- 6 hours ago
The top focus of this episode of To The Point is the big controversy that erupted over Argentina's 3-2 win over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Alright, our top focus is one of the most anticipated round of 16 clashes of the FIFA World Cup.
00:07Argentina vs. Egypt turned out into one of the tournament's biggest controversies and one of the most entertaining matches ever.
00:15What should have been remembered as another step in Argentina's title defence is now being overshadowed by allegations of inconsistent
00:23war calls,
00:24as we are, calls, questions over refereeing standards and even claims that FIFA is possibly favouring Lionel Messi.
00:32Egypt says it was denied a fair contest while Argentina insists it won on merit fair and square.
00:39And I'm sure most of you watching this broadcast stand divided on the match late last night.
00:50Defending champions Argentina up against Egypt and a place in quarter-finals up for grabs.
00:58But everything was not as simple as it seems.
01:02This game has now become one of the tournament's biggest controversies.
01:07Argentina's dramatic round of 16 win over Egypt has sparked a global storm.
01:15Not just over the result, but over VAR, the referee.
01:22And allegations that football's biggest stage isn't being played on a level field.
01:28The biggest flashpoint came after VAR ruled out what Egypt believed was a legitimate goal at the 59th minute.
01:42Argentina's grip on the World Cup suddenly hanging by a thread here in this second game.
01:47Moments later, Egypt were also denied a penalty review.
01:51While Argentina benefited from lengthy VAR intervention, Egypt's appeals were waved away.
01:58That perceived inconsistency has put referee France Qualitex CA's neutrality under scanner.
02:06With critics asking one question.
02:08Were both teams judged by same standard?
02:16So, I'm saying that it is an undeserved victory for Argentina.
02:20I promise after I return today, I will not watch the remaining games at this World Cup at all because
02:25there is no justice in it.
02:28My internal objection is that I will not watch the World Cup again at all.
02:32I mean this World Cup.
02:34I will not watch it when I return to my house and when we return to our country.
02:38I will not watch it.
02:39I will not watch any team.
02:43Meanwhile, Argentina insists it won fair and square.
02:51There were a lot of emotions in the dressing room just now.
02:54It was very difficult because against this kind of opponent who made things very hard for us,
02:59overturning a 2-0 deficit with so little time left was a huge challenge.
03:04It certainly wasn't easy.
03:05But as I said before, once again, the team showed great character and a personality.
03:10A determination to keep going, to stay alive in the competition and to keep pushing for a goal.
03:16In the end, I think the reward was more than deserved.
03:20That explosive claim has now fuelled allegations that FIFA is protecting its biggest superstar.
03:27The football world is sharply divided.
03:31One side believes Egypt was robbed by questionable officiating.
03:36The other says Argentina simply wrote on Lionel Messi's brilliance when it mattered most.
03:43But that wasn't the only controversy.
03:46Egypt coach, Hossam Hassan, made FIFA's anti-racism gesture from the touchline.
03:52Crossing both arms at the wrist to form an X is FIFA's anti-racism signal.
03:58It is used by users and officials to report alleged racist abuse.
04:04The signal triggers a three-step anti-racism protocol.
04:09First, stop the match.
04:11Then, suspend it if abuse continues.
04:15And finally, abandon the game if racism persists.
04:19But despite the gesture, none of those steps were enforced.
04:24Leaving fresh questions over whether FIFA followed its own rule book.
04:29And this comes barely two days after another controversy.
04:34US striker Folloran Balogun's red card was overturned before America's clash against Belgium.
04:41Following intervention backed by US President Donald Trump.
04:44That episode had already triggered debate over political influence in world football.
04:51Now, the spotlight has shifted from football to FIFA itself.
04:56Rigging allegations, questions over VAR, scrutiny of referees, claims of political interference.
05:03For many, 2026 World Cup is producing unforgettable football.
05:09But, it's the controversies of the ball that are threatening to define this tournament.
05:15Bureau Report, India Today.
05:33Controversies in the past have been dealt with.
05:35But, for most of you out there, like me, who saw the match last night and thought it didn't quite
05:41seem very fair.
05:43I thought it wasn't very fair.
05:45But then, that's a personal opinion.
05:46There has to be professional opinion about this and what it really means.
05:49Because it's got the internet split.
05:52It's got a lot of football fans split.
05:54It's also got a lot of footballers split.
05:57Journalist experts who actually know a lot more than I or most of us about football.
06:03So, it's interesting the kind of conversations that are coming through.
06:06So, therefore, I have an expert with me in the studio who knows a lot about or a lot more
06:12about football than at least I.
06:14And most of you out there.
06:16So, I have Nikhil Nas.
06:17But, just to put it out there, he's a Messi fan.
06:20So, a lot of things that he might say might be impacted by the sheer fact that he's rooting for
06:24Team Argentina.
06:25Incorrect.
06:25I'm a football fan.
06:26I'm a football fan first.
06:27I was a fan before even Messi started playing football.
06:31Okay.
06:31Fine.
06:32So, he's corrected me already.
06:33And he, as per Nikhil, everything was fair and square.
06:36Like I said, I watched it as an avid, you know, football fan.
06:40Yes.
06:40Don't know that much about football.
06:42Not, definitely not as much as Nikhil does.
06:45So, we've also brought in a few others in the studio.
06:47Nikhil's with me.
06:48We also have Sharda Ugra, senior journalist.
06:51Ayaz Memon, senior sports journalist.
06:54Arjun Pandit, footballer, presenter, commentator, host of the World Cup for Z5.
06:59Ranjit Bajaj, Ona, Minerva, Punjab, FCCC, Minerva Academy, ex-India under-19 footballer.
07:05So, we have a lot of people who know the game a lot better than most of us.
07:09I still think there was something that didn't look all right late last night.
07:13But, Nikhil, over to you.
07:15My only submission here is to you, Preeti, that if you thought the game yesterday was unfair,
07:20my humble request and suggestion to you is stop watching football.
07:24Because I watch football every weekend.
07:26And there's not a single game that you see that you're not going to sit with your friends
07:30and debate whether that was a red card or not a red card, was VAR wrong or was it not
07:35incorrect.
07:35I mean, those are debates that happen after every football match.
07:39And I see this football match no different.
07:42Yes, you will have arguments from both sides.
07:44People might see some instances that were fouls.
07:47People might see the other instances that weren't, you know, necessarily called correctly by the referee.
07:53But overall, this is what football is all about.
07:55It's a question of from your perspective, where you come from.
07:59Also, sometimes clouds our judgment as to who we are supporting and you want to see exactly that.
08:04But as I said, the biggest story for me on the night was Argentina making that stunning comeback.
08:10They're out of the game for majority of the game.
08:1311 minutes changes the game.
08:15It's a comeback for the ages.
08:16And I think one of the finest games of football that you saw.
08:19But it is what it is.
08:20I think social media is right now divided over what is really happening in terms of the debate.
08:27And I think it has a lot to do with a team coming in from Africa in Egypt.
08:31And I guess that's why we have a debate as well.
08:33I'll throw open the debate.
08:34We've got a lovely panel with us.
08:36I'll just tell you, Nikhil, I started off actually supporting Argentina.
08:39I started the game being a supporting Argentina and being a Messi supporter.
08:44But just the way the game panned out, by the end of it, no, I wasn't.
08:48I was rooting for Egypt because I thought Egypt was wrong.
