VAR Controversy Boils Over as Ghana Hold Lucky England

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Carlos Queiroz did not need to raise his voice to land his blow. Seated in the post-match news conference, the Ghana coach turned toward a FIFA official and delivered his verdict on the video assistant referee with a sarcasm sharp enough to cut glass. "Once again, VAR went for a coffee," he said. England had escaped Gillette Stadium with a goalless draw, but they had not escaped the accusation that hung over the result: that the Three Lions were, in Queiroz's words, very lucky indeed.

After both teams won their Group L openers, the well-drilled Black Stars sat back and frustrated England on an overcast afternoon in Foxborough, Massachusetts, holding Thomas Tuchel's side to a 0-0 draw. But the scoreline was almost a footnote to the storm that engulfed it — a late penalty appeal, a non-existent VAR intervention, and a coach who made sure the world heard exactly what he thought.

The moment that lit the fuse

The flashpoint arrived with just over 20 minutes to play. Ghana's valuable point threatened to become three when substitute Prince Adu was played in behind and seemingly caught by a wayward Ezri Konsa slide — a challenge that was inexplicably waved away both by the on-field officials and VAR.

To Ghana, and to many watching, it was a clear spot-kick. The absence of even a review is what stung most. Even former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann admitted to the BBC that it was a penalty, or at the very least should have been referred to the VAR. The decision to let play continue without a second look became the defining image of the afternoon.

It was not the only call that went England's way. In the 67th minute, a long ball toward the English penalty area was chased by Prince Adu as goalkeeper Jordan Pickford rushed out to clear the danger, with the pair colliding outside the box. In real time it appeared Pickford had fouled Adu, but Honduran referee Said Martinez astonishingly ruled that it was the England goalkeeper who had been fouled instead. Two major decisions, both in the Three Lions' favor.

Queiroz turns the screw

If the on-field calls were debatable, Queiroz's response was anything but ambiguous. Looking toward a FIFA official, the coach said: “I'm not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup. We still have VAR? It's working? I have some doubts about that because another penalty that they need to give to Ghana, a clear penalty against England, was missed.”

He returned, again and again, to the word that framed his entire argument. "We had our chances to the point that they're lucky. They're very lucky," Queiroz said. “Once again, VAR went for a coffee. It's natural, I would like to also take my coffees once in a while, but it was a clear penalty, red card.”

Then came the challenge to the room. "You have any doubts about that? You guys who saw the game have any doubts about that, or is it only me that was in the game?" He laced the whole performance with a disclaimer that fooled no one. "I'm sorry for my sarcasm, but if I say these kinds of things seriously they punish me, so I hope you understand that I'm joking," he said.

For the record, the officials in question were named. U.S. official Armando Villarreal was the VAR for the match, with Said Martinez of Honduras in the middle.

A flashpoint with Bellingham

Queiroz also revealed a touchline edge to the contest, pointing to a confrontation involving Jude Bellingham as a moment that raised the temperature. The Ghana coach said the drama started after Bellingham used a "bad word," telling ITV: “My intention was to tell him to cool down with that tackle that he did. Could be a second yellow card, clearly, because he went with the foot against our player.”

His concern, he explained, was for his injured substitute. "I was worried because my player was not in 100% health. He had a bad reaction with some bad words and that's why it started," Queiroz said.

England frustrated — and self-aware

For all the noise around the officiating, England's own shortcomings were impossible to ignore. The dominance was total in possession and utterly barren in product. England had 79% of the ball — the highest possession by any team that failed to score in a match in the past 60 years at a FIFA World Cup.

There was also a grim familiarity to it. England were frustrated in their second group game for the fourth successive tournament, echoing struggles against Scotland in 2021, the USA in 2022 and Denmark in 2024, this time against by far the most defensive opponent of the four.

Tuchel, to his credit, did not hide behind the controversy. "At the end of the halves we grew into it and found rhythm but, of course, fatigue crept in. I liked the attitude, but you need a bit of luck," the England coach said. "We had enough shots and a cross and a big chance with Harry Kane. It is what it is." England's best opportunity did fall to their captain late on, but it would not drop for them.

The pundits were less forgiving. Paul Merson called it "back to reality" for a side that "can't score four in every game," while arguing England should still expect to break such opponents down, and there were pointed questions about England's movement and cutting edge.

What it means for Group L

Lost in the recriminations was a result that suited England's qualification math, even as it dented their ambitions of topping the group. With four points from two games, England have all but secured passage to the knockout rounds but still have work to do to claim top spot in Group L.

For Ghana, the point was both a triumph of organization and a source of lingering grievance. The draw all-but secures the Black Stars' own progression, with both sides having won their openers — Ghana beating Panama 1-0 and England defeating Croatia 4-2 — and the expanded 48-team format meaning the top eight third-placed teams will advance. Ghana have not reached the knockout stage since their run to the quarterfinals in 2010, and they left Foxborough convinced they had done more than enough to deserve all three points.

Queiroz, a man at his fifth World Cup, knew the result kept his side on course. But he was not about to let the manner of it pass without comment. The coffee, as he saw it, could wait. The penalty could not.