With ever-serious international tournaments like the European Championship and Copa America underway this summer, soccer fans can seek a brief moment of reprieve—and hilarity—in a league that’s in a class of its own: the MLS.
Known half-jokingly as the destination where some of the world’s best soccer players go to retire (case in point: Argentinian icon and Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi), the MLS surprisingly delivered an all-time great moment for fans on Saturday night.
The moment was less an instance of tactical or technical brilliance than it was born out of the wit and humor of one very sassy referee named Filip Dujic.
In Atlanta United’s 1-1 draw against St. Louis CITY SC over the weekend, MLS ref Filip Dujic took it upon himself to explain a VAR ruling of St. Louis’s potential goal in the 39th minute. During his short time in the spotlight, Dujic turned what was meant to be a standard procedure into quite the comical bit.
“After review, there was no offside offense,” Dujic began, eliciting cheers and applause from the St. Louis crowd.
Dujic then smirked and raised his palm to silence the home fans.
“However,” Dujic continued, “prior to the goal, there was a foul committed by St. Louis. The final decision is direct free kick.”
This is my new personal hero pic.twitter.com/22sgTvN26D
— Rob Usry (@RobUsry) June 23, 2024
The VAR team had spotted a foul in the video review—St. Louis midfielder Eduard Lowen’s challenge on Atlanta’s Tristan Muyumba in the build-up of the attack—thereby nixing the goal and instead awarding a free kick.
The crowd was less than enthused after the call, but after all, the referee was just doing his job—and perhaps having a little bit of fun, too.
Fans loved it.
Mans been waiting his whole life for this moment
— Chris Tucker ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@ZeroCool138) June 23, 2024
This man was born to be a WWE announcer
— 2023 B10 Champs (@tteems61) June 23, 2024
Buddy said ACKSUALLY pic.twitter.com/oVgw6sOeti
— Luigi (@itrotj) June 23, 2024
His face when he puts his hand up 😂
— Isaiah (@iclonch) June 23, 2024
If there's one thing that the football world should take from the MLS is this, refs explaining important decisions
— Nico (@NicoSalazarV) June 23, 2024
— John Manuel (@jkmanuel) June 23, 2024
MLS hits different
— emem (@vanherlo) June 23, 2024
Is this what American league footy is like? I might have to watch
— Haunted Mound Enjoyer (@yeahmanifeelu) June 23, 2024
This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLS Ref’s Savage Delivery of a Video Review Call Had Soccer Fans Laughing So Hard.
