The fans at the World Cup stadium in Qatar have received a lot of money for football. Because as some attentive viewers have pointed out: An unbelievably large amount of extra time is added to a World Cup game.
Over the four matches played so far, 65 minutes have been added – almost an half and a half in total. England’s crushing 6-2 win over Iran is the most extreme example so far:
- Qatar – Ecuador: 11 minutes total
- England – Iran: 27 minutes total
- Netherlands – Senegal: 14 minutes total
- USA – Wales: 13 minutes total
In comparison, a total of 24 minutes were added during the first four matches of the 2018 World Cup.
According to statistics agency Opta, the first and second rounds in England-Iran (14.08′, 13.08′), second rounds in AS – Wales (10.34′) and second rounds in Senegal – Netherlands (10.03′) are the four World Cup Rounds with added time most since 1966.
All in the first two days in Qatar.
Do you like the referees at the World Cup adding a lot of extra minutes?
– We ask everyone not to be surprised
However, it is no coincidence that the judges added so much. This is what FIFA chief referee Pierluigi Collina had to say ESPN.
– We ask everyone not to be surprised if they see the fourth official holding up an electronic board with big numbers on it, whether it’s six, seven or eight minutes. If we want more active playing time, we must be prepared for the additional time that can be given, explained Collina ahead of the World Cup.
And he is by far a man of his word.
The Italian is considered one of the best referees of all time but is now in charge of today’s referees doing their job.
He said that WC referees had been given clear instructions to take a time off.
– What we want to do is to accurately calculate the extra time at the end of each round. “It’s the fourth referee to do it, we did it successfully in Russia and we expect the same in Qatar,” said Collina.
FIFA’s Pierluigi Collina has given instructions on how referees should handle extra time at the World Cup.
Photo: Martin Meissner/AP
– Weird to be introduced in WC
NRK football pundit Carl-Erik Torp had just gone jogging in hot Doha when NRK journalists caught up with him.
He was a little disappointed because the practice clock broke down and he didn’t record a run, but also a little disappointed with the use of the clock in the toilet.
– I think it’s strange to introduce such significant changes in a championship as WC. But at the same time, it was a good and natural move to get rid of what everyone was upset about, unnecessary uses of time and cynical time delays, said Torp.
Carl-Erik Torp is confused by the long game in the World Cup.
Photo: Terje Pedersen / Terje Pedersen
– FIFA is experimenting
NRK pundits believed it would be wrong to first introduce this on the world’s biggest stage, and instead thought it should be run and tested in qualifiers or minor leagues before being released at the World Cup.
At the same time, he believes that FIFA is taking a risk with players’ health and overall burden by introducing longer matches in training.
– Even though it sounded like a quarter of extra time, the players were so determined to play the 93 minutes. It feels like Fifa is experimenting with what the players can physically endure. It’s not uncommon for them to play such long matches, Torp believes.
Collina said in front of WC that his goal was to make up for lost playing time, and used the goal celebration as an example.
– Think of a match with three goals scored. A celebration usually takes a minute and a half, so with three goals scored you lose five or six minutes, he illustrates.
– I didn’t buy it
The argument left Carl-Erik Torp confused.
– I don’t buy it, celebrating goals is part of football. But the fact that players are down, there are injuries and time delays, I think it’s good that they add to that. Then you punish such cynicism. But punishing a team by adding time for them to celebrate a goal? Do they want the team to stop celebrating, to make it more effective? asked Torp rhetorically.
In the match between England and Iran, 14 minutes were added in one of the halves.
Photo: PAUL ELLIS / AFP
Time spent on VAR, injury treatment, substitutions, penalties and red cards are other things referees are now paying more attention to adding to time. It was the fourth official’s job to tally up how much time was lost on the pitch, while the VAR team kept track of how much time was spent reviewing videos.
– Better than before, when it’s the referee’s job to do it, said Collina.
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