08:50But yeah, open the debate now.
08:51Okay, I have a lot of familiar faces here.
08:54I'll start with the, I'll go in the descending order of age.
08:59Let me start with the senior most in Ayaz Mehmen.
09:02Ayaz, what do you make of the game?
09:04It was a gripping game.
09:05As you mentioned, Nikhil, it was one for the ages.
09:08And, you know, the spectacular comeback by Argentina.
09:11Leave everything aside.
09:12I'll come to that a little later.
09:13But to shoot three goals in 11 minutes, you know, it was extraordinary.
09:17And it takes a touch of genius from Messi, which we saw,
09:22to lead that revival or resurrection from almost the dead.
09:26But having said that, I think, you know,
09:29you have to kind of contextualize what has happened yesterday
09:31with what's been happening in the tournament.
09:33The environment has got vitiated ever since.
09:36And more so, there's always been this issue about what is fair,
09:40refereeing, what is not, as you mentioned.
09:42And that's, the debate makes the, gives flavor also to the sport.
09:46And when we are watching the World Cup.
09:48But what happened with the politicization of the FIFA World Cup 2026,
09:53with the president of the U.S. jumping in, in favor of his own,
09:58one of his own, you know, team members or the U.S. team members,
10:01kind of made it seem for everybody around, at least for me,
10:05that, hey, what we are watching here is not, you know,
10:10a world tournament that we've seen so often in the past.
10:14Mistakes have been made by referees.
10:15These things happen.
10:16But here, it seems to be something else.
10:18It's almost like there is might is right,
10:22which is coming from the U.S. president saying it has to happen
10:24and FIFA kind of bends over backwards to accommodate that.
10:28And the other thing is that if that can be bent,
10:32that red card can be kind of withdrawn
10:35and the players allowed to come back,
10:37then what else is happening?
10:39And what else is possible?
10:40And therefore, what we saw last night has raised so many more red flags
10:45as to what really happened
10:47because the best goal of the match was disallowed
10:51and that was shot by Egypt.
10:53And, you know, I've got, I've been following,
10:55as I'm sure everybody has on this panel,
10:58you know, from former players like Thierry and Henry
11:01and coaches like Jose Marino and, you know, the fans, etc., etc.
11:06The overwhelming kind of feeling seems to be
11:10that Egypt were really hard done by.
11:13And that's a feeling which has now become a little inescapable.
11:16In that sense, I'm leaning a tilt to,
11:18I'm tilting a bit towards Preeti, what Preeti said,
11:20that something seemed to kind of go a little,
11:23go a little all right, you know.
11:26Fantastic match, great comeback by Argentina.
11:30But the question now is,
11:32was it as we saw it or was there something else?
11:36That's really the issue, I'm sure, which is of the debate now.
11:39I don't think FIFA has covered themselves in glory anyway
11:43with the way they've conducted themselves,
11:44not just in this tournament,
11:45but I think that's a larger debate overall as well
11:48in terms of the corruption charges
11:49that were levied against them for a long time.
11:52But I want to stick to the specifics.
11:54Ayaz has stuck his neck out and said that,
11:56you know, he's tilting towards what happened to Egypt.
11:59But I must also put a disclaimer,
12:01there are lots of quotes doing the round on social media.
12:03A lot of them are fake quotes, right?
12:05So some of the big stars that I saw,
12:07Louis Van Hall, I saw a quote,
12:09again, turned out to be a fake quote.
12:10Thierry Henry, a lot of fake quotes
12:12of his doing the round turned out to be fake quotes.
12:14No, but the one which is correct of Thierry Henry,
12:15and I'll quote him, all right?
12:17Because this one's correct, Nikhil.
12:18Because this time Thierry Henry says
12:20the biggest issue isn't that people disagree.
12:22Football has always been full of disagreements.
12:25When Egypt scored,
12:27VAR carried out a detailed review
12:29before the goal was eventually ruled out.
12:31Whether you agree with that decision or not,
12:33the process was thorough, the process was fair.
12:35The problem is that latter in the match,
12:37Egypt had penalty appeals
12:39that many people expected
12:40to receive the same level of scrutiny.
12:42And I think that has led to a fair amount of frustration,
12:44not just in Egypt, but fans as well.
12:46No, that's a fair comment.
12:47Okay, let me throw that open.
12:49We've got Ranjit joining us.
12:51We've got Arjun.
12:52We've got Sharda as well.
12:53Okay, Ranjit, to you,
12:54just on the specific,
12:56what Thierry Henry says,
12:57you know, you disallowed that particular goal by Egypt
13:00because he thought that was a valid foul.
13:02Why was the same courtesy not extended to Egypt?
13:05What did you make of that incident?
13:07First of all, thank you so much for having me.
13:09I'm all the way in Finland with the junior team
13:12playing in the junior World Cups
13:16and trying to get us there one day
13:18so maybe we can be talking about us
13:20doing this in the World Cup.
13:22And that will be the best thing ever.
13:24But, see, I would say that from the very beginning,
13:27this World Cup has been tainted.
13:30Now, it's been tainted.
13:31I'm not talking about corruption.
13:33And like Mr. Trump pointed out,
13:35that there is something fishy with that referee.
13:38And he got his red card overturned,
13:40which is unprecedented ever
13:42that a president of a country is coming in and saying it
13:44and then FIFA is listening to him,
13:46which exactly like you said,
13:48what are the other things which are going on behind
13:49which we do not know about?
13:50Because this is what he said on open social media,
13:53open media, in fact.
13:54So now, this debate would have never been there
13:57if there would have been the same kind of a VAR check
14:01on when the other foul happened against Egypt
14:04and there was a penalty ruled out there.
14:06Now, if the VAR had actually done a thorough review there
14:08and then ruled it out or ruled in favour
14:11whatever way they wanted to,
14:12then maybe the fans wouldn't have had a kind of a point.
14:16But if I would say that you are saying
14:19that the Messi goal was unfair,
14:22it wasn't.
14:23Because that happened 30 seconds before.
14:25The same thing with that,
14:26they were brought,
14:27even that thing was brought 30 seconds before.
14:29So, what I think is that
14:31VAR is kind of ruining football
14:33because I don't,
14:35football is a game of joy
14:36and joy is brought by goals.
14:38The moment you score a goal,
14:39the first thing now a striker does
14:42instead of celebrating is look at the VAR.
14:44And then after three minutes or two minutes
14:46of standing there,
14:47the goal is given
14:48and then, you know,
14:49look at the joyous celebration.
14:50It's like,
14:50because it's not even like,
14:52you know,
14:52real joy
14:53because that moment is gone.
14:55And football is all about
14:56having those moments
14:57and celebrating with great joy.
14:59So, VAR has taken that out.
15:00Now,
15:00with Messi's concern,
15:01I think he's a legend.
15:02Missing a penalty
15:03and this is the second time he's done it.
15:06Imagine if he had scored two penalties,
15:07look at the goals he would have been on.
15:09So,
15:09missing a penalty
15:10and then coming back
15:11to give the assist in the first goal
15:12and then coming back
15:13to score the goal
15:13to the equalizer,
15:15oh my God,
15:16this guy is a legend
15:17and he's been proving it again and again.
15:18And I won't be surprised
15:20that he'll last a couple of more years
15:22because all he does
15:23is people say his walk.
