Modric is unhappy with how VAR will be used at the 2026 World Cup .
As the 2026 World Cup enters the knockout stage, controversy is increasingly overshadowing the technical aspects of the game. After spectacular performances, breathtaking comebacks, and stunning goals, what fans are talking about most is VAR.
Modric was perhaps one of the first to spot the problem. After Croatia's defeat to Portugal in the round of 32 on July 3rd, the 40-year-old midfielder didn't just complain about a specific decision. What angered him was the lack of consistency.
"We deserved more than that. If the situation had been reversed, I believe VAR would never have intervened," Modric declared. This wasn't the lament of a player who had just been dropped, but a question about how the technology is being operated.
Modric hits the nail on the head regarding the pain of the World Cup.
VAR was created to reduce controversy, but at the 2026 World Cup, it became the source of endless debates. No match illustrated this more clearly than the clash between Argentina and Egypt in the round of 16 on August 7th.
In the 58th minute, Mostafa Zico put the ball into the net, giving Egypt what appeared to be a 2-0 lead over Argentina. However, after several minutes of reviewing the footage, VAR instructed referee Francois Letexier to disallow the goal, determining that Marawan Attia had fouled Lisandro Martinez at the start of the play.
VAR intervened and disallowed Egypt's goal because of this play.
That's VAR's prerogative. Whether the decision was right or wrong is still debatable, but at least the technology was used. What angered the Egyptians happened in injury time.
When the score was 2-2, Hamdi Fathi was allegedly pulled by the shirt by Alexis Mac Allister inside the penalty area. Just seconds later, Mohamed Salah fell again in another challenge. The Egyptian players immediately demanded that the referee review the incident using VAR.
There was no signal. The referee didn't stop the game. VAR didn't request a review either. A few seconds later, Argentina counter-attacked and Enzo Fernandez scored the winning goal. Two situations, two completely different approaches. That's what's making fans question things.
In reality, the controversy isn't about whether Argentina benefited or whether Egypt deserved a penalty. Football always involves 50-50 situations, and each referee may have a different perspective. What viewers find difficult to accept is the lack of consistency.
What happened to Egypt has proven Modric's words true.
If VAR can "turn back time" to find a foul at the beginning of the play leading to Egypt's goal, why wasn't that technology used to check the collisions that occurred right before Argentina's decisive goal?
That's exactly what Modric wanted to say. "VAR is useful in some situations, but I've never liked the technology. The problem lies in how people use it," he stated.
VAR didn't bother to intervene when Egypt was upset.
This observation becomes even more thought-provoking when the 2026 World Cup sees teams repeatedly speaking out about refereeing. Croatia expressed outrage after their match against Portugal. Now it's Egypt's turn to file a complaint with FIFA, requesting an investigation into the refereeing team and an explanation of the decisions in their match against Argentina.
The common thread among them isn't a denial of VAR. They're simply questioning its consistency. VAR can't eliminate every mistake. But the technology loses its meaning if it's applied in a way that leaves fans confused as to why some situations are reviewed while others aren't.
Football always accepts human error. What fans find harder to accept is the feeling that standards are inconsistent between matches, between teams, or even between two situations that occur just a few dozen minutes apart.
Therefore, Modric's statement is nothing short of a warning to everyone. After what happened at the 2026 World Cup, especially the Argentina-Egypt match, it has become a concern for many football fans.
Perhaps Modric was right. The issue was never the existence of VAR, but how it was used.