Iran’s national soccer team coach, the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, on Monday was critical of the video assistant referee (VAR) despite his team earning a 1-1 draw in their match against Portugal, thanks to a penalty awarded because of the system.
“I have to be careful because FIFA is here,” the coach joked before speaking of other incidents such as the first penalty, which was in favor of Portugal.
“It was a bit strange when he gave a penalty, as nobody knew what was happening. It took a while to stop play and then five or six people saw the incident on a slow-motion camera. As a coach, you have to have the possibility of knowing what’s going on,” Queiroz said.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore or have problems, but it stopped play, it’s the same story. I said it yesterday and I repeat it now: I don’t want to know if my daughter is a bit pregnant, only fully pregnant. VAR isn’t going well, it’s not working,” Queiroz said.
“The only country who isn’t complaining is Iran, we haven’t asked for anything,” Iran’s coach continued.
At one point in the match, the referee resorted to the VAR to examine Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible aggression on another player, which eventually led to a yellow card.
“I don’t know if he wasn’t sent off because of who he is and a star of football, that’s a good question. But what doesn’t make any sense is all this, seeing something and showing a yellow,” he added.
In addition, the coach praised his team’s great work in the field, saying that they have “achieved a great prize in this competition, competing with the best in the world.”
Queiroz also congratulated the Portugal team, saying that “I hope they win, I’m a Portugal fan from now on.”