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Alright, so we all know how Video Assistant Referee (better known as VAR) changed football and its culture. Initially,
it was added to help
make better calls on goals, penalties, and red cards; well, all about the fair play.
However, it’s definitely much more to that. According to multiple studies, VAR is changing more than just the rules —
it’s changing the way people think and feel in the game, and this is exactly what we’ll be discussing in this article.
How Can VAR Impact a Football Player’s Mentality?
Okay, so picture this: you're in a big game, the crowd is roaring, and you just nailed what might be the winning play. But hold up — the refs are going to check the VAR. Now, you're just standing there, waiting to see if your moment of glory gets the green light.
It turns out that this waiting game is more than just a minor inconvenience. Studies conducted at the University of Canterbury strongly suggest
that
football players might be getting a serious case of nerves during these moments.
Why? Because no one likes their fate hanging by a thread — or, in this case, a slo-mo replay.
| Aspect |
Impact of VAR |
| Emotional experience |
Increased suspense, anxiety, and mixed emotions |
| Player behavior |
More cautious play, altered decision-making |
| Game dynamics |
Disruption in game flow, changes in tactics |
According to the study, this is how VAR impacts professional football players:But is it even that surprising? Knowing that every action could be deeply inspected and analyzed,
football players have to be a lot more careful than they used to be. Plus,
it’s clear that
the introduction of VAR led to a significant increase in playing time during both the first and second halves of the matches,
and this is why we’re dealing with longer overall match durations these days.
Science on The Impact of VAR on The Psychological Aspects of Football
But hey, it’s not like VAR is just all about stressing football players! There are some good papers showing that VAR can be helpful in many areas, such as:
- Reducing bias in referee decisions
- Encouraging fair play
- Improving decision accuracy
- Decreasing referee stress
| Authors |
Year |
Key Findings |
| R. Samuel, Y. Galily, E. Filho, G. Tenenbaum |
2020 |
Referees see VAR as a small change in their job, changing how they get ready for games, manage players, and are seen by the public. They feel less pressure during games. |
| Ulrike Holder, T. Ehrmann, Arne König |
2021 |
VAR helps referees make fairer decisions, especially in reducing favoritism towards home teams. Home teams still have some advantage due to playing at home, not because of referee decisions. |
| Arne Aarnink |
2021 |
VAR makes players less likely to break the rules if it only checks for big mistakes. |
| Joran Veldkamp, Ruud H Koning |
2023 |
VAR makes players wait longer to take penalty kicks, making it harder to score from them. It affects how players prepare mentally. |
In fact,
VAR has a kind of equivalent in the world of online casinos, and it’s called a “provably fair system,” you can find out more
about it and try it out on the website
onlinekasyno-polis.pl/gry-na-prawdziwe-pieniadze/
Both systems utilize advanced technology to create a transparent and verifiable environment. While VAR uses video technology and communication tools to review decisions made by the on-field referee, the provably fair system uses cryptographic algorithms to allow players to verify the fairness of each game outcome. Provably fair systems definitely changed the way things look in online casinos, but everyone just feels a little safer to deposit some money, and well, here we have football referees that are more comfortable making controversial decisions.
Both systems utilize advanced technology to create a transparent and verifiable environment. While VAR uses video technology and communication tools to
review decisions made by the on-field referee, the provably fair system uses
cryptographic algorithms to allow players to verify the fairness of each game outcome.
Probably fair systems definitely changed the way things look in online casinos, but everyone just feels a little safer to deposit some money, and well, here
we have
football referees that are more comfortable making controversial decisions.
How Did VAR Affect Culture on the Pitch?
The
introduction of VAR caused a big shift in team culture, as professional football teams focus more on aspects such as communication and having expert psychological support.
That’s right, when this system was firstly introduced, the ability to “keep things cool” when the game pauses for a VAR check was crucial. This is one of many reasons
why
professional football teams invest in mental training sessions, which are just as key as hitting the gym.
It also changed a lot for coaches, as they’re tweaking strategies like never before. Knowing that any major play could be reviewed means coaching discipline and
rule adherence like never before, and well,
teams are getting super strict about keeping gameplay clean and penalty-free, which totally changes the dynamics on the pitch.
And lastly, VAR changes everything for football fans. It's either their hero or villain, depending on the day,
but it also helps with opening many discussions in a single match. All in all, VAR is a mixed bag, but one thing’s for sure — it’s here to stay.
Whether you love it, hate it, or make fun of it, it’s definitely doing its job.
Plus, it appears that no matter how it will affect football players, referees, and fans emotionally, we are the ones who will have to adapt to it, not the other way around.