Claudio Bravo Unleashes Scathing Critique of VAR After Chile’s Early Copa América Exit

Upon his return to Chile, the captain of the national team, Claudio Bravo, addressed the early elimination of La Roja (The Red One) from the 2024 Copa América. He also had words for the refereeing during the tournament and what the future holds.

The VAR’s Role in Chile’s Elimination

Regarding Chile’s performance in the Copa América, Bravo said, We are all aware of the football aspect and all the things experienced in a short Copa América for us, where we were left with a bitter taste because, whether we like it or not, the intention was to advance. We wanted to do better than we really did and showed.

Bravo added, In general, I think there is tranquility, knowing that each one gave their maximum effort. Each one tried, in every match, to do it in the best possible way. I also think that something that was lost was rescued, which was the spirit of our national team. The people in that sense are calm because the national team continues to generate hope, and I think that is important for what lies ahead, which are the qualifiers.

Regarding the refereeing in the Copa América, Bravo stated, It is analyzed more carefully. The three matches were lacking in terms of refereeing. The match with Peru, the one with Argentina, and the last one, there are many details in which we did not benefit at all, but quite the opposite.

Bravo’s Criticism of the VAR System

Bravo did not stop there and pointed out, Beyond us criticizing or looking for the fifth leg of the cat, as they say, it is a matter for you to analyze, inform, and show what plays there were in each match. The VAR is always blamed, but the person behind the VAR is never named, and they are never sanctioned either. It is a bit invented for the system to play, be this way, and we all sit in our house or we as a player and blame the VAR, a screen, and there are several people analyzing every second of the game.

Bravo’s Perspective on Technology in Football

But Claudio Bravo did not stop there and stated, Technology today gives you the ability to be on top of every play, everything that is not seen live on the field. That person logically has to have a very drastic sanction.

Recalling the match against Canada, in which he had to stay out of the game, Claudio Bravo expressed, You feel a great need to help. The first thing as a player, more than anything, is a sense of helplessness. Helplessness because? Because this type of situation is not in our hands, and more at this level, when you are left with one less player, it is very difficult to compete. It’s complex. We tried it anyway. The team emptied itself, left its soul with one less player practically the entire game.

Bravo’s Outlook on the Future

When asked about the next step in his career, the 41-year-old goalkeeper stated, I’m not worried about the future. I’m worried about the present, the day-to-day. I’m not one of those people who looks so far ahead. The national team is now on vacation. We’ll see if they’re longer than usual or not, but they are decisions that I will have to make with my family with the tranquility that is required to make an important decision.

Regarding the recognition he received as the MVP of the match against Argentina, Bravo said, If it weren’t for the award, they would have said I was old and useless. I’m left with the feeling that I’m still training well, still doing things the same way I did when I was 25 or 30 years old. Logically, of course, the passage of time limits you in certain other things, but that’s relative. It goes hand in hand with performance, and that determines whether one continues or not for 20, 30 years. It happens in all jobs as well.

Conclusion

Claudio Bravo’s candid remarks shed light on the frustrations and challenges faced by the Chilean national team during their premature exit from the 2024 Copa América. His scathing critique of the VAR system and the refereeing decisions that went against his team highlights the need for greater accountability and transparency in the use of technology in football. As the team looks ahead to the upcoming qualifiers, Bravo’s leadership and experience will be crucial in guiding the squad and restoring the spirit that has made La Roja a force to be reckoned with in South American football.