Jose Mourinho has launched a fresh attack on modern officiating, voicing his frustration at the growing influence of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in football. The Portuguese manager, known for his outspoken nature, lamented the way goals are being ruled out for what he sees as trivial offences, arguing that technology is taking the spotlight away from players and undermining the essence of the game.
Speaking in typically forthright fashion, Mourinho said: “I don’t like the current state of football, where goals are disallowed for a simple shirt pull or a minor foot contact. The main actors in matches are not the players, but the people at VAR. If this is today’s football, I don’t like today’s football.”
His comments reflect a wider debate within the sport. Since its introduction, VAR has been designed to correct clear and obvious errors, but its application has often divided opinion. Decisions over marginal offsides, slight touches, or minimal contact in the penalty area have repeatedly sparked controversy among players, coaches, and fans alike.
Mourinho, who has managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, has long been a critic of measures he feels interfere with the flow and spectacle of football. For him, the increasing stoppages and forensic scrutiny of incidents are stripping the game of its natural rhythm and drama.
Supporters of VAR argue that the system ensures fairness and reduces human error, pointing to crucial mistakes in the pre-VAR era that altered the course of matches and even tournaments. Critics, however, including Mourinho, believe that the technology is now overstepping its purpose, catching minor infringements that referees on the pitch would have overlooked, and in doing so robbing fans of the emotion of spontaneous celebrations.
The debate is unlikely to fade anytime soon. With governing bodies continuing to refine VAR protocols, the clash between tradition and technology remains at the heart of football’s evolution. For Mourinho, though, the message is clear: football should be decided by players on the pitch, not by officials watching screens from a distant booth.
Africa Digital News, New York