15:24So,
15:25he's got a long way to go.
15:26you've got a point there
15:27because,
15:27you know,
15:28nobody's questioning.
15:29I don't think anybody out there
15:30really questions the magic of Messi.
15:32And you are right
15:33when you say that
15:33he's a one,
15:34you know,
15:35in a generation player.
15:36And nobody's questioning that.
15:37Nobody's questioning really
15:38the credibility
15:39of the Argentinian team
15:42and the kind of comeback
15:43that they stitched back.
15:44You know,
15:44that story told itself
15:45in that 15-minute game.
15:47I think,
15:48and Sharda Ugra,
15:49if you'd like to come in,
15:50my question,
15:51limited point,
15:52two refereeing decisions
15:53that could have changed
15:54the course of the game.
15:55VAR has been,
15:57you know,
15:58in controversy
15:59from a very long time.
16:00This is not the first match
16:01that,
16:01you know,
16:02the VAR has been questioned.
16:04But having said that,
16:05many would think
16:06two refereeing decisions
16:09that changed momentum
16:10and could have changed
16:12the course of the game.
16:15Absolutely.
16:15That does happen
16:16when you have the VAR
16:18stepping in.
16:19And to sort of
16:20stick my hand out,
16:22yes,
16:22I am a lover
16:22of conspiracy theories.
16:23But at this point in time,
16:26I have to be a little
16:27practical and logical
16:28and say,
16:28look,
16:28what happened
16:29was the fact that
16:30Argentina was able
16:31to score those goals.
16:32And yes,
16:32there looked to be
16:33a certain unfairness
16:35in the way
16:36even sort of
16:37shirt-pulling
16:37at one side
16:38was looked at
16:39as opposed to
16:41how it was looked at
16:41at the other side.
16:42In some cases,
16:44shirt-pulling
16:44is seen as a foul.
16:46And you're watching
16:47Paraguay pulling
16:49Mbappe's shirt
16:49and nothing happens to that.
16:50But so,
16:51I was listening
16:52to this podcast today
16:54with Mr. Gary Linnika,
16:55Alan Shearer on it.
16:57And Alan Shearer said
16:58that the reason
16:58he supported,
16:59I've got the quote exactly,
17:01I don't want to get it wrong.
17:02It's from his voice.
17:03So as he said,
17:04what they told us
17:05was that it was going
17:06to be maximum,
17:07VAR was going to be
17:08maximum benefit,
17:09minimum interference.
17:10We are not going
17:11to re-referee.
17:12It's going to be
17:13for the clear
17:13and the obvious.
17:14And now this has
17:15absolutely gone
17:16out the window
17:17because you've got
17:18this thing happening
17:18or something has happened
17:20many minutes ago
17:21at the other end
17:22of the field
17:23when this incredible goal
17:24has been scored.
17:25And it was said
17:28that VAR did look
17:29even at the Argentina
17:32foul that happened
17:33just before they scored
17:35their winning goal
17:36that they did look
17:37into it
17:37and they didn't see
17:38that it was worthy
17:40of calling the referee
17:41and saying,
17:42look,
17:42this is the problem,
17:44take a look at it again.
17:45So they didn't go
17:46into those steps
17:47that maybe they should have.
17:48that's why
17:50it looked worse
17:51than it did.
17:52I mean,
17:52I think all of us
17:53as sports journalists,
17:54we love an underdog story
17:55and Egypt was
17:56the underdog story.
17:57No matter how
17:58much Messi is admired
18:00and he's an incredible
18:01football player
18:02and we saw that yesterday.
18:03We saw how he
18:04literally changed.
18:05He played,
18:06he was invisible
18:07for most of the game
18:08and then he became
18:09larger than life,
18:10you know.
18:10So that's where I stand.
18:13I agree also
18:14with what Ayaz says
18:15that now that Donald Trump
18:16stepped into it,
18:17you're always wondering
18:18what else is going on.
18:19What else is going on?
18:20But in front of you,
18:23this is what you see.
18:24You know,
18:24in front of you,
18:25what were,
18:27I don't think that
18:28the refereeing
18:28has been evil
18:29and the other point
18:31that was made
18:31in this very interesting podcast
18:34was that
18:34there is almost
18:35a subconscious
18:38sort of a bias
18:39that comes in
18:39when it comes
18:40to bigger teams
18:41and bigger clubs
18:42is what the example
18:43was given.
18:43So,
18:43okay,
18:43we're not going to
18:44punish this team.
18:45you know,
18:46that comes in.
18:47We are reading
18:48into referees' minds.
18:49We don't know
18:50how they work.
18:50But maybe
18:51it was also in play
18:53yesterday,
18:54a subconscious
18:56A built-in
18:57inherent bias.
18:58That's what...
18:59But to just...
19:01I mean,
19:01we're losing
19:01the connection.
19:03Yeah.
19:04Yeah,
19:04no,
19:05sorry.
19:05So,
19:05you know,
19:05the exact opposite
19:07of that is
19:08and I agree
19:09with Sharda
19:09where she says
19:10that there's
19:10a subconscious
19:11bias there.
19:12But I think
19:12there's also
19:12a subconscious
19:13bias
19:14which we also
19:15talk about
19:16shirt seller
19:17syndrome,
19:18right?
19:18So,
19:18a person
19:19who sells
19:20the shirt
19:20the most,
19:21the inherent
19:22kind of an opinion
19:23that we all
19:24form that
19:24everything is
19:25being done
19:25to favor him.
19:26And that's
19:26not restricted
19:27to Messi
19:27alone,
19:28right?
19:28So,
19:29if you're
19:29sitting on
19:29the outside,
19:30anything that
19:31goes in favor
19:31of,
19:32let's say,
19:32a Ronaldo
19:32or a Messi
19:33because they're
19:34a superstar,
19:35the subconscious
19:35bias that we
19:36may have
19:37sometimes
19:37ends up
19:38saying,
19:38see,
19:39FIFA is favoring
19:40them.
19:40Whereas,
19:41it might not
19:41have happened
19:42otherwise if
19:43there is a
19:43Messi or Ronaldo
19:44is not involved.
19:44So,
19:44when you say
19:45that,
19:45you know,
19:45Messi is a legend,
19:46I agree,
19:47but he's central
19:47to this debate.
19:48I think that
19:49if this particular
19:50game did not
19:51have a Lionel Messi,
19:52if this was a game
19:53between Belgium
19:54and,
19:54let's say,
19:56Egypt,
19:56and the same
19:56thing played out,
19:57I don't think you
19:58would have had so much
19:59hue and cry.
19:59But,
20:00can I ask you a question,
20:01a lot of things
20:01that you see
20:02on social media
20:02right now,
20:03I mean,
20:03you like it or not,
20:05the opinion is divided
20:05because you have
20:06two camps,
20:07you'll have the
20:07Messi camp,
20:08you'll have the
20:08Ronaldo camp,
20:09everyone trying
20:10to run each other
20:11down.
20:11And that's also
20:12why,
20:13as I said,
20:13every game that
20:14you watch,
20:15day in and day out,
20:16on television,
20:17with Vard involved,
20:18you're going to have
20:19a problem with it.
20:20But why has this
20:20become so big?
20:21Fair point.
20:21But Nikhil,
20:22can I ask you a question?
20:23Let's keep Messi
20:23out of it, right?
