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Heroics of Messi, Mbappe and Haaland overshadowed by one surprising character

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Many of world football’s brightest names took the field over the weekend, as the quarter finals of the FIFA men’s World Cup played out. But for many fans, the heroics of the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland were overshadowed by the actions of a surprising character: the referee.

Two contentious decisions marred England’s 2–1 win over Norway: one that disallowed a Norwegian goal due to an earlier foul, and another that allowed an English goal despite an apparent earlier collision between the ball and an overhead cable. Similarly, Argentina’s victory over Switzerland never looked in doubt once the ref issued a game-ending second yellow card to Swiss forward Breel Embolo.

At the heart of all three controversial calls were technologies designed to do away with controversial calls. FIFA pointed to the contact-detecting “snicko” device attached to the ball in allowing England’s goal, and the other two decisions hinged on the little-loved Video Assistant Referee or VAR, an off-field panel of officials able to watch replays and advise the on-field referee.

These were just the latest in a string of contentious VAR calls at this World Cup. So why has a high-tech system designed to reduce unfairness and error in refereeing ended up sparking more of the very controversies it was supposed to put to bed?

Facts are important – but so is judgement

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Football is a fast-paced and complex sport, its rules developed over more than 160 years.

Technology can help referees resolve some factual questions, such as whether the ball has crossed the goal line, or which player touched the ball last before it went out of play.

However, many decisions involving fouls, penalty kicks and handballs come down to questions of judgement and how to apply the rules. Often even the best-informed experts will disagree about the right decision.

Breel Embolo argues with referee Joao Pinheiro after being shown a red card
Breel Embolo argues with referee Joao Pinheiro after being shown a red card (Getty)

Some disputes relate to margins of millimetres revealed by replays; others where even VAR has appeared to miss a clear foul; and others where a technically correct decision nevertheless feels unjust.

VAR can reproduce evidence to revisit decisions and review them. On paper, this should help alleviate the errors.

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However, despite reviews now having more evidence to work with, the actual decision-making involved is regarded by many as highly inconsistent.

In part this is because the on-field referee has discretion over how strictly to enforce certain rules, such as how much contact between players may count as a foul. According to Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s head of referees, VAR has to adjust to the way the match is officiated. If the referee allows strong contact in the field, VAR should adjust accordingly, and finding a sweet spot for consistency is challenging.

The core issues remain

More technology and more intervention are not likely to resolve some of the core issues.

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A February match between Juventus and Inter Milan in Italy’s Serie A illustrates the problem. A Juventus player made minimal contact with an Inter player, who exaggerated the contact and fell over.

The referee issued a yellow card – given for a significant foul – to the Juventus player. It was the player’s second yellow card, which meant he was sent off the field for the rest of the match.

A perfect chance for a VAR review to set the record straight, you might think. However, VAR’s rules prevented it being used to intervene in second-yellow-card situations.

When the rule was subsequently changed, not everyone was happy – including the Italian league’s head of referees Gianluca Rocchi, who warned against the “greater use of technology”. At the same time, he said, such incidents didn’t occur when “the players focused on playing football and therefore made life easier for the referee”.

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More technology, more demands

Even when the system does work, it may not increase fans’ trust in the system.

In a World Cup match in June between Qatar and Switzerland, a crucial penalty kick decision appeared to hinge on an offside call, which is precisely the kind of thing VAR is meant for. Typically, after a VAR review, an infographic detailing the result is shown – but in this case nothing was shown and the penalty kick proceeded.

Fans and commentators were unhappy with the lack of information, saying it led to distrust in the technology. FIFA later stated the VAR review was carried out successfully, but a technical issue had prevented the infographic being shown.

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Bikesh Raj Upreti is a Lecturer in Business Information Systems at The University of Queensland. Federico Iannacci is a Senior Lecturer in Management at the University of Sussex Business School. Stan Karanasios is a Professor in Information Systems at The University of Queensland.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

So even when justice is done, it must also be seen to be done. The more advanced the technology becomes, the more the margin for error will shrink and the more audiences will demand transparency – and at the same time, the opportunities for failure will only increase.

