Van Hooijdonk slams VAR error in Brazil‑Norway penalty decision

Former Dutch international Pierre van Hooijdonk said today he completely disagrees with the VAR decision that awarded Brazil a penalty against Norway, a call he calls a clear mistake. The spot‑kick was subsequently missed by Bruno Guimarães, adding to the controversy. Commentator Mulder observed that the initial impression was that the defender had played the ball, but replay footage shows otherwise. He highlighted the sliding challenge by Kristoffer Ajer on Matheus Cunha, noting that the ball was not touched. Van Hooijdonk argued that the incident was not a penalty, comparing it to a proper tackle by Micky van de Ven. He said normal contact should be allowed and that the VAR had erred.

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The VAR subsequently instructed referee Ismail Elfath to move to the side of the pitch. That intervention led directly to the penalty being awarded. Bruno Guimarães stepped up to take the spot‑kick but failed to convert it. The miss left Brazil without the expected advantage. Van Hooijdonk, who played for NAC Breda, Feyenoord and Benfica, used his platform to criticize the decision. His former clubs underline his experience in top‑level football. He also referenced the recent FIFA reversal of Florian Balogun’s red card for the United States, which restored the striker’s eligibility for the round‑of‑16 against Belgium. With a grin he asked whether even former President Trump could overturn such rulings.