Brazil may have ended Scotland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup finals, but that didn’t stop them from filing a complaint with FIFA
Lionel Messi is named in Brazil’s complaint to FIFA (Image: (JUAN MABROMATA / AFP via Getty Images))
Lionel Messi has sparked controversy between the Brazilian Football Federation and FIFA. Carlo Ancelotti’s side all but ended Scotland’s hopes of progressing into the last 32 with a 3-0 victory over Steve Clarke’s side at the Miami Stadium on Wednesday.
Vinicius Junior capitalized on a mistake to put his team ahead, and he again put the ball into the net in the 20th minute, but a VAR review ruled it out as a foul on Jack Hendry and the goal was ruled out. As a result of that review, the CBF decided to send a letter to FIFA protesting this call.
In a letter obtained by Brazilian publication Estadao, the CBF called for consistent application of VAR intervention criteria. To support their claim, CBF even referenced the play that led to Messi’s first goal in Argentina’s second Group J match against Austria.
Excerpts from the letter published by Estadao read: “One of the aspects that particularly caught our attention during this tournament was the approach taken by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Throughout the tournament there seemed to be a clear emphasis on respecting the interpretation of on-field referees and limiting their intervention in situations involving obvious mistakes. We believe that this philosophy benefits football, preserves the authority of referees and contributes positively to the fluidity of the match.”
The front of the letter continues as follows. “Brazil’s canceled goal against Scotland in the 21st minute does not seem to be in line with the philosophy adopted throughout the competition. It is noteworthy that this decision was unexpected not only for the Brazilian team, but also for the Scottish players. Their immediate reaction suggested that they did not expect the goal to be reviewed or subsequently canceled.”
He added: “Our main concern is not to reconsider individual decisions, but to ensure that the standards governing VAR interventions are consistent, transparent and applied equally to all teams throughout the tournament.”
The CBF also expressed dissatisfaction with the appointment of Cesar Arturo Ramos as referee. They believe FIFA should have appointed a different referee for the match, given the Mexicans’ negative history.
Its negative history dates back to 2018. His performance infuriated the Brazilians in a group match against Switzerland, so much so that the Brazilian team lodged a formal complaint with FIFA about his performance. Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in Russia, and the CBF said in a formal letter to the FIFA Arbitration Committee: “We consider it strange that Mexican referee Ramos did not use VAR to determine a foul on Joao Miranda during a corner kick.”
“Likewise, I would like to know why he was not penalized for the obvious foul on Gabriel Jesus.”
Brazil were unhappy with Cesar Ramos being appointed as referee for the game against Scotland (Image: (Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))
Despite being ruled out by VAR, Vinicius scored again before half-time, with Matheus Cunha completing the scoring with an hour remaining against Scotland. As it stands, the 2002 champions will face Japan in the Round of 32 on Monday.
In his post-match speech, Ancelotti said: “Right now we are playing as a team. That is the goal. We are not perfect, there are things we need to improve on. If we can control it, we can be a little faster. We are playing as a team.”
“I am satisfied because the team has improved a lot. Now we are solid. Solidity is very important in the knockout stages. We have a solid team. Compared to the first game we have made fewer mistakes, we have more rhythm and we are more effective up front.”
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