Even when the technology works, it can turn football into a game of millimetres in cases where the position of a player’s toes may determine a game-changing offside call.

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This method may seem factual and objective, but it risks taking out the very emotion that draws fans to the game. What’s more, it presupposes the measurements are perfectly precise and accurate, with no errors.

Problems far beyond the pitch

The VAR system has also seen trouble off the field. One VAR referee was caught watching betting sites on the job during a game. Another was suspended for match-fixing. A refereeing administrator has been investigated for unduly influencing VAR reviews.

And at an altitude way above the field, FIFA itself has been criticised for suspending a ban against a US player without a clear explanation, and after an intervention from US President Donald Trump. This may have opened the door to broader political interference, and we have already seen other countries ask for similar treatment.

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Perhaps it was futile to hope a technical system could end fundamentally human disputes over a sport that has always been more art than science.

Meanwhile, millions of dollars have been invested in the technology and operations of VAR. Now it means errors come with a huge bill attached, which makes them less acceptable. And that same investment means VAR is very likely here to stay – whether we like it or not.

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Rickie, Jordan & Scottie among pros prepping for British Open at historic UK courses

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It is officially Open Championship week and time for the 154th edition of golf’s oldest major, which is being held at Royal Birkdale for the 11th time.

But first, American pros headed over early for some links prep and went about getting on some of the U.K.’s many gems. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had some extra time on his hands after missing the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open and took in North Berwick Golf Club, one of several great courses in East Lothian, and with son Bennett in tow.

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Manchester United in talks over Youri Tielemans move after Ederson deal stalls

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Manchester United are in talks with Aston Villa in a bid to sign Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans, the Press Association understands.

Tielemans, who captained his country at the World Cup, still has two years to run on his Villa contract, but United are hoping to lure him to Old Trafford.

It is understood United’s bid to sign midfielder Ederson from Atalanta has stalled following his late call into Brazil’s World Cup squad.

A £39m fee and personal terms had been agreed for Ederson, but United have switched focus, for now, on to Tielemans.

The 29-year-old joined Villa on a free transfer from Leicester in 2023 and has played a key role for Unai Emery’s side, who qualified for the Champions League last season and won the Europa League.

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Tielemans also helped lead Belgium to the World Cup quarter-finals, but he missed Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Spain after sustaining an injury in the warm-up, later reported to be a hamstring strain.

United have prioritised midfield strengthening following the departure of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte’s knee ligament injury sustained in Uruguay’s group-stage defeat to Spain at the World Cup.

They agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea last week for their Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.

It would be a major blow for Villa should Tielemans want to push through a move to Old Trafford.

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He has made over 130 appearances in all competitions for the West Midlands club, including 35 last season in which he scored two goals and made seven assists.

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2026 Quaker State 400 odds, predictions, time: NASCAR at Atlanta picks from proven model

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The Cup Series makes its second trip of the year to EchoPark Speedway as the Quaker State 400 2026 takes place on Sunday. It’s the third race of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, and the green flag for 2026 NASCAR at Atlanta drops at 7 p.m. ET. Tyler Reddick prevailed at the spring NASCAR Atlanta race, while William Byron, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott are all two-time victors at this track. Thus, it certainly won’t be easy to make 2026 Quarker State 400 bets with so many appealing options.

The NASCAR Atlanta 2026 odds indicate just as much, as nine drivers are listed in between +1000 and +1400. Ryan Blaney is the +1000 favorite, with Kyle Larson (+1100) and Logano (+1100) just behind him. Reddick is at +1200 to join the list of multi-time winners, while Denny Hamlin, who sits atop the Cup Series standings, is among a handful listed at +1400. Blaney, who won at this track in 2021, will start on the pole for the second time this season. Before locking in any NASCAR Atlanta predictions or NASCAR DFS lineups, you need to see the projected leaderboard from Mike McClure’s proven model.