20:24For a moment,
20:25let's not get into
20:25Messi,
20:26that he was a part of it
20:27and he was great.
20:28Like I said,
20:28he was amazing
20:29in the last 12,
20:3013 minutes of the game.
20:31But,
20:32you tell me,
20:33for someone who knows
20:34football way better
20:35than I,
20:35if that second goal,
20:37if that was Argentina
20:39instead of Egypt,
20:41would that goal
20:42be given to Argentina
20:43like it was taken away
20:44from Egypt?
20:45What would have happened?
20:47I think that goal
20:49should have been overturned
20:50and it's got nothing
20:50to do with Argentina.
20:51I agree with that.
20:52So, as I said,
20:54you've got to look
20:54at two...
20:55See,
20:55it can't be this
20:56is equal to that.
20:57It can't be
20:58because there is
20:59a foul that happened here
21:00so I should give a foul.
21:01If I've given a penalty
21:01to one team,
21:02I should be giving
21:03a penalty to the other team.
21:04It doesn't work like that.
21:05Now,
21:06you just take a look
21:07at the rule book.
21:07What happens in that foul
21:08to an Argentinian player,
21:09right?
21:10Why interferes
21:11when they say
21:12there is an obvious foul?
21:13If you now listen
21:14to Gary Lineker,
21:15you listen to anyone,
21:16each one of them,
21:17in fact,
21:18the commentary
21:18that we received in India,
21:19the British commentary
21:20that we received in India,
21:21everyone was on the same page.
21:23That was a foul.
21:24Now,
21:24people are saying,
21:25how far back can you go?
21:26Well,
21:26that is where the move started.
21:28Yes,
21:28there may have been
21:29five passes after that
21:30but as VAR works,
21:31you have to go back
21:32to how that foul was initiated.
21:34Nikhil,
21:34my question is
21:35if instead of Egypt,
21:37that was Argentina,
21:39would that goal
21:40be ruled out?
21:41Many would suggest not.
21:42It would have been given
21:44in the favor of Argentinians.
21:46I have no reason
21:47to say that
21:48VAR wouldn't have stepped in.
21:49It was a clear foul.
21:51If it was Argentina,
21:52that goal should have been disallowed
21:53because you're following
21:54the rule to the T.
21:55Now you compare it
21:56to the Mo Salah incident.
21:57You take a look at that
21:58and I've seen those replays
21:59a hundred times.
22:00The ball's already
22:01out of his control.
22:02He's taken the ball
22:03away from him
22:03and he ends up
22:04touching the defender's leg
22:06and falls down.
22:07So it's not apples to apples,
22:08it's apples to oranges,
22:10right?
22:10That's what I'm trying to say.
22:11Because it happened
22:12at one end,
22:13doesn't necessarily mean
22:13it happens at the other.
22:14I'll get Arjun involved too.
22:16I mean,
22:16you know,
22:17he's played football
22:18at the junior level
22:19as well as a football commentator.
22:21Arjun,
22:21I want you to stick to
22:22what you saw in the game.
22:23Just try and compare
22:24the two scenarios.
22:25One goal disallowed for Egypt,
22:27but the same thing
22:28didn't happen
22:29for Argentina
22:30towards that last few minutes.
22:33Nikhil,
22:34Salah was not a penalty.
22:36I mean,
22:36if you look at it from behind,
22:38the way he went down,
22:39you could make out
22:39he was looking for the penalty.
22:41The only reason
22:42we kept on asking
22:43for the penalty
22:44is because
22:44before what happened
22:45with Argentina
22:46and the way
22:46that goal was not given,
22:48two incidents
22:49can never be the same.
22:50If you've been watching football
22:51for the longest of time,
22:53then you will always
22:53have a debate
22:54over one decision
22:55that was given
22:56on one side of the pitch,
22:57but another decision
22:58that wasn't given
22:59on another side of the pitch.
23:00So that's normal
23:00with football.
23:01Now,
23:02the only question
23:02in matter is that
23:03how far behind
23:04can you go
23:05to decide
23:06if one goal
23:06should be given
23:07or not given?
23:08I feel you're kind of
23:10digging a hole over here
23:11because you will always
23:12have an issue
23:13eventually
23:13because every action
23:17in football
23:17is leaving
23:17to another action.
23:19So if you say,
23:19okay,
23:19that foul was there,
23:20three actions before that,
23:21something else happened,
23:23then what is the line?
23:24But if you just look in,
23:26just sort of signaling
23:27into the goal,
23:29that action led
23:30to exactly
23:30what the counter happened.
23:31Three moves later,
23:32the boys were there
23:33in the penalty box.
23:34The boy who probably
23:35played the best game,
23:36I think he plays
23:36for Real Oviedo
23:37in Spain.
23:39He caught
23:40that ball inside
23:41and then the goal
23:42was scored.
23:43So in that sense,
23:44I can understand
23:45why Egypt is feeling
23:46hard done by it.
23:47But then all these
23:48other conspiracy theories,
23:49Preeti,
23:50that are coming out,
23:51this is all
23:51because of this.
23:53We are living in this world
23:55that this is front
23:56and center
23:57in front of us.
23:58There are people,
23:59it's not just
24:00the internet exploding.
24:02It is,
24:02it is Preeti.
24:03No, not just the internet.
24:04Alan Sherer has come out
24:05and said very clearly
24:06that what went down
24:07is injustice.
24:08Everyone on your panel
24:09who is talking right now,
24:10including you and Nikhil,
24:12none of us have a clue
24:13of who's made
24:14the call to FIFA.
24:16If that call
24:16has gone to FIFA.
24:18Yet all of us
24:18over here have quoted it.
24:20We've quoted it
24:20because we've seen it on this.
24:22There's nothing else.
24:23No, no,
24:23I don't think
24:24we've seen it on the phone.
24:25I don't think
24:25we can simplify it
24:26to that level
24:27that we saw some clips
24:28on the phone
24:29and suddenly,
24:30I think other than,
24:31and I'll remove myself
24:32from this conversation,
24:32I would actually think
24:34the five of you
24:34out there
24:35are way more clued in
24:37than I
24:38where sports is concerned.
24:39And I have only been
24:40listening to the likes of you
24:41which include
24:42the likes of
24:43Alan Sherer,
24:44Thierry Henry
24:44and a lot of other people
24:46who know football
24:47who seemingly confirm
24:49what some people
24:50are thinking
24:50who watch it
24:51and say,
24:51hey,
24:52that didn't quite look right.
24:53But it's at best
24:54an assumption.
24:55It's at best
24:56an assumption.
24:57At the end of the day,
24:58it's at best
24:58an assumption.
25:00Of course it's at best
25:00The assumption by the
25:01Egyptian head coach,
25:03again,
25:03it's an assumption.
25:05The point is that
25:06did someone,
25:07how did that
25:07red card get overturned?
25:10Has Donald Trump
25:10not done this before
25:11and whenever he does out
25:12in his political sphere,
25:14he does this regularly there.
25:15So just because he said,
25:16I made a call
25:17and I said,
25:18listen,
25:18please have a look at it,
25:19doesn't mean that's the reason
25:20they have reversed
25:21this decision.
25:22But they have reversed
25:23the decision.
25:24Of course not.
25:24100%.
25:25But they have reversed
25:25the decision, right?
25:27Exactly.
