Why do we watch football, the ‘beautiful game’? As the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar demonstrated, it was for the fairytales (Lionel Messi capping his career with a win) the sublime skills of the world’s best players (Messi, Mbappe, Modric), wondrous goals (Richarlison’s scissor kick), dramatic finishes (so many) and the chance of an underdog upsetting a favourite (Morocco, Japan, Saudi Arabia).
Sport thrives on this last ingredient, the magic of David beating Goliath. In football, one thing is certain: a little bit of uncertainty about the outcome can go a long way.
Which leads us to VAR — the video assistant referee. The Argentina-France decider was billed as one of the greatest finals, but the match was halted six times as officials deliberated over TV screens on the sideline. Six times, millions around the world waited as a game of skill and chance became hostage to pixels and certainty. The French, who lost, were unhappy. They were not alone. Social media blew up over one penalty decision. Introduced to apparently eliminate controversial decisions, VAR has managed to shine the spotlight on even more controversies.