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McClure is a legendary professional DFS player with more than $2 million in career winnings. He uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every lap of NASCAR action 10,000 times. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 30 winners since 2021 and nailed Denny Hamlin’s back-to-back wins at Michigan and Pocono last month. Anyone following his NASCAR betting picks at their favorite sportsbooks could have seen huge returns.

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Now, McClure has turned his attention to the NASCAR Quaker State 400. He’s only sharing his best bets at SportsLine.

2026 NASCAR at Atlanta predictions

For NASCAR at Atlanta 2026, McClure is fading Blaney (+1000), saying despite him being the favorite, simulations have Blaney barely even cracking the top 10. Blaney had a win, a runner-up and a third place all within his first eight starts this season but has dropped off since then. He has zero top 5s over his last 11 races, and while his team in Penske has had historical success at EchoPark, it’s dealt with vehicle issues as of late. Four of the last six Penske starters in Atlanta have been involved in accidents as none of those six have placed better than 10th. Blaney has pole position, but that’s not an omen for success as he has just one victory across 18 career poles.

Another surprise: The model is high on Keselowski (+1800), who is projected to make a strong run towards the title. Keselowski has two career Atlanta victories and several more near misses. He has six top-3 finishes at EchoPark, including at this race last year. He also has the backing of a team in RFK Racing that knows its way around this track. Across RFK’s last six starts at NASCAR Atlanta, five of the six have been top-15s, with three of those in the top 10. See which other drivers the model is backing at SportsLine.

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How to make 2026 Quaker State 400 picks

McClure is also high on two other longshots of at least +1800 who make runs for the top of the leaderboard, potentially netting any backer a huge payday. You can only see who they are here.

So who wins the 2026 Quaker State 400, and which longshots could stun NASCAR at Atlanta? Visit SportsLine now to see the 2026 Quaker State 400 picks and best bets from a NASCAR model that nailed back-to-back Denny Hamlin wins last month, and find out.

2026 NASCAR at Atlanta odds, lineup

See full NASCAR Quaker State 400 picks at SportsLine.

(Odds from FanDuel, subject to change)

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Ryan Blaney +1000
Kyle Larson +1100
Joey Logano +1100
Tyler Reddick +1200
William Byron +1400
Chase Briscoe +1400
Chase Elliott +1400
Austin Cindric +1400
Denny Hamlin +1400
Brad Keselowski +1800
Carson Hocevar +1800
Christopher Bell +1800
Ross Chastain +2000
Bubba Wallace +2200
Ty Gibbs +2200
Chris Buescher +2200
Alex Bowman +3000
Daniel Suarez +3500
Ryan Preece +4500
Connor Zilisch +4500
AJ Allmendinger +4500
Shane van Gisbergen +4500
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +5500
Michael McDowell +5500
Zane Smith +5500
Todd Gilliland +5500
Erik Jones +6500
Josh Berry +6500
JJ Yeley +6500
Cole Custer +6500
John Hunter Nemechek +6500
BJ McLeod +6500
Austin Hill +6500
Ty Dillon +7500
Riley Herbst +7500
Noah Gragson +10000

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Universal Tower Defense Z Iron Billionaire guide

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Iron Billionaire is among the finest units of Secret rarity in Universal Tower Defense Z. Introduced by Update 4.0, this character gives an income boost based on allies with the “Farm” Tag in his range. After being evolved to Iron Billionaire (Genius), he receives an Active Ability that gives him three distinct Battle Modes, including an Assist mode that summons two clones on the battlefield.

Inspired by Iron Man from Marvel Comics, here’s how you can obtain the Iron Billionaire and use his high-tech weapons to obliterate enemies.


How to get Iron Billionaire in Universal Tower Defense Z

How to get Iron Billionaire explained (Image via Roblox)How to get Iron Billionaire explained (Image via Roblox)
How to get Iron Billionaire explained (Image via Roblox)

Iron Billionaire is one of three units that can be acquired as a reward after completing the Crime Fighting Extraction level. Similar to Human Spider in Universal Tower Defense Z, you have a 25% chance of obtaining him upon clearing the specific map.

