Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s viral look returns as Khuliso Mudau’s VAR reactions trend at FIFA World Cup 2026

Khuliso Mudau and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi NEW DELHI: Soccer fans at a packed Mexico City stadium were left divided during the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The moment had little to do with the three red cards that dominated the Mexico-South Africa clash.Instead, it was the confused expressions of the South African players after the VAR announcement that stole the show – a reaction that reminded many Indian fans of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s viral expression during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup match against Pakistan.VAR announcement leaves players confusedThe start of the World Cup was full of drama. Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in a heated encounter that saw three players sent off – Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane for South Africa and Cesar Montes for Mexico.But the internet has found another hero.The turning point came in the 84th minute when referee Wilton Sampaio was asked to review an incident involving Zwano and Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado. After consulting with VAR, the Brazilian referee turned on the microphone in the stadium to explain his decision to the crowd, part of FIFA’s initiative to improve transparency around video reviews.However, the explanation seemed to leave everyone even more confused.TV commentators struggled to make sense of the announcement, fans online admitted they didn’t understand what was said and even the players on the pitch looked completely confused.The cameras quickly focused on South African defender Khulis Mudau, whose confused look at the referee instantly went viral. Social media users flooded the internet with memes, with one fan writing: “Their facial expression is killing me.”Another joked: “He didn’t understand a single thing the ref was saying.”Vaibhav Sooryavanshi connectionFor Indian cricket fans, the scene brought back memories of a similar viral moment involving teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.A controversial umpire’s decision sparked a heated argument between Indian players and officials during India’s development team’s Asia Cup match against Pakistan.Pakistan A’s innings was in the 10th over, with Suyash Sharma bowling. Maaz Sadaqat attempted a big shot from the first ball of the over and Naman Dhir completed the catch. Believing the toss was dismissed, the Indian players began celebrating before the decision caused confusion.Captain Jitesh Sharma held discussions with the umpire as cameras zoomed in on 14-year-old Vaibhav standing nearby.Same look, different sportThe youngster’s innocent and completely confused expression quickly became one of the most shared images from the match. Fans turned the reaction into memes, praising the teenager’s candid look as he struggled to make sense of the chaos unfolding around him.Similar to Mudau’s confused look in Mexico, Vaibhav’s expression perfectly captured the thoughts of fans watching from home: “What exactly is going on here?”