‘A joke’ – how a terrible VAR disallowed goal cost Germany
By BBC, June 30, 2026
Germany thought their blushes had been spared when defender Jonathan Tah rose highest to head his side into a 2-1 lead in the 12th minute of extra time of their World Cup tie with Paraguay, only for the video assistant referee (VAR) to intervene.
The unmarked Tah rose at the back post and powered a header across Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, but the effort was chalked off after what former England captain Alan Shearer called a “pathetic” incident seconds before.
As the corner was swung in, Germany’s Waldemar Anton was judged to have impeded Gill, as the goalkeeper fell to the turf before getting up and attempting to make the save from Tah’s header.
But after referee Jalal Jayed made his way over to the pitchside monitor at the recommendation of the VAR and ruled the goal out, Shearer said on BBC One the Paraguayan had “conned the referee”.
Shearer insisted: “I don’t agree with that decision at all. The keeper falls to the ground on a slight touch and it’s very soft. I thought it was a terrible decision.
“You have to understand it is a contact sport, the goalkeeper has conned the referee and the VAR. The way he went down was pathetic.”
And after Paraguay triumphed 4-3 on penalties following the 1-1 draw, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann was left fuming at the disallowed goal.
He said: “In my opinion, this foul was not a real foul; it was actually a joke that his goal was disallowed.”
Nagelsmann was shown a yellow card for his protests as the effort was ruled out, while his future remains unclear.