Switzerland vs. Argentina VAR controversy explained after Murat Yakin calls decision “unbelievable”

Switzerland’s World Cup dream ended in heartbreak against Argentina, but the conversation after the final whistle was not only about the result. Instead, much of the attention focused on one controversial VAR decision that changed the momentum of the match.

After Switzerland fought back and appeared to be gaining control, forward Breel Embolo was sent off following a second yellow card for simulation, a decision that left Swiss players and head coach Murat Yakin furious.

“Football wasn’t the winner today”

Yakin did not accuse Argentina of receiving special treatment, but he made it clear that he believed the decision had a decisive impact on the quarterfinal.

“We were punished because of a mistake,” Yakin said after the match. “There was no reason for that booking. I don’t understand it. It was an innocent situation; there was nothing malicious about it.”

He added: “That decision was simply unbelievable. I completely disagree with it. There was clear contact, and I don’t understand how the referee and the VAR came to that conclusion.”

The controversial moment came shortly after Switzerland had equalized against Argentina and seemed like they might push the match in a different direction.

What happened with Breel Embolo’s red card?

The incident began when Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was initially shown a yellow card after a challenge involving Embolo. At first, the referee appeared to believe Paredes had fouled the Swiss striker.

However, VAR intervened and recommended a review, with officials determining that the referee had penalized the wrong player. After watching the replay, referee Joao Pinheiro overturned Paredes’ yellow card and instead booked Embolo for simulation.

Because Embolo had already received a yellow card earlier in the match, the second booking resulted in an automatic red card. The decision left Switzerland playing the remainder of the match with 10 players.

Switzerland players call decision a “disaster”

Yakin was not the only Swiss figure unhappy with the decision. Midfielder Remo Freuler described the incident as a “disaster” and questioned why VAR became involved in what he viewed as a minor situation.

“I don’t understand why they call it for a situation like this,” Freuler said. “How can VAR change a game with this situation?”

Captain Granit Xhaka also felt the red card dramatically altered the match.

“The red card changed everything,” Xhaka said. “It changed our game plan.”

The Swiss midfielder admitted the team was devastated after falling short of reaching the semifinals, but he also praised his teammates for their performance against one of international football’s strongest teams.

“If you have to lose because of one decision from the referee, it is painful,” Xhaka said.

Why was VAR allowed to review the decision?

The controversy centered around FIFA’s expanded VAR rules for the tournament. Under the regulations, referees can review situations involving “mistaken identity” when a yellow or red card is shown to the wrong player.

In this case, officials determined that Paredes was not responsible for the foul and that Embolo was the player who should have received the booking. That allowed VAR to recommend a review.

The unusual part of the situation was that the review was not originally about whether Embolo simulated contact. The review was triggered because the referee had potentially shown the card to the wrong player. After the review, the punishment changed from a yellow card for Argentina to a yellow card for Switzerland, and ultimately a red card for Embolo.

Yakin congratulates Argentina despite frustration

Despite his frustration, Yakin stopped short of claiming Argentina were unfairly favored.

“I wouldn’t say they were being favored,” the Switzerland manager said. “We had a fair and open match. Both teams played football.”

However, he maintained that the moment changed the outcome.

“Football wasn’t the winner today,” Yakin said. “We were punished by a mistake. It was a decisive moment that determined the outcome of the match.”

Argentina moved on to the semifinals, while Switzerland were left wondering what might have happened if the match had remained 11 versus 11. For the Swiss, the disappointment was not only losing to one of the tournament favorites, but feeling that their best chance to make history disappeared because of one controversial decision.

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