World Cup: Switzerland heavily criticizes officiating in match against Argentina

The quarter-final match of the World Cup between Argentina and Switzerland has sparked major controversy. The Swiss side strongly condemned the decision made via the VAR system, labeling the quality of officiating a "disaster." It is reported that the contentious incident in this match decided the fate of the game and caused the European team to exit the tournament. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

The most controversial moment of the match involved Breel Embolo. Initially, Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro had shown a yellow card to Argentina's Leandro Paredes for a foul. However, VAR referee Guillermo Pacheco Larios recommended a review of the incident. As a result, the head referee changed his decision, rescinded Leandro Paredes' card, and issued it to Breel Embolo for "simulation." Since this was the striker's second caution, he was sent off.

The decision that "destroyed the game"

Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin did not hide his anger after the match. According to Goal.com, the specialist criticized the officiating, emphasizing that such decisions contradict the spirit of football. "It is absolutely impossible to understand. I know they protect their referees, but this rule destroyed the game today. This decision directly influenced the match result," Yakin said.

According to the coach, Switzerland was gaining confidence at the time Breel Embolo was sent off. Playing for over an hour with ten men against the reigning world champions was a heavy blow for the team. "Breel is currently devastated. He is sad that he couldn't help the team. It was simply a refereeing error," the coach added.

Midfielder Remo Freuler also expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of officiating. In his opinion, the referees artificially altered the flow of the game. "It is simply a disaster. I didn't understand what the referee was doing. I cannot fathom why VAR intervened in such a situation. There were many such incidents in the first half, why wasn't a yellow card given then? They should have just let the referee do his job," said Remo Freuler.

It is said that this controversial situation is linked to the new rules introduced by IFAB for the 2026 tournament. As Breel Embolo left the pitch in tears, the coaches and players on the Swiss bench voiced their strong objections to the officials. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, snatched the victory in extra time and secured a spot in the semi-finals.