Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticized a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision during Germany's World Cup exit, drawing a comparison to how Arsenal secured their recent Premier League title.
Germany suffered a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the last-32 of the World Cup after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. In the extra period, Germany's Jonathan Tah headed home a corner, but the goal was disallowed by VAR for a foul on Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill by German substitute Waldemar Anton. Klopp argued the decision was incorrect.
"If the goal is illegal, then Arsenal won't be English champions," Klopp stated in his post-match analysis. "They've scored 60 per cent of their goals that way. We win the game when the ball goes in. So, of course, this is brutal."
Klopp was referring to Arsenal's record of scoring 19 goals from corners during their Premier League-winning season. He expressed his dismay at the disallowed goal, calling the situation "dramatic" and stating that "there are worse things than defeats in sports."
Other football figures also weighed in on the controversial call. Former England striker Alan Shearer, working as a co-commentator for BBC Sport, described the decision as "terrible." He argued that goalkeepers should not be able to deceive officials and that the goal should have stood.
"You have to understand it's a contact sport," Shearer said. "The goalkeeper has conned the referee and the VAR there. Yes, he touched him, but the way he went down was pathetic. In my view, the goal should've stood and it should no way have been overturned."
Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann agreed that the decision appeared "soft" but noted it was not entirely surprising given how similar infractions had led to disallowed goals earlier in the tournament.
"This is soft in my opinion, but judging by what we've seen in the tournament so far, it hasn't surprised me that it's been disallowed," Cann told the BBC. "We've seen goals at this tournament disallowed for very small offences, but for me there's not enough in it. There is a small block on the goalkeeper."
