The former Chelsea and Manchester United Football teams coach Jose Mourinho has praised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the prompt use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Mourinho says unlike the VAR in the European football, in AFCON, VAR has been used exactly the way it is supposed to be used.
Mourinho’s messaged reads; “I have watched AFCON more than European football. They are simply teaching us to be honest. In AFCON VAR is used exactly the way it should be used.”
“They do not use it to help the money magnet teams or famous teams. This is why you saw the best out of every team, because they know VAR isn’t hired behind the scenes but is for everyone. They listen even to their Players if the Ref missed something and go check.”
“In Europe, if I as a coach or a player plead with a ref to go check something, it is a red card for doing that.The headquarters for VAR needs to be in CAF”.
The AFCON 2023 finals between the host Ivory Coast and Nigeria is having less than 40 minutes to the end. Nigeria got the first goal in the first half. However, in the 63rd minute, Ivory Coast scored the equaliser.