FIFA 2026 World Cup: Brazil demand referee is banished over Vinicius Jr’s disallowed goal
The Brazilian FA (CBF) has taken the extraordinary step of filing a formal complaint to FIFA following refereeing controversy in their World Cup clash with Scotland. Despite securing a 3-0 victory, the Selecao hierarchy are furious over a disallowed Vinicius Jr goal and are demanding that the match official never takes charge of their games again.
According to Goal.com the drama unfolded in the 21st minute of Brazil’s final Group C clash against Scotland. With the Selecao already leading through an earlier Vinicius Jr strike, the Real Madrid superstar appeared to have doubled his tally after dispossessing Jack Hendry and finishing coolly past Angus Gunn. While referee Cesar Ramos initially pointed to the centre circle, a VAR intervention saw the goal chalked off for a perceived foul in the build-up.
The decision sparked immediate fury on the touchline from Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who felt the contact was minimal and did not meet the “clear and obvious” threshold required for a video review. CBF president Samir Xaud has since escalated the matter by writing directly to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to contest the lack of consistency in officiating throughout the tournament.
The CBF has specifically requested that Mexican official Ramos be removed from their future assignments in North America. In a document seen by Brazilian publication Estadao, the federation cited a “negative history” with the official, harking back to a 2018 World Cup group stage match against Switzerland where they felt they were denied a clear penalty and a foul in the build-up to the Swiss equaliser. The formal letter argues that Ramos should not have been appointed in the first place given the previous friction.
In a fascinating twist, the Brazilian authorities even used their greatest rival to highlight the perceived officiating double standards. The CBF’s letter pointed toward a goal scored by Lionel Messi for Argentina against Austriaearlier in the tournament, suggesting that similar physical challenges in the lead-up to goals have been allowed to stand for other nations while Brazil are being unfairly penalised.
The document further noted that the decision against Scotland “seemed unexpected not only for the Brazilian team, but also for the Scottish players, whose immediate reactions suggested that they did not expect a review or the subsequent annulment of the goal.”
