Football

The 10 Most Controversial VAR Moments In History

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Liam Rouse
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Liam Rouse Sports Editor

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Published23 Mar 2025

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There are a lot of stars in modern football and VAR is rapidly becoming one of them. Since it’s inception, it has intervened in countless matches in order to reach the correct outcome. Here is our list of the most controversial VAR decisions.

Most Controversial VAR Moments In History

1. Giant Green Flag

Boavista Vs Desportivo das Aves – February 2018

This Primera Liga tie found itself marred by light-hearted controversy following an absurd VAR incident.

Aves appeared to have made it 3-0 with a 70th-minute set-piece goal.

Goal-scorer Victor Gomes was in a clear offside position. VAR, however, could not conclusively rule out his goal, thanks to a Boavista fan’s giant flag covering the camera.

Due to a lack of concrete evidence, the on-pitch decision stood, and the goal was awarded.

The boisterous Boavista fan went on to watch his side lose 3-0. Aves went on to escape relegation that season, with this result proving handy.

2. Eight Minutes In Bournemouth

Bournemouth F.C. Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. – February 2025

The introduction of a semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) did not go as smoothly as officials would’ve hoped.

The trusty lines again had to be drawn by VAR before deeming defender Milos Kerkez’s 35th-minute goal offside.

The SOAT, advertised as being able to reduce wait times, was unable to be used, due to a congested penalty box.

Molineux was forced to wait an agonising 8-minutes before VAR reached its decision.

“This is embarrassing” could be heard echoing from both sets of fans.

3. Dutch Disappointment

Vitesse Vs Feyenoord – August 2017

A Dutch Super Cup Final witnessed a highly controversial penalty decision at the hands of VAR.

Vitesse forward Tim Matavez looked to have been fouled inside the Feyenoord penalty area. Referee Danny Makkelie did not stop play, instead allowing Feyenoord to mount a rapid counter.

Before VAR could halt play in order review the Matavez foul, Feyenoord scored from the break.

Makkelie then halted play, disallowed the Feyenoord goal, and awarded a Vitesse penalty, which was cooly converted.

While not an incorrect decision, this incident demonstrates how cruel VAR can be.

The match ended 1-1. Feyenoord went on to win 4-2 on penalties and claim the Super Cup.

4. Fergie Time Returns

Manchester United F.C. Vs Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.

It’s not over until the fat lady sings, or in this case, until VAR says so.

Despite Chris Kavanagh having blown the final whistle, Stockley Park saw fit to send him to the pitch-side monitor.

Following a lengthy analysis of Niel Maupey’s handball to deny a last gasp Harry Maguire header, Kavanagh restarted the match and issued a penalty.

Bruno Fernandes eventually slotted it home in the 100th minute to swing the score 3-2 in United’s favour. Full time was called immediately after.

The decision stood as the handball occurred before the initial full-time whistle.

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5. Pickford’s Lucky Escape

Merseyside Derby – October 2020

The Merseyside Derby is never far from drama, and this Premier League tie was no different.

After a quick start by the Reds, going 1-0 up in the third minute, they looked to capitalise on a promising cross.

Toffee’s keeper Jordan Pickford came rushing out of his goal and caught Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk awkwardly.

There were immediate calls for a penalty and VAR was called into action.

Referee Michael Oliver neither awarded the penalty nor did he penalise Pickford, as VAR had ruled the Liverpool skipper offside.

Van Dijk suffered an injured ACL and was side-lined for the majority of the of the season.

Though Oliver later apologised, stating that they ‘could still have given offside and sent Pickford off’, this controversial decision is one of many the Red’s have suffered to VAR.

6. Goal Line Glitch

Aston Villa F.C. Vs Sheffield United F.C. – June 2020

The Blades wheeled away in celebration of a late first-half goal, after Villa keeper Orjan Nyland appeared to fumble the ball over his line.

Despite the reactions from both sets of players, referee Michael Oliver did not blow for a goal.

Following Sheffield United protests, Oliver immediately pointed to his wrist to indicate that the goal-line technology had not informed him of a goal.

Unable to go against the systems in place, both Oliver and the VAR had no choice other than not to award the goal.

Although replays clearly showed the ball had crossed the line, the match controversially ended 0-0.

7. Wrongful Red Card

West Ham United F.C. Vs Chelsea F.C. – April 2021

Fabian Balbuena was issued a red card during a hotly contested London derby.

The West Ham man’s follow through on Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell was not deemed a foul by on-pitch referee Chris Kavanagh.

VAR intervened and drew the incident to the referee’s attention. After reviewing the footage, Kavanagh sent Balbuena off, despite the Paraguayan appearing to have slipped into Chilwell.

The red card and suspension were subsequently overturned by the PGMOL, furthering the distrust between VAR and the public.

8. Lee Mason Misery

Arsenal F.C. Vs Brentford F.C. & Crystal Palace F.C. Vs Brighton Hove Albion F.C – February 2023

This selection focuses on a VAR official rather than a single match. Mason committed two glaring errors in quick succession in early 2023.

His first mistake came during a match between Palace and Brighton at Selhurst park. Seagulls left back Pervis Estupiñán believed he’d  swooped in for a first half goal, before VAR intervened.

Mason, the official responsible for drawing the lines to check for offside, drew them incorrectly. As a result, the referee wrongfully disallowed goal.

His second offence occurred at the Emirates where, instead of drawing the wrong lines to check Ivan Toney’s late equaliser, he didn’t draw them at all.

Christian Norgaard was clearly offside in the build up to the goal, though no check was complete.

Despite Lee Mason parting ways with PGMOL shortly after, these incidents seriously harmed VAR’s credibility.

9. Mess Up In Madrid

Atlético Madrid Vs Real Madrid – March 2025

One of the fiercest rivalries in football in one of the most hotly contested fixtures, what could go wrong?

There was nothing to separate the Madrid giants over their Champions League knockout ties, going into penalties 2-2 on aggregate.

Julian Alvarez stepped up to take the Atleti’s second penalty, after Alexander Sorloth converted their first.

The Argentinian slipped on his run up but still managed to send the ball into the roof of the net.

As Fede Valverde stepped up to take Real’s third, referee Szymon Marciniak halted play for a VAR review – the other Los Blancos players could be seen complaining.

After some deliberation, Alvarez was deemed to have touched the ball twice; once as he slipped and a second when he kicked.

VAR’s decision was that the penalty should not stand and the score was controversially changed to 2-1 Real.

The 15-time European champions would go on to dismiss their rivals 4-2 thanks to a blistering display from keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

10. Luis Diaz’s Disallowed Goal

Liverpool F.C. Vs Tottenham Hotspur F.C. – September 2023

Perhaps one of the most famous cases of VAR controversy in recent years, commanding the media’s attention for months.

The on-pitch official flagged for offside after Liverpool’s Luis Diaz appeared to have scored the opening goal.

Liverpool, already a man down, were not given the opportunity of a review and play continued, despite footage clearly showing Diaz to be onside.

Tottenham went on to win the match 2-1 and PGMOL immediately issued a statement citing ‘significant human error.’

Subsequent audio recordings were released, demonstrating the clear confusion and miscommunication within the VAR box.

The officials reviewing the build-up to the goal had concluded that the goal should stand.

However, they hadn’t realised the on-pitch decision was no-goal, telling the referee ‘Check-complete’, so play resumed.

This incident clearly highlighted the disconnect between the systems in place and the people using them.