and corporate sponsors are protecting Lionel Messi's international legacy for marketing purposes. The author notes that FIFA promotes the game as a business and source of income, rather than as a sport for health.
Within the tournament, which is held in three countries, issues concerning the US and FIFA, as well as their leaders, including Trump and Infantino, have been revealed. It is mentioned that Infantino provided Donald Trump's administration with excessive access to games and also ensured a complete ban on Iran entering the country during matches.
Argentine coach Scaloni expressed indignation over accusations of favoritism, stating that they use criticism to motivate players. He also expressed confidence in the VAR process, asserting that 'there is no double interpretation with VAR' and that all rules were clearly explained before the start of the World Cup.
FIFA Head of Referees, Pierluigi Collina, recently defended the integrity of the referees, denying external pressure and stating that the referees enjoy the full trust of the organization.
Although the situation should have been clear, it became shrouded in contradictions. The author believes that in the eyes of the public, the main villain has become the money machine that FIFA has turned into. He calls for real transparency and accountability, demanding that all members of the FIFA board publicly disclose their incomes, while insisting on the representation of players and fans as a counterbalance to the influence of money.
The Football World Cup has once again demonstrated persistent Eurocentrism towards African nations, which is evident in the lack of respect and bias in coverage of matches involving teams such as Morocco, DR Congo, and Ghana, despite their strong performances and high rankings.
During the match in Atlanta, where England risked elimination in the Round of 32, DR Congo held a 1-0 lead shortly before the end of the game. However, a goal fest from Harry Kane over 11 minutes secured England's place in the Round of 16. Despite DR Congo's commendable play, recognition of their efforts was noticeably diminished. While the media often labels a defeat of a top-four team as a shock regardless of the opponent, the tone becomes more dismissive when the opponent is an African nation.
In the BBC report on this match, the first paragraph stated: 'England was 15 minutes away from one of the most humiliating defeats in World Cup history, until late heroic actions by Harry Kane helped them overcome DR Congo and reach the quarter-finals against Mexico.' In response to this, dual citizen GregS commented, criticizing the BBC for its 'imperial/post-colonial bias,' asserting that DR Congo played at a very high level in the first half. Another reader, Sean, expressed disagreement with the term 'humiliation,' calling it disrespectful to Congo.
Although England ranks fourth in the world, DR Congo is an emerging African team that deserved to participate in the tournament. A loss for England would be disappointing, but framing this event as a humiliation inevitably diminishes the quality of the opposing team. Furthermore, in the group stage last month, England drew with Ghana. This result was positive for the African team, helping them advance to the Round of 32, and watching the fourth-ranked England fail to beat disciplined Ghana was quite satisfying. Even Sky Sports' report described Ghana in the opening sentence as 'the second lowest-ranked team at the 2026 World Cup.'
Even Morocco's victory over the Netherlands on Tuesday was widely presented as a major surprise. Although the Netherlands remains a traditional global football power, Morocco is the highest-ranked African team and surpasses the Netherlands in FIFA ranking. They also reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, but their triumph in Guadeloupe was perceived as one of the biggest surprises of the tournament.
Currently, Morocco is the only African team to have advanced to the Round of 16. Cameroon, Egypt, and Ghana will play on Friday and Saturday (South Africa time). The Cameroon team will face reigning champions Argentina, where a victory would truly be considered a big surprise. Egypt plays against Australia, and Ghana plays against Colombia, giving Africa a real chance to advance at least two more teams into the knockout stage. Ghana has a rich history, having been a quarter-finalist in the World Cup.
It cannot be forgotten that during the 2010 World Cup, the incident involving Luis Suarez's handball, which many consider a true 'Hand of God' moment, cost Ghana a spot in the semi-finals. More recently, the 'Black Stars' brought Germany close to defeat in a tight 2-1 match earlier this year. No one claims that African teams should always be favorites against European opponents. However, perhaps it is time to abandon the outdated assumption that any defeat by an African team is automatically a humiliation or disgrace.
Regardless of the outcomes of the remainder of the World Cup, the author hopes that the European football establishment will start paying more attention to the names of the African nations they face on the biggest stage of the game.
