Many aspects of this game were seen at the recent World Cup in Qatar. For some it was a fairy tale (Lionel Messi ended his World Cup career with a victory), for others it was a chance to see the skills of the best players in the world (Messi, Kylin Mbappe, Luka Modric) in one single place.
Soccer is one of the most beloved sports in the world due to the high level of emotion throughout the match, but the use of technology is making the game difficult and breaking its pace. Many aspects of this game were seen at the recent World Cup in Qatar. For some it was a fairy tale (Lionel Messi ended his World Cup career with a victory), for others it was a chance to see the skills of the best players in the world (Messi, Kylin Mbappe, Luka Modric) in one single place.
It saw some miraculous performances (Richardson’s memorable kick) and often teams considered weak (Morocco, Japan, Saudi Arabia) beat strong established teams, making the ‘David and Goliath’ story a reality. Video assistant referee (VAR) interruptions at the FIFA Soccer World Cup final spoiled viewers on several occasions. The match was stopped six times by VAR. This brought disappointment to soccer fans around the world, as well as to the runner-up team from France.
Every second seems like an hour when the referees turn on the television outside the field to see the VAR. In such a situation, many times the target depends on those few millimeters that we probably cannot see with our eyes. Many soccer fans believe that soccer is already delayed by things like free kicks, corners, injuries, and VAR only adds to it. The uncertainty of the outcome is of great importance in the economics of sport. It’s a simple concept that we know the result in advance, so we probably won’t waste time watching the match.
Another aspect of VAR is that it is benefiting the strongest teams. It works like this. If the number of penalty kicks increases after the referee sees the replays, it will help the best teams to create more chances against their opponent. This leads to more fouls from the opposing team’s line and more penalty kicks against them. Normally around 75 per cent of penalty kicks result in goals.
Disclaimer:Prabhasakshi has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.