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In the Crime Fighting Extraction, you have to play as a superhero and complete different tasks like delivering pizzas, defeating criminals, and investigation activities that lead to supervillains. Filling the objective bar up to an extent will unlock mini-bosses, which will spawn at random points in the map.

Ultimately, you have to beat the Symbiotic Alien main boss and escape from one of the extraction zones to secure rewards. Apart from units, completing this Extraction level gives diverse equipment and evolution items.


How to evolve Iron Billionaire in Universal Tower Defense Z

All items required for evolving Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)All items required for evolving Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)
All items required for evolving Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)

Iron Billionaire evolves into Iron Billionaire (Genius) in Universal Tower Defense Z. To make this transformation, select him in the Evolutions menu and hit the Evolve button after acquiring all the mentioned materials:

  • 4x Universal Fragment
  • 6x Sky Fragment
  • 12x Holy Fragment
  • 1x Heart Reactor
  • 25,000 Gold

Fragments are rewards for finishing Challenges and specific Acts in the Legend Stage. They can also be bought from the Merchant with Gold, a currency acquired by clearing levels across most gamemodes.

The Heart Reactor item is exclusively available from Crime Fighting Expedition.


All passives of Iron Billionaire (Genius) in Universal Tower Defense Z

Normal and Shiny variants of Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)Normal and Shiny variants of Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)
Normal and Shiny variants of Iron Billionaire (Image via Roblox)

Iron Billionaire (Genius) makes Takedowns to increase his Pulse Charge and get boosted damage. He is also capable of making Follow-Up Attacks and Synchro Charge with Human Spider (Responsible) to become Mechanical Spider.

Here are all the passive abilities of Iron Billionaire (Genius):

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Genius Billionaire Philanthropist

  • Iron Billionaire (Genius) gives a 20% income boost for every Farm unit in his range.

Advanced Weaponry

  • On Attack, the unit has a 50% chance [or 75% on Etherealization 2] to do a Follow-up Attack.
  • On Follow-up Hit, the unit applies Plasma for 10 seconds.
  • While inflicted with Plasma, enemies take +40% Damage from Light units and also get a 20% Slow (at Etherealization 2).
  • Enemies take +20% Damage from other elements.
  • Shielded enemies lose +1 Shield for each hit.

Superficial Arc Reactor

  • On Takedown, the Iron Billionaire (Genius) gets +5% Pulse Charge
  • At 100% Pulse Charge, he receives +250% Damage [or +350% on Etherealization 4] for the next Attack.
  • For every Takedown with this Attack, get +5% DoT (cap: +50%).

Form Adaptation (Active Ability)

  • Active Ability unlocked on the final upgrade.
  • After using this ability, you can choose one of the three Battle Modes for Iron Billionaire (Genius) to enter.

Here are all Battle Modes available from the Form Adaptation ability:

Offense

  • +50% Damage
  • +25% Range
  • 15% SPA
  • On Attack, the unit applies Burn for 25% Damage over 5 ticks.

Defense

  • For every ally in this unit’s range, he gets:
  • 27.5% Damage
  • 22.5% Range
  • -17.5% SPA
  • When an enemy leaves this unit’s range, he applies Confusion on them for 2 seconds (once per enemy).

Assist

  • Summon two Iron Assist units.
  • The units will deal 25% Damage and copy this unit’s stats.
  • The units will sync their Attack with this unit.

Also check: Universal Tower Defense Z Cat Captain (Yoruichi) guide


FAQs on Universal Tower Defense Z

What is the spawn cost of Iron Billionaire?

You must have 1000 Yen to spawn this character.

What are the Tags possessed by Iron Billionaire?

This unit has the Hero and Summoner Tags.

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What is the Placement Type of Iron Billionaire?

The Iron Billionaire is a Hill-type unit. Instead of the ground, it can only be deployed on hills and elevated structures.