Well, we don't need the interference of Tuchel and Trump. Despite a few minor errors, the referees performed correctly most of the time, with VAR stepping in when they didn't.

Thomas Tuchel criticized the World Cup refereeing after England's win over Mexico, calling it unreliable, inconsistent, and inadequate. To me, his comments seemed like an attempt to influence outcomes - overall, the referees did well, making some correct calls, but they also had their off moments.

Like everyone else, referees are not infallible. Egypt claimed they were wronged against Argentina on Tuesday, but the decision to disallow Egypt's goal and allow Argentina's winner was correct. In the first incident, a foul was called on Marwan Attia for pulling Lisandro Martinez's shirt and striking his right foot during a counterattack. There is no time limit or maximum number of passes required for such a call.

Hossam Hassan speaks to the media. Egypt coach Hassan will turn off the TV after the 'injustice' against Argentina. Read more. Key factors: the ball continued forward without any sideways or backward passes until it hit the net. It could have been one of the tournament's best goals, but the simple fact is that disallowing it was correct. In the third late incident for Argentina,

Egyptians saw a foul by Julian Alvarez on Mohamed Salah. Some compare this incident to the previous one due to contact between the players' boots, but it's a different situation. Alvarez played the ball and then there was minor contact that doesn't warrant a foul or VAR intervention.

VAR played a key role in the Mexico vs England match. Jarell Quansah's challenge on Jesus Gallardo deserved a red card, and I was surprised referee Alireza Faghani missed it on the field. After VAR rightly recommended a review, the correct outcome was reached.

Tuchel was unhappy with several decisions that night. The referee's job was never easy, given the intense media pressure, weather conditions, and the match at the Azteca. But some players didn't help by shirking responsibility. They faked injuries, argued, questioned almost every decision, and when Quansah's tackle occurred, all of Mexico's substitutes rushed in angrily. England responded, and the situation escalated. Surprisingly, we hear England is considering appealing Quansah's red card, but the Folarin Balogun case changed everything.

Historically, there was no avenue to appeal a red card in tournaments; a one-match suspension is automatic. I had never heard of Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which FIFA says it used to suspend the US striker's ban. Balogun's red card was certainly justified with VAR's help. When I saw his tackle on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarek Muhremovic live, I wasn't sure if it warranted a red, but the replay convinced me, even if there was no intent. The proof was the ball's position; it was not within playing distance.

When assessing whether a tackle warrants a red card, two key factors are considered: excessive force and endangering the opponent's safety. In Balogun's challenge, the point of contact was on the calf, extending down to the Achilles tendon, causing an ankle twist. It could have resulted in a serious injury. Balogun's tackle on Muhremovic showed no malicious intent, but it merited a red card because it endangered the opponent.

Donald Trump's intervention and Tuchel's comments intensified the refereeing debate. As a referee, you must ignore that. In professional refereeing, sports psychologists are brought in to help. I was never good at forgetting a wrong call - it would haunt me for three or four days - but that's different from letting it affect your performance. You must stay calm and focus on the present. This World Cup has seen 13 red cards, compared to four in each of the previous two editions, but I don't think there's much to complain about.

Player safety is paramount, and both Quansah and Balogun exemplify the boundaries of VAR. The technology was correctly used for red cards that were missed on the field. However, this does not mean VAR interventions were flawless - quite the opposite.

Referees manage the game, but sometimes lines must be drawn and cards shown. FIFA has apparently tweaked its VAR approach and set a high bar for intervention, similar to the Premier League. It was interesting to see various refereeing styles from different nations and confederations. However, there are certain fouls that are called worldwide.

Former Premier League referee and writer for The Guardian.