World Cup 2018: 5 controversial decisions that involved VAR

France v Croatia - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final
Many pundits bashed referee Nestor Pitana for his controversial penalty decision

#1 Ivan Perisic handball in the final

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France v Croatia - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final
France got a penalty for what many are saying an unintentional handball

Who would have thought that VAR will have such a great impact on the all-important final? Fans were enjoying a perfectly balanced final when Argentine referee Nestor Pitana made one of the most controversial decisions of this year's World Cup. Blaise Matuidi missed Antoine Griezmann's corner, but the person very next to him, Ivan Perisic did not.

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The ball caught his hand and Pitana reversed his original decision of no penalty after having a good look at it. Henceforth, floodgates of all kinds of criticism were opened and many believed he marred the spirit of a game that was well-contested.

Australia's Tim Cahill has mocked his decision where Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen has joked about Perisic cutting his arms off for the next World Cup. Former footballers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer also expressed their disgust. Robbie Fowler has called it "shambles of a decision", whereas Roy Keane was so disgusted that he even went on to call Pitana an "idiot".

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith
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