25:27So my point is
25:28whether them reversing
25:29the decision is correct
25:30or not,
25:31of course it's not correct.
25:33All right.
25:33Okay, Sharda,
25:33you want to come in?
25:34Go ahead, Ma.
25:35I said,
25:36in this case,
25:36I argue with Arjun
25:37he's giving FIFA's integrity
25:39too much credit
25:39at this point.
25:41It's just one
25:42related to the
25:43Donald Trump phone call.
25:45You're kind
25:45you're being to FIFA's
25:47because...
25:47No, no,
25:48I'm not being kind
25:49to FIFA.
25:49Sharda,
25:50my point is
25:50morality and FIFA
25:51have never gone
25:52hand in hand.
25:53I think we all know that.
25:54So the point is
25:55why are we isolating
25:56one incident?
25:58Okay.
25:58I'm saying that...
25:59It extends Sharda
26:00on that.
26:01It also extends
26:02to Donald Trump.
26:03We all know him.
26:04He's exaggerated
26:05multiple times.
26:06He said,
26:07I've stopped this
26:08and I've stopped that.
26:09I should get
26:09the Nobel Peace Prize.
26:11My point is
26:12that this is exactly
26:13what FIFA did
26:14with Cristiano Ronaldo
26:16as well.
26:17Okay,
26:17nobody made a phone call
26:18at that time
26:18right before this
26:20World Cup was started.
26:21Sharda,
26:21will you correct
26:22your audio?
26:23Your audio is breaking.
26:25Will you correct
26:26your audio?
26:27Yeah,
26:28your audio is breaking.
26:29Will you correct it?
26:29Ayaz,
26:30you want to weigh in
26:31till the time
26:32we correct Sharda
26:33Ugra's audio?
26:34Yes,
26:35yes.
26:35I just want to say,
26:36I mean,
26:36you know,
26:36we can get into
26:37all kinds of sophistry.
26:38The point is that
26:38we are saying,
26:39oh,
26:40but we know,
26:40you know,
26:41FIFA is not
26:43not pristine.
26:44We've had so many issues
26:45with FIFA
26:46and the way they are,
26:47whether they are corrupt
26:48or whether they are malleable,
26:50whether they are influenced
26:51by power.
26:52If we are saying
26:52all of that
26:53and then we say,
26:54but you know,
26:55why should we believe
26:56any conspiracy theory?
26:57I think there is
26:58a little bit of a
26:59dissidence
27:00or discordant note
27:01over there itself.
27:02Because if we say
27:03that these things
27:04have happened in the past,
27:06maybe in this case,
27:07that is the reason
27:08why there is suspicion.
27:10So you can dismiss it
27:11and say,
27:12you know,
27:12why should we believe
27:13any conspiracy theory?
27:15We don't know
27:16exactly whether
27:16who called who,
27:17but having seen the match
27:19about 100 minutes,
27:20100 to 10 minutes
27:21of it yesterday
27:22and these instances
27:24which cropped up,
27:26I mean,
27:26that's one of the reasons
27:27why we are having this show
27:28because something
27:29didn't seem right.
27:30It's not only because
27:31it flared up on social media.
27:33Social media followed
27:34what had happened
27:35in the match.
27:35We saw the match.
27:37There were some things
27:38which didn't seem right.
27:39Maybe we were wrong
27:40in our perception,
27:41but that clarity
27:43hasn't come through as yet.
27:44In fact,
27:45if anything else,
27:46it's got even murkier
27:47since we've,
27:48you know,
27:48since that match has ended.
27:50So,
27:50whether FIFA,
27:52if FIFA is,
27:53you know,
27:54a doddering giant
27:55where morality
27:56and,
27:57you know,
27:58probity is concerned,
27:59then what are we talking about?
28:01Why should we...
28:02But social media has every...
28:03After every game,
28:04if you take a look
28:05at social media,
28:06you think everything
28:06is wrong with every game.
28:08See,
28:08social media is also...
28:10It's an extension
28:11of what fans believe, right?
28:13Fans are not going to see
28:14the game
28:16very objectively.
28:17For them,
28:18if a Messi,
28:19team has won
28:20in the manner
28:21in which they've won,
28:22there is an issue there.
28:23I think we're doing
28:23grave injustice
28:24to what Argentina
28:25did on that night
28:26by casting aspersions
28:27without any...
28:28No, no, no, no, no.
28:28Not at all.
28:28We're not talking
28:29about what Argentina did.
28:30Obviously,
28:30that was spectacular.
28:31Nikhil,
28:31and also,
28:32it's not about the fans.
28:33It's true.
28:33I'm saying the voices
28:35bigger than the fans
28:36have expressed something.
28:38I mean,
28:38I would,
28:39you know,
28:39what a theory only says
28:41is more than
28:42what a million fans
28:43might say
28:43because he's an authority.
28:45He's seen it
28:46at the highest level.
28:46He's seen it
28:47at the closest quarters.
28:49Now,
28:49are you saying that,
28:50okay,
28:50you know,
28:50he's like any other fan
28:52who's venting?
28:53I don't think so.
28:54So,
28:54let me clarify
28:55what theory Andri has said.
28:56Let me clarify.
28:57He says
28:57that was a foul
28:59and the Egyptian goal
29:00should have been disallowed.
29:01That's the first thing
29:02that he says.
29:02Shardas just quoted him.
29:03He goes on to say
29:05that I would have liked
29:06that VAR
29:07had extended
29:08that same courtesy
29:08to Egypt
29:09and looked at it.
29:10But he is in no position
29:11to say
29:12whether VAR
29:13looked at it or not.
29:13probably VAR did.
29:15But they didn't see
29:16enough reason
29:16to overturn it.
29:17That's my point.
29:18That's the only argument he is.
29:18But then he also says
29:19that's what has caused
29:20the kind of frustration
29:21in the press
29:23and the fans
29:24because you've left it
29:25open-ended.
29:26It looks very unfair
29:26to a fan.
29:27That's for him
29:27to find out
29:28whether VAR
29:29looked at it or not.
29:30That's still a doubt
29:30in his mind.
29:31But if VAR
29:32had looked at it
29:33then it's not a foul.
29:35If VAR looked at it
29:36and you heard Arjun
29:37just now
29:37he said
29:38even if VAR
29:39looked at it
29:39that wasn't a foul.
29:40So probably VAR
29:41did look at it
29:42and concluded
29:43there was no foul.
29:43But the fact is
29:44we don't know
29:45how VAR
29:45or VAR
29:46would have reacted
29:47to that.
29:47Okay one second.
29:48Ranjit.
29:49Ranjit go ahead.
29:50You've been willing
29:50to make a point.
29:51Yeah.
29:52First of all
29:52that you know
29:54like
29:55very nice analogy
29:56used
29:57and my brother
29:58here said
29:58when he said
29:58the shirt seller
30:00syndrome
30:01that was actually
30:02even preceding
30:03the World Cup
30:03when Ronaldo
30:04had a red card
30:05before the World Cup
30:06started
30:06and he was banned
30:07suspended
30:07for two matches
30:08somehow
30:09somehow
30:09only his red card
30:11was overturned
30:11and he was allowed
30:12to play
30:12the first match.
