The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) today, represented by the chairman of the referees committee Pierluigi Collina, defended the decision of Moroccan referee Jaid to cancel a German goal in the Germany vs Paraguay match in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, held on Monday evening.
This decision sparked widespread controversy and sharp criticism, especially from the German side, as the goal would have given Germany a 2-1 lead before they exited the tournament on penalties.
The disallowed goal, scored by Jonathan Tah, came after slight contact between German player Waldemar Anton and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Although referee Jalal Jaid initially did not notice the foul, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology intervened, prompting the referee to review the footage and make the final decision to disallow the goal.
In an article published on FIFA’s official website, Collina addressed the refereeing performance in the tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, noting a “new recommendation for referees.”
The article included an image of the moment of contact between Anton and Gill, without mentioning the name of the German player, to explain the importance of paying attention to “some teams’ tactics” that try to obstruct goalkeepers or defenders.
On his part, the coach of the German national team, Julian Nagelsmann, expressed his strong anger over Moroccan referee Jaid’s decision, describing it as a “farce” and a “scandal.”
In contrast, German refereeing expert Thorsten Kinhhofer believes that the VAR intervention itself was a mistake, noting that the referee lacked the courage to overturn the decision and count the goal.
