Gary Neville has praised referees at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast for their commendable use of VAR. This praise comes as a stark contrast to the scrutiny faced by VAR in European competitions, particularly the English Premier League.
Neville is impressed by the near-perfect implementation of VAR in AFCON, suggesting that Europe has lessons to learn from Africa in this regard.
He said: "The standards of officiating set by this year's AFCON are honestly staggering. It's like they invented it. The premier league and all of Europe have a lot of learning to do."
The impact of VAR was highlighted in the game between Nigeria and South Africa, where a reversed decision played a significant role.
Nigeria scored a goal after a counterattack.
However, their goal wasn't only dismissed, but the penalty was awarded to South Africa.
The Super Eagles lost their two-goal advantage as the Bafana Bafana levelled the scores, showcasing the pivotal role that VAR can play in shaping match outcomes.
Nigeria, however, still went on to win the game on penalties and moved to the final.
