{
  "id": 5723167,
  "title": "Sani Kaita admits VAR would not have saved him from 2010 World Cup red card",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/sani-kaita-admits-var-would-not-have-saved-him-from-2010-world-cup",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T05:42:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/05/sani-kaita-admits-var-would-not-have-saved-him-from-2010-world-cup-red-card/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Nigerian midfielder Sani Kaita has spoken about the infamous red-card incident from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, asserting that even with the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the outcome would likely remain unchanged. Kaita, who was shown a straight red card in the 33rd minute of Nigeria's 2-1 defeat to Greece, explained that his intentions during the incident were malicious. The 2010 World Cup match saw Kaita eject Greece's Vasileios Torosidis, leaving his team to play with 10 men. Despite Nigeria's subsequent goals, Greece managed to equalize and win the match. Kaita emphasized that his actions were not justified, and the dismissal marked him as the first Nigerian player to receive a red card in a World Cup game. When questioned about the potential impact of VAR, Kaita stated, \"I may say no because intent is crucial when it comes to how referees perceive football. Therefore, my intent was not good at all. I don't think VAR would change anything. I believe it was just something that was meant to happen. I have already moved on.\" Kaita, now 40 years old, played for the Super Eagles between 2005 and 2010, earning 22 caps without scoring a goal.",
  "summary": "Former Super Eagles midfielder Sani Kaita, has shared his thoughts on the notorious red-card incident involving him during Nigeria’s 2010 FIFA World Cup outing in South Africa. He acknowledged that the outcome might not have differed even with the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee, VAR, system, adding that his intent in that incident was […] Sani Kaita admits VAR would not have saved…",
  "key_points": [
    "Kaita's red card in 2010 World Cup match against Greece led to Greece's victory.",
    "Kaita believes intent, not VAR, determines referees' perception of misconduct."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Sani Kaita's admission that VAR would not have changed his 2010 World Cup red card indicates that he accepts his actions were clearly malicious, leaving little room for interpretation or review.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}