ARGENTINA-SWITZERLAND: "THERE WERE TWO KINDS OF ARBITRATION: ONE FOR THEM AND ONE FOR US," DENOUNCES NDOYE

Eliminated by Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup (3-1 after extra time), the Swiss players were still reeling from Breel Embolo's sending-off in the 78th minute, his second yellow card of the match after a dive deemed clear by VAR. "It's hard to accept," said Dan Ndoye.

Switzerland falls victim to a new rule. Facing Argentina in the 2026 World Cup quarter-final, the Nati finished the match with 10 men after Breel Embolo was sent off in the 78th minute. The Rennes striker was found guilty of simulation after a VAR review overturned Leandro Paredes' yellow card and issued it to the Swiss player, thus applying the new rule. Having already been booked in the first half, Embolo was forced to leave the field.

A disadvantage that led to Switzerland's elimination after extra time (3-1), a decision the players contested. Dan Ndoye was the first to voice his displeasure. "It's a decision I've never seen before in football. It's hard to accept," he initially reacted to Swiss television. "There was no foul. Going from a yellow card for them to a yellow for us, especially with all the diving that happened before... There was a lot of diving on their side," the Swiss striker pointed out. "Tonight, there were two kinds of refereeing: one for them and one for us. It's hard to accept," he concluded bitterly.

A new rule already used against Paraguay

Before Embolo, this new rule had already been used in the group stage between the United States and Paraguay. Miguel Almiron received a yellow card after VAR pointed out the Paraguayan's simulation, thereby exonerating the American player who had initially been booked for a foul.

Swiss coach Murat Yakin expressed his surprise at the escalation of this "harmless situation" after Leandro Paredes was initially shown a yellow card. "There was absolutely no reason to give that yellow card. I don't understand why that decision was made and why, in the end, our player was sent off," he lamented. He then offered his support to Embolo: "To condemn him would have been absurd. He is completely devastated that he couldn't help the team."