“What is the point of VAR?” Drogba is fuming after the end of the Ivory Coast World Cup

Didier Drogba stormed into the stands after Ivory Coast’s heartbreaking World Cup exit, claiming his side were denied a clear second-half penalty in their 2-1 defeat by Norway in the round of 32. The Ivory Coast legend questioned the purpose of VAR after Nicolas Pepe’s appeal was waved away in a decision that quickly became one of the highlights.

Norway secured their place in the round of 16 thanks to Erling Haaland’s dramatic late winner, but Drogba felt the contest could have taken a completely different turn had the officials pointed to the spot when Pepe went down in the area. In a post on his X account shortly after the final whistle, the former Chelsea forward made no secret of his frustration.

Ivory Coast vs Norway, FIFA World Cup: HIGHLIGHTS

“Shameful, that penalty didn’t whistle for Nicolas Pepe, pffffff, what’s VAR for?!???!” Drogba wrote on X.

His comments came after an incident midway through the second half in which Pepe appeared to have been brought down in Norway’s penalty area. Despite long appeals from the Ivory Coast players, neither the referee nor the video assistant referee awarded a free kick, leaving the Elephants furious as the game continued.

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The controversial moment proved even more poignant after Norway grabbed victory in the closing stages to end Ivory Coast’s unforgettable World Cup journey.

DROGBA ISSUES VAR DECISIONS

The penalty incident became one of the defining moments of the fiercely contested knockout round.

Ivory Coast defended brilliantly after falling behind to Antonio Nusa’s superb strike in the first half, with substitute Amad Diallo producing another moment of magic to level the scores after the break. With the African champions looking the more dangerous side for big spells of the second half, they believed they had a chance to take the lead when Pepe went to ground inside the area.

Instead, the referee rejected the appeal and VAR decided not to intervene, leaving Drogba among those questioning why technology was not used to overturn the decision.

Frustration intensified only a moment later.

With extra time looming, Norway struck the decisive blow in the 86th minute when Erling Haaland calmly finished his fifth goal of the tournament. The strike not only sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory, but also saw the Manchester City striker move past Cristiano Ronaldo for the most World Cup knockout stage goals in history.

IVORY COAST DREAM RUN ENDS

Despite the disappointment, Ivory Coast leave the tournament with a lot to be proud of.

The Elephants reached the knockout stages after an impressive group campaign, pipping one of Europe’s most in-form sides in a vibrant Round of 32 competition. Amad Diallo continued his excellent World Cup form with another crucial goal, while several young players underlined the bright future ahead for Ivory Coast football.

For Norway, the victory keeps alive the hopes of an unforgettable World Cup race.

Haaland’s last-gasp winner sends the Scandinavians into a sensational last-16 tie against Brazil at the New York New Jersey Stadium, while the Ivory Coast head home wondering if a single VAR decision changed the course of their World Cup.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

01 Jul 2026 03:11 IST