The Hungarian international appeared to breach the rules when he kicked the ball away after the referee’s whistle, an action that, according to the “Letter of the law,” should have resulted in a second yellow card and his subsequent dismissal from the match.
However, no punishment was issued, leading to widespread criticism of FIFA’s apparent inconsistency in enforcing the rules.
The match, held at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, was already a frustrating one for Liverpool under their new manager, Arne Slot.
Slot, who recently took charge following the departure of Jürgen Klopp, has been working to implement his dynamic style of football, but the defeat marked another setback in his efforts to stabilize the team.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal was enough to secure victory for Nottingham Forest, but it was the controversy surrounding Szoboszlai that stole the headlines after the final whistle.
The incident occurred late in the match as tensions ran high. Szoboszlai, visibly frustrated by the referee’s decision to halt play, kicked the ball away moments after the whistle was blown.
According to FIFA’s official guidelines, any act of dissent or unsportsmanlike behavior, such as kicking the ball away in frustration, should be punished with a yellow card.
Given that Szoboszlai had already been booked earlier in the match, this should have resulted in a second yellow card, sending him off the field.
Yet, to the surprise of many, the referee chose not to issue a second caution.
This decision has sparked a fierce debate among fans, pundits, and footballing authorities, with many accusing FIFA of failing to enforce its own rules consistently.
Critics argue that the “Letter of the law” is clear in such situations, and by not penalizing Szoboszlai, the integrity of the game has been called into question.
Arne Slot, in his post-match press conference, expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating but stopped short of directly criticizing the referee.
“We’re all aware of the rules, and we expect them to be applied fairly. It’s disappointing when certain decisions seem to go against us, but we can’t dwell on it. We have to focus on improving our performance,” Slot said.
The controversy has reignited long-standing debates about the role of referees and FIFA’s accountability in ensuring fair play.
While some have defended the referee’s decision as a moment of leniency, others see it as a clear error in judgment that could have changed the course of the game.
With Szoboszlai remaining on the pitch, Liverpool continued to push for an equalizer, though ultimately, they were unable to break down Nottingham Forest’s resolute defense.
This latest incident comes at a time when FIFA is already facing mounting criticism for inconsistencies in officiating across different leagues and competitions. The use of VAR, while intended to correct
