FIFA president Gianni Infantino wants VAR technology at next summer’s World Cup in Russia and hopes to sanction such a move in the spring.
The world football chief told Marca that trials have proven the need for video assistance for match officials and that the FIFA Chief feared a major tournament being decided by a refereeing error.
“We need it,” he said at Fifa ’s The Best awards.
“Every championship needs it. That’s being shown in leagues like Portugal and Italy at the moment.
“The definitive decision will arrive in March but we can’t imagine a World Cup in 2018 being decided by a referee’s error. You have to help the refs and that happens through technology.
“It’s definitely a forward step. You can’t imagine football now without VAR. It will end so many problems.”
Meanwhile, Zidane won out ahead of Chelsea’s Antonio Conte and Juventus’s Massimiliano Allegri to be crowned men’s coach of the year after becoming the first man to oversee a successful defense of the European Cup in the Champions League era.
Real’s superb campaign was recognized in a FIFA XI that featured Ronaldo and club-mates Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.
The team was completed by goalkeeper of the year Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Dani Alves, Andres Iniesta, Messi, and Neymar.
Veteran Juventus and Italy shot-stopper Buffon topped a three-strong shortlist for the goalkeeper award ahead of Real’s Keylor Navas and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer.
Monday also saw the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2017 go to Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud.
The France striker received the award named in honour of Hungary great Ferenc Puskas for a spectacular ‘scorpion-kick’ against Crystal Palace in January.
The Frenchman’s flicked volley with his left foot that went in off the crossbar won ahead of goals from Venezuela’s Deyna Castellanos, 18, and South African goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke.
Meanwhile, tournament hosts the Netherlands’ achievement in winning their first major female football title, the 2017 Women’s European Championship, was recognized with Women’s Coach of the Year and Player of the Year awards for Sarina Wiegman and Lieke Martens respectively.
Wiegman and Martens were unable to receive their awards in London as the Netherlands are playing Norway on Tuesday.
