Kasey Keller weighed in on the World Cup‘s most controversial offside calls, which have led to crucial goals being disallowed. The tournament has seen excellent soccer on display. However, offside rulings and debate over VAR continue to grow.
Offsides have always been a hot topic of discussion within the soccer community. Croatia’s loss to Portugal in the Round of 32 was heavily criticized on social media.
After scoring the equalizer, the goal was disallowed after VAR determined that it was offside. Because of that, Portugal secured the victory and advanced to the Round of 16.
Kasey, a former USMNT goalkeeper, believes there is room for improvement, but the advancement of technology are helping VAR.
“Potentially, but I think with AI advancements and even what we’re seeing now from the beginning of VAR to now, how much quicker they’re able to make decisions,” Keller exclusively told Heavy Sports via Ozoon. “We’re talking about a handful of scenarios that have been pretty tricky, and let’s be honest, that’s never going to change.”
Will Controversial Offside Calls at World Cup Lead to Daylight Offside Being Implemented?
After growing frustrations, many questioned whether daylight offside should finally be implemented.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger proposed the daylight offside rule. That rule deems a player offside only when the player’s entire body is behind the last defender. This rule is currently being used on a trial basis in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) this season.
Still, Kasey Keller does not agree.
“Even with the daylight rule, there’s always going to be situations that will be more or less a 50/50 call, and with that 50/50 call, 50% are going to be annoyed about it,” Keller exclusively told Heavy Sports via Ozoon. “It’s going to continue to happen, but I will admit it has gotten better and better. The part that still frustrates me, the rule still is clear and obvious. When the VAR official goes over to the monitor and spends three to four minutes looking at something, it can’t be clear and obvious.”
He continued:
“If you go over and have a look at it and go ‘I have no idea’, go ‘OK leave and after 30 second I saw nothing clear and obvious and I’ll have to stick with what my initial decision was’. And nobody will argue with that, and that’s the problem.”
Kasey Keller Says the Correct Decisions Have Been Made
Despite the controversial offside calls, Keller said the correct decisions have been made.
“What I love seeing more often than not, and we’re talking about significantly higher percentages than we’ve ever seen in the past, the right decisions being made. If I come into the locker room after the game and we had a goal disallowed and you can show me it was a half a toe offside, it is still offside,” Keller exclusively told Heavy Sports via Ozoon.
He continued:
“But how many times did I go into a locker room, see tape, and see a ball was offside/not offside, ah well it will even itself out. No, how about we just get the right call – and then nobody can complain about that.
Ex-USMNT Star Speaks Out on Controversial Offside Calls at World Cup: Exclusive