Switzerland left the World Cup quarterfinal furious after Breel Embolo was sent off for simulation following a VAR review in a 3-1 extra-time loss to Argentina. The decision turned a tied match into a long, uphill battle for Murat Yakin’s side.
The key moment came when Leandro Paredes was initially shown a yellow card for a tackle, but video review showed Embolo was already falling before contact was made. Because Embolo had already been booked earlier, the overturned call turned into a red card and left Switzerland with 10 players for the rest of the match.
Why the decision infuriated Switzerland
Swiss defender Nico Elvedi said, “I just don’t understand how VAR can make that kind of decision,” after the match. Yakin was even sharper in his criticism, saying the team was punished by a rule that was “absolutely incomprehensible.”
“We were dominant. We controlled the game. But the red card, we are punished because of a rule that is, to me, absolutely incomprehensible,” Yakin said. “Of course it hurts enormously that we were eliminated in this way. We didn’t deserve that today.”
Embolo was in tears as he left the field and was consoled by teammates on the sideline. Yakin later said it was unfair to blame him, noting that he had already been involved in several attacking phases before the dismissal.
A turning point after Switzerland had momentum
The sending-off arrived just after Dan Ndoye had pulled Switzerland level, a goal that shifted momentum back toward the Swiss. Yakin said he had wanted to make attacking substitutions at that point, but the red card changed the plan immediately.
“After the equalizer, we had the momentum on our side, and I wanted to make substitutions there as well, to bring on fresh attacking players,” he said. “They protect their referee over a rule that destroyed our game today. That hurts enormously.”
Granit Xhaka said the dismissal altered the match and left the dressing room quiet after the final whistle. Argentina then settled the game in extra time with late goals from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez.
A rare World Cup dismissal for simulation
According to www.espn.com, Embolo became only the fourth player in the past 60 years of the World Cup to receive a second yellow card for simulation. He joined Mexico’s Luis Pérez in 2006, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan in 2006, and Italy’s Francesco Totti in 2002.
The incident was also notable because it fell under the “mistaken identity” protocol, which allows VAR to intervene when the wrong player is shown a yellow or red card. Had Paredes not been booked for the tackle, the review would not have been able to change the decision.
| Player | Team | World Cup Match | Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breel Embolo | Switzerland | vs. Argentina | Second yellow for simulation, then red card |
| Luis Pérez | Mexico | vs. Portugal | Second yellow for simulation |
| Asamoah Gyan | Ghana | vs. Brazil | Second yellow for simulation |
| Francesco Totti | Italy | vs. South Korea | Second yellow for simulation |
The red card left Switzerland shorthanded in a match that had been level before extra time. Once Argentina scored twice late, the quarterfinal slipped away, and Switzerland were left to reflect on a decision they felt changed everything.