30:14Now
30:14but by going
30:15by the same
30:16conspiracy theory
30:17as my friend
30:18Ayaz says
30:19that you know
30:19and Sharda
30:20is loving
30:21conspiracy theories
30:22all the time
30:22don't you think
30:24that Trump
30:24would have wanted
30:24the USA to win
30:25because Belgium
30:26was not somebody
30:27he could have
30:28you know
30:29exactly
30:29not like Argentina
30:31or somebody
30:31he could have
30:31actually said
30:32okay fine
30:32let him win
30:33and then
30:33get them out
30:34if Trump
30:35had that much
30:35say
30:36he would have
30:36made his own
30:37country win
30:38than just
30:38getting a red card
30:39overturned
30:40so I don't think
30:41that he
30:42yes he must have
30:43made the call
30:43yes he's done that
30:45but what he's done
30:46is basically
30:46he's embarrassed
30:47Infantino in front
30:48of the whole world
30:48and made him
30:49look like a fool
30:49but there is
30:51an independent committee
30:52there is a charge
30:53now after that
30:54committee has it
30:55they can go to
30:55yes they can go
30:56to an appeals
30:57committee and then
30:58go to CAS
30:58so they can be
30:59actually there's a
31:00process there
31:00nothing can happen
31:01later on
31:02but at least
31:02the case will be
31:03heard
31:03now when coming
31:05back to this
31:05particular incident
31:07I think it would
31:08have all been
31:09washed out
31:10at the moment
31:10the VAR would
31:11have looked at it
31:12and you see
31:12have you seen
31:14the new thing
31:14the referees are
31:15coming on
31:15by the mic
31:16and announcing
31:17to the world
31:17why that foul
31:19of foul was not
31:19given
31:20that's for
31:20transparency and
31:21accountability
31:22and I think
31:23that should have
31:23been carried
31:24forward
31:24in all
31:25VAR
31:25so if VAR
31:26had a look
31:26at it
31:27the people
31:27should have
31:28been told
31:28VAR has
31:28looked at it
31:29now we are
31:30arguing
31:30does VAR
31:31look at it
31:31or not
31:31look at it
31:32so that's
31:32that's the
31:33argument
31:33that's the
31:34whole thing
31:34if this was
31:34fair
31:35and said
31:36okay VAR
31:36looked at it
31:37made a decision
31:37nobody can say
31:38a word
31:38because the
31:39referee has
31:39seen it
31:39and the other
31:40referees have
31:40seen it on
31:41video and that's
31:41their choice
31:42so
31:43final comments
31:44I have little
31:45time and Nikhil
31:45you get to
31:46say your piece
31:47one last thing
31:48see when you
31:49have somebody
31:50like a Messi
31:50I think we are
31:51taking it away
31:51from him
31:52I don't think
31:53this is what
31:53he deserves
31:54I know we have
31:55got a lot of
31:55Ronaldo fans
31:55this is not
31:57what he deserves
31:58we should be
31:58talking today
31:58about what
32:00Messi is
32:00this is really
32:00not about
32:01Messi and
32:01Ronaldo
32:02this is
32:02everything to
32:03do with
32:03Egypt
32:03it is not
32:05a division
32:06between
32:07Messi fans
32:08and Ronaldo
32:08fans
32:08Messi is
32:09great
32:09he is
32:10denying
32:10Messi's
32:10greatness
32:11it's about
32:12was Egypt
32:13denied
32:14social media
32:15it is
32:15it's all
32:16about
32:16Messi and
32:16Ronaldo
32:17of course
32:17social media
32:18it is
32:18but Ayaz
32:19was right
32:20the conversation
32:20started way
32:21before social
32:22media exploded
32:22if Barr
32:23was taken
32:23for him
32:24it should
32:24have been
32:24taken
32:25for the
32:25other one
32:25that's why
32:26this controversy
32:26happened
32:26it should
32:27be equal
32:27rules for
32:28everyone
32:28if Ronaldo
32:29should not
32:30have played
32:30the first
32:31two matches
32:31because he
32:31was suspended
32:32the moment
32:33the rules
32:33are bent
32:34for some
32:34and not
32:34bent
32:35for some
32:35but for a lot
32:35of us
32:36Ranjit
32:36who started
32:37off supporting
32:37Argentina
32:39when we
32:39saw what
32:40went down
32:40we just
32:41thought something
32:41was off
32:41and I
32:42think that
32:43has led
32:43to the
32:43conversation
32:44on social
32:44media
32:45which has
32:45many football
32:46greats
32:46also weigh
32:47in on
32:48either
32:48sides
32:48of the
32:49divide
32:49which is
32:49fair
32:50final comments
32:51Sharda Ugraab
32:51you finally
32:52have you
32:52hopefully
32:52with better
32:53audio
32:53go ahead
32:54ma'am
32:55from your
32:56end
32:57I agree
32:59with what
33:00Ranjit
33:00says
33:00had that
33:01VR been
33:02looked at
33:02a second
33:02time
33:03the referee
33:03should have
33:03clearly
33:04said what
33:05he said
33:05and the
33:06only difference
33:07I see
33:07in the
33:07Ronaldo
33:08thing
33:08being overturned
33:09and the
33:09red card
33:10being overturned
33:10and Ronaldo
33:11playing
33:11is that I
33:12don't think
33:12the president
33:13of the
33:13prime minister
33:13of Portugal
33:14called up
33:14FIFA
33:14and said
33:15please do
33:15it
33:17so the
33:18president
33:18of the
33:18football
33:19federation
33:19might have
33:20but not
33:20the president
33:20of the
33:20country
33:21that's
33:21why
33:21this entire
33:22world cup
33:23in a way
33:23is tainted
33:24by this
33:24Donald
33:25Trump
33:25making
33:26Infantino
33:26look like
33:27an absolute
33:28clown
33:28and rightly
33:30so
33:31and there's
33:33so much
33:33else about
33:34the world
33:34cup
33:34that's
33:34beautiful
33:35but I
33:35still
33:35find that
33:36it leaves
33:37a bad
33:37taste in
33:38the mouth
33:38nothing to
33:39do with
33:39the Egypt
33:39result
33:40that is
33:41just me
33:41supporting
33:41the
33:41other dog
33:42and feeling
33:42bad
33:43that's
33:44all that
33:44it is
33:44it's an
33:45emotional
33:45response
33:46but
33:47I think
33:48that
33:50now
33:51we are
33:51journalists
33:52will believe
33:52anything
33:53and the
33:54shirt seller
33:56idea
33:56is a great
33:58one
33:58and that's
33:59why it's
33:59come back
33:59into it
34:00and you
34:00just hope
34:00that things
34:01sort of
34:01sort themselves
34:02out in the
34:02few days
34:03of the
34:03matches we
34:03have left
34:06and you
34:07let Ayaz
34:08and Arjun
34:08go first
34:10Ayaz
34:10yeah I
34:12mean look
34:12I think
34:13when you look
34:14back a little
34:14more objectively
34:15and with
34:16passions
34:17dimmed down
34:17I thought
34:18we saw
34:18a great
34:18game
34:19we saw
34:19a beautiful
34:19goal
34:20which was
34:20disallowed
34:21but we
34:21also saw
34:22the comeback
34:23the spectacular
34:23comeback
34:24by Argentina
34:25so that's
34:25something
34:26that one
34:26will
34:26treasure
34:27I think
34:28the issue
34:29really is
34:29the interpretation
34:30that has
34:31followed
34:31was it
34:32even handed
34:33or not
34:33there are
34:34several things
34:34which happened
34:35which transpired
34:36in this tournament
34:36before this
34:37match
34:37which has
34:38raised this
34:39issue of
34:40you know
34:40is everything
34:41in order
34:42or not
34:43I think
34:43that's
34:43really sparked
34:44off
34:44more of
34:45this debate
34:46than just
34:46watching
34:47Argentina
34:48come from
34:48behind
34:48to win
34:49so I
34:49think
34:50the debate
34:51is logical
34:52I don't
34:52think that
34:53there is
34:54you know
34:54there's
34:54conclusive evidence
34:55that you and
34:56I can provide
34:57but
34:57clearly
34:58there is
34:59something
34:59that
35:00this is
35:01something
35:01that needs
35:02to be talked
35:02about and
35:02discussed
35:03and I think
35:04it's a fair
35:04discussion
35:05alright
35:06Nikhil
35:06I just want
35:07to ask you
35:07because I think
35:08you've been
35:08following
35:08and it's
35:09happened
35:10in multiple
35:11World Cups
35:12but
35:12are the
35:13complaints
35:14on racism
35:14this time
35:15a lot more
35:16than we've
35:16seen in the
35:17past
35:17or it is
35:17pretty much
35:18the same
35:18no it's
35:18pretty much
35:19the same
35:19and I know
35:20there is
35:20this other
35:20clip that's
35:21gone viral
35:21with the
35:22Egyptian
35:22coach
35:23making that
35:23gesture
35:24as far as
35:24I know
35:25that that
35:25gesture
35:26was made
35:26even before
35:27the confrontation
35:28happened
35:28on the ground
35:30so I think
35:31this was more
35:31about the
35:32Egyptian coach
35:33saying no
35:34stop it
35:34or it's
35:35illegal
35:35and not so
35:36much about
35:37racism
35:37had this
35:38had anything
35:39to do with
35:39but in the post
35:40conference
35:40he said
35:41that there was
35:41racism in
35:42world
35:42no that's
35:43what I'm
35:43saying
35:43that was
35:44at the
35:44time
35:44towards the
35:45end
35:45when the
35:46red card
35:46is given
35:46and you see
35:47a support
35:48staff member
35:49from Egypt
35:49come out
35:50but if you
35:51go look at
35:51that match
35:51again
35:52the same
35:52gesture
35:53was made
35:54by the
35:54coach
35:55couple of
35:55times in the
35:56match
35:56even while there
35:57was no
35:57Argentinian player
35:58close to that
35:58if you think
35:59there is racism
36:00there of course
36:01that should be
36:01investigated
36:02there is no
36:02space for
36:03racism at all
36:04but all I'm
36:04saying is
36:04I'll even talk
36:05for the part
36:06of the coach
36:07I don't think
36:07it was right
36:08for him to come
36:08out and have
36:09said that
36:09because you
36:09know what
36:10as a coach
36:11he needs to
36:12console his
36:12players
36:12what he's now
36:13making them
36:14is feel much
36:15worse that
36:15they've been
36:15robbed of the
36:16game
36:16I think the
36:17right thing
36:18for a coach
36:18to have come
36:19and said
36:19listen my
36:19guys gave
36:20it their
36:21best
36:21their right
36:23forward was
36:24outstanding in
36:25Hassan
36:25Mo Salah was
36:26very good
36:27their goalkeeper
36:27was outstanding
36:28I think that
36:29was a time
36:30to come and
36:30speak about
36:31that
36:32as far as
36:33the controversy
36:33is concerned
36:34of course
36:34that will be
36:34taken care of
36:35you know
36:36by FIFA
36:37they've lodged
36:37an official
36:38complaint
36:38yes they can
36:39do that
36:40they have
36:40done so
36:41I think
36:41the way
36:42that game
36:43you know
36:43you must also
36:44look at
36:44pictures
36:44there are
36:45pictures of
36:45Lionel Messi
36:46actually before
36:47that confrontation
36:47happened
36:48coming and
36:49trying and
36:49consoling the
36:50players
36:50saying what
36:50happened
36:51what is it
36:52that you're
36:52aggrieved about
36:53that's when you
36:53see a member
36:54of the
36:54Jisham support
36:55staff come out
36:56and have that
36:57you know
36:57verbal battle
36:58so I think
36:59it wasn't as
37:00bad it was
37:00made out to be
37:01you must also
37:01look at that
37:02keeper
37:02towards the end
37:03when that goal
37:04is scored on
37:05the counter
37:05attack
37:06by Enzo
37:07Fernandes
37:07that's when
37:08they have that
37:08issue that
37:09go check
37:09what happened
37:10in the box
37:11for Egypt
37:11that was an
37:12afterthought
37:12now you take
37:13a look at
37:13those two
37:14instances as
37:14well
37:14I don't see
37:15any complaints
37:16that both
37:16players from
37:17Egypt were
37:17actually looking
37:18for that
37:18foul
37:18I probably
37:19would have
37:19given a
37:20yellow card
37:20to Salah
37:20for diving
37:21at that
37:21point
37:21were they
37:22playing
37:23you know
37:23to the
37:24fairness
37:24of the
37:24game
37:24no
37:25they were
37:25also
37:25trying to
37:26look for
37:26penalty
37:26and no
37:26issues
37:27with that
37:27that's
37:28how football
37:28is played
37:28as I said
37:29if you see
37:30football day
37:30in and day
37:31out
37:31this is
37:31exactly
37:32what pans
37:32out
37:33the unfortunate
37:34bit is
37:34that I
37:35repeat
37:35that you
37:36had one
37:36of the
37:37finest
37:37games
37:37and we're
37:38discussing
37:38and that
37:39then boils
37:39down to
37:40one as
37:40Ranjit said
37:41because you
37:42may like
37:42it or not
37:42because there's
37:43a Messi
37:43involved
37:44there is a
37:44Ronaldo
37:44fan club
37:45and also
37:45because you
37:46have an
37:46underdog
37:47in Egypt
37:47right
37:48so you
37:49have the
37:49entire Arab
37:50world
37:50now sticking
37:50the neck
37:51out
37:51and supporting
37:51that Egypt
37:52has been
37:53done wrong
37:53these are
37:54politics of
37:55football
37:55they will
37:55play out
37:56and they
37:56have continued
37:57to play
37:57out for
37:57the last
37:58few years
37:58Arjun
37:58you want
37:59to quickly
37:59come in
38:00nothing
38:01in terms
38:01of basically
38:02if you're
38:02going to
38:03start using
38:03VAR
38:03and as far
38:04as technology
38:04is concerned
38:06the one
38:06I think
38:07the way
38:07you can
38:08sort of
38:08help yourself
38:09going forward
38:09and get
38:10your decisions
38:10correct is
38:11that stop
38:12watching
38:13decisions
38:13in slow
38:14motion
38:15so whatever
38:16the referee
38:16is seen
38:17whatever the
38:18angle he's
38:18getting
38:19make him
38:20watch it
38:20in real
38:20time
38:21because if
38:22you watch
38:22something in
38:22slow motion
38:23slow motion
38:24even if I
38:24touch you
38:25a slow
38:26motion
38:26it's showing
38:26that I'm
38:27touching
38:27and you're
38:27falling down
38:28football
38:28doesn't
38:28work like
38:29that
38:30the angle
38:30everything
38:31so I guess
38:32the ruling
38:33should be
38:33it's a
