ZURICH: Zvonimir Boban, the former Croatia playmaker who is now FIFA’s deputy secretary-general, has showed up the world federation’s insistence that video refereeing assistance will be a success for football and its fans at next month’s World Cup finals in Russia writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Boban, 49, starred notably for Milan with whom he won four Italian league titles and one Champions League title as well as captaining Croatia to third place on their World Cup debut in 1998 in France.

He played seven times for the former Yugoslavia and 51 times for Croatia before retiring in 2002 to complete his football-interrupted university studies. Next Bobam tried his hand at television punditry before moving into various administrative roles which ended up with his appointment by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

On that basis Boban has specify qualifications to speak up on behalf of FIFA management but as former star player about the controversial introduction of VAR in Russia after its clearance for use earlier this spring by the law-making International Football Association Board.

In a FIFA-produced interview Boban said: “The philosