Argentina World Cup Conspiracy Done No Favors by Official Referee Verdict

IFAB have delivered a public statement explaining exactly why Argentina benefitted from an incorrect ruling.

Lionel Messi (center) and his teammates benefitted from an incorrectly applied law. | Buda Mendes/Getty Images

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), soccer’s global lawmakers, have confirmed that the VAR protocol surrounding mistaken identity was incorrectly used at the 2026 World Cup and stressed that it should not be used to punish individual acts of simulation—as it was when Switzerland had Breel Embolo sent off against Argentina.

Throughout the tournament in North America, particularly in the knockout stages, Lionel Messi’s surge to the final was played to a backdrop of bubbling conspiracy theories. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan vocalized those complaints after his nation’s divisive round of 16 defeat: “It’s all about money. They want Messi to stay in the tournament. In football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests.”

Switzerland was similarly outraged when Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for diving after a VAR review during the quarterfinal defeat to Argentina.

“We are punished because of a rule that is, to me, absolutely incomprehensible,” Swiss manager Murat Yakin fumed after his side’s elimination was sealed by Julián Alvarez’s extra-time winner. It was so incomprehensible, in fact, that IFAB have issued an update to ensure that this rule is not interpreted in the same way again.

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What Is IFAB’s Update and What Does It Mean?

Out came the red card for Breel Embolo. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

In a circular sent around on July 27, IFAB outlined: “A yellow card (caution) which is not a second yellow card can only be reviewed to identify the player who committed the offense that was penalized; the offense itself cannot be reviewed/changed.

“The use of the mistaken identity clause to deal with simulation during the World Cup was well received and will be included in the detailed review of the VAR protocol announced in circular no. 32. However, it may not be used as such until that review is concluded.”

This is a case of IFAB offering some belated clarification regarding one of the unforeseen consequences from a new rule introduced for the World Cup. Had they gotten their act together a little quicker, Embolo and Switzerland may not have been unfairly punished.

In the first game of the World Cup on U.S. soil, this confusion was flagged. USMNT captain Tim Ream was initially booked for what referee Danny Makkelie deemed to have been a foul on Miguel Almirón. The Dutch official was directed across to the monitor to reassess the confrontation and judged the Paraguay forward to have dived, so Ream’s yellow card was shifted across to Almirón.

As IFAB were at pains to point out, this was “well received”—but strictly wrong.

Reviewing yellow cards for a case of mistaken identity does not give the officials a chance to re-referee the game. It is only supposed to be used if the wrong player has been punished for the same offense. Ream was booked for a foul, yet Almirón was cautioned for diving—those are two very different crimes.

Maybe when the officials sit down for a future look at the laws it will be changed, but it was wrong during the World Cup and will remain an incorrect interpretation of the laws going forward. Not that this helps Switzerland.

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How Should Argentina vs. Switzerland Have Been Refereed Correctly?

Breel Embolo couldn’t believe he was sent off. | Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images

As both Argentina and Switzerland battled away at 1–1 with the second hydration break of the quarterfinal fast approach, Embolo tried to hold off Leandro Paredes. The Swiss striker was on his way towards the ground without a helping hand, so flung out a leg to initiate contact with Argentina’s midfielder.

Referee João Pedro Silva Pinheiro somehow didn’t spot the blatant dive and booked Paredes for a supposed foul. That was a clear and obvious error so the on-pitch official was ushered across to the touchline monitor. Pinheiro didn’t need long to draw his conclusion.

“After review,” the referee announced, “there is no foul for [Argentina’s] No. 5. And [Switzerland’s] No. 7, there is a clear simulation. Final decision: Yellow card to No. 7.”

Just as in the case of Ream and Almirón, Paredes and Embolo were guilty of different offenses. It’s irrelevant whether the Swiss striker did dive, the referee had no power to use VAR to give him a yellow card for that offense. As it was Embolo’s second booking, he was sent off, much to his evident dismay.

“After the equalizer, we had the momentum on our side, and I wanted to make substitutions there as well, to bring on fresh attacking players,” Yakin would later lament. “We were dominant. We controlled the game. But the red card...” Argentina rallied and fought its way to the semifinal, inspiring more cries of subterfuge in the process.

However, if IFAB’s announcement has proven anything, it’s that conspiracy should never be assumed when incompetence will suffice.

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