Klopp critical of decision to rule out Tah goal in Germany defeat: “Arsenal scored 60% of their goals like that”
| Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images |
Germany are sensationally out of the World Cup after losing to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32 on Monday night.
However, it could have been different had Jonathan Tah’s extra-time goal stood. The centre-back headed home from a corner in the first half of extra time, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review, with Waldemar Anton adjudged to have fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Speaking on MagentaTV, German coaching icon Jürgen Klopp criticised the decision, arguing that English champions Arsenal scored many similar goals during the 2025/26 season.
“If that goal is illegal, then Arsenal wouldn’t be English champions. They scored 60% of their goals like that. So that’s obviously brutal,” Klopp told MagentaTV (via DPA).
Patrick Ittrich, MagentaTV’s refereeing expert, said he believed the VAR intervention was unnecessary.
“For me, that is not a clear and obvious error by the referee,” Ittrich said, arguing that the VAR review should not have been called.
“For me, that’s too pedantic. I don’t see any pushing or shoving,” he added.
ZDF refereeing expert Thorsten Kinhöfer said he was “speechless”.
“We’ve seen far worse situations at this World Cup, and the goalkeeper gets straight back up. That’s a normal contact and never a foul,” he said.
