FIFA Head of Referees Pierluigi Collina has explained the decision to disallow Egypt’s goal against Argentina following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review during their FIFA World Cup match.
The incident generated widespread debate among football fans, with many questioning why the goal was cancelled despite the foul occurring well before the ball reached the back of the net.
Collina has now clarified that FIFA’s VAR protocol allows officials to review the entire attacking possession phase that leads to a goal, regardless of how much time has passed or how far the incident occurred from goal.
According to Collina, every goal is automatically checked by the VAR team before play resumes.
During that review, officials examine the entire attacking sequence to determine whether any offence was committed by the attacking team.
If an infringement is identified and it directly affected the move that resulted in the goal, the VAR advises the referee to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor.
Collina revealed that Egypt midfielder Marwan Attia stepped on the foot of Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez during the attacking move.
Although the referee did not spot the foul in real time, the VAR determined that it was a clear infringement and recommended an on-field review.
“A violation is a violation,” Collina explained, stressing that there is no time or distance limit when reviewing the attacking phase before a goal.
If no offence is found, the goal is confirmed.
However, if a foul is detected that influenced the attack, the goal must be disallowed under the Laws of the Game.
The former Italian referee also addressed another controversial incident involving Egypt captain Mohamed Salah and Argentina striker Julián Álvarez late in the match.
He said both the referee and the VAR considered the challenge to be normal football contact rather than a foul.
Collina noted that while stepping on an opponent’s foot is generally considered a foul, there are situations where contact is regarded as a natural consequence of challenging for the ball, particularly if the defender wins possession first.
He admitted that some decisions will always involve an element of personal judgement but expressed satisfaction with the consistency of VAR decisions throughout the tournament.