38:34work in
38:34progress
38:34why people
38:36like us
38:36are not
38:37liking VAR
38:37is because
38:38we've grown
38:38up in an
38:39era of
38:39football
38:39which did
38:40not have
38:40VAR
38:40we've grown
38:41up in an
38:42era of
38:42football
38:42where the
38:43referee was
38:43known to
38:44be making
38:45mistakes
38:45you accepted
38:46the mistake
38:46and you
38:46moved on
38:47with it
38:47now with
38:48the kids
38:48who are
38:49coming in
38:49probably 10
38:5015 years
38:50later
38:50kids who
38:51have grown
38:52up watching
38:52VAR
38:52this will be
38:56this VAR
38:57and the
38:57operation of
38:58VAR
38:58and how
38:59well you're
38:59using technology
39:00will get
39:00better as
39:01well
39:01so my
39:02only thing
39:02is that
39:03start reviewing
39:03decisions in
39:04real time
39:04not in slow
39:05motion
39:05I think other
39:06than that
39:06everything is
39:06fine
39:07there's too
39:07much
39:07halabaloo
39:08going on
39:08in the
39:08world
39:09that this
39:09conspiracy
39:09that
39:10conspiracy
39:10this is
39:11focus on
39:12the football
39:12I think
39:12the real
39:13football
39:13really starts
39:14now
39:14in the
39:15quarter
39:15finals
39:16Ranjit
39:17come in
39:17sir
39:19like Arjun
39:20said I
39:20think the real
39:21football starts
39:21now and
39:23we've got
39:24Messi to look
39:25forward to
39:26see it
39:26would have
39:27been sad
39:27for Luka
39:28Modric to
39:29go out
39:29it would
39:29have been
39:30sad because
39:30he's a
39:31legend
39:31this last
39:31world cup
39:32Ronaldo
39:32going out
39:33now Mo
39:33Salah
39:34going out
39:34and now
39:35Messi's left
39:36so for
39:37us especially
39:38you know
39:38our generation
39:39these were
39:40our icons
39:41and they're
39:42all going
39:43out which
39:43basically means
39:44we are also
39:45really getting
39:45old and
39:46that's not a
39:47good sign
39:47because we
39:48are getting
39:48the sign
39:49from them
39:49it's time
39:50to now
39:51it does
39:52seem that
39:52you know
39:53where football
39:54is concerned
39:55the world
39:55order there
39:56is seemingly
39:57changing
39:57with what
39:57we've seen
39:58the last
39:58couple of
39:59matches
39:59like Arjun
40:00was mentioning
40:01that the
40:02new generation
40:02has no idea
40:03that the referee
40:04could just do
40:04it and you
40:05had to take
40:05it
40:05now let me
40:07tell you the
40:07new thing
40:08they're coming
40:08with
40:08better thing
40:09is that you
40:10give each
40:10coach two
40:11chances in a
40:12match to
40:13take up a
40:13decision like
40:14you have in
40:14cricket
40:15that means you
40:15can't keep
40:16on going to
40:16VAR again
40:17and again
40:17if you really
40:18feel it your
40:19players will come
40:19and tell you
40:20that was the
40:20handball
40:20take it
40:21now imagine
40:22how exciting
40:23that becomes
40:23that you've got
40:24no chances
40:24left and they
40:25won't play a
40:25penalty show
40:31Chardaugra
40:31ma'am can you
40:32hear me
40:32final comments
40:33yes I can
40:35I'm in agreement
40:37that not that
40:38the football is
40:38going to begin
40:38now because I
40:39just love watching
40:40the vast color
40:41and difference
40:42and the range
40:43of the kind of
40:44footballers and
40:44footballing styles
40:45and things that
40:46we see in a
40:47world cup I
40:47didn't think 48
40:48teams was going
40:48to be great
40:49but it's produced
40:50some excellent
40:51matches more
40:52excellent matches
40:53than we realized
40:54more competition
40:54than we realized
40:56I'm not a fan
40:57of social media
40:58so therefore
40:58this whole
40:59hullabaloo
40:59that's something
41:00I can understand
41:00is really
41:01bothering people
41:03perfect perfect
41:04I just called
41:05you
41:05I can't
41:05go ahead
41:09I think
41:09somebody was
41:10taking a call
41:10go ahead
41:11make your
41:11point
41:11sorry
41:12my view
41:12just is that
41:14you know
41:14social media
41:15is what it
41:16is I mean
41:16I try and
41:17live my life
41:17outside social
41:18media but I
41:19can understand
41:19it's caused
41:20great pain
41:21to the football
41:22you know
41:23the hardcore
41:23football fans
41:24were saying
41:24look it was
41:25a great match
41:25it was a great
41:26match and we
41:26remember it as
41:27being a great
41:27match and
41:28we'll always miss
41:29a little bit
41:30of the fact
41:32what was good
41:32about it
41:33a friend of
41:34mine said
41:34yesterday
41:34the fact that
41:35Argentina held
41:36its composure
41:36despite the fact
41:37that they were
41:38trailing 2-0
41:39with about 10
41:40or 15 minutes
41:41to go
41:41you know
41:42or 2-1
41:42or whatever
41:42the score was
41:43he said they
41:44were still there
41:44they were in it
41:45they were competing
41:46hard
41:46you know
41:47we shouldn't
41:47we forgot it
41:48because it got
41:49swept up in the
41:50whole Egyptian
41:50emotion of it
41:51but that's what
41:52will remain
41:53but it's been a
41:53messy world cup
41:55in many ways
41:56than one
41:57it's been quite
41:57an unsavory world
41:58cup when it
41:59comes to the
42:00rest of the
42:00stuff that's
42:01gone on around
42:01fair point
42:02okay so
42:02but lots of
42:03controversies
42:04alright so
42:05Nikhil what do
42:05we have ahead
42:07now what do
42:08we look at
42:08what are the
42:08big clashes
42:09that you'll be
42:09looking at
42:10closely
42:10well I mean
42:11you know
42:11there have already
42:13been a lot of
42:13upsets
42:14I'm just looking
42:15forward to
42:15hopefully there
42:16will be a
42:16Spain versus
42:18France semi-final
42:19I think that's
42:20going to be an
42:20outstanding game
42:21if that does
42:22end up happening
42:23Argentina looks
42:24like they'll be
42:25on their way
42:25they face
42:25Switzerland next
42:26could be
42:27you know
42:27England for them
42:29in the semi-finals
42:29so plenty of
42:30exciting action
42:31coming up
42:31I'm just glad
42:32that this one
42:33controversy has
42:34helped take
42:35football to
42:35prime time
42:36television on
42:36India today
42:37that's the
42:37happiest thing
42:38for me
42:38because sports
42:39unites and
42:40it sometimes
42:40also divides
42:41and I think
42:42this is one
42:43match which has
42:44got a lot of
42:44football fans
42:45and including
42:45you know
42:46people who
42:46know a
42:47thing or two
42:47more about
42:48football than
42:48just fans
42:50divided as
42:51well
42:51but we leave
42:51it at that
42:52we leave it
42:52for our viewers
42:53to pick a
42:54side
42:54whichever side
42:55they stand
42:55let's hope
42:56football wins
42:57in the end
42:57let's end
42:58with that
42:58cliche
42:59kids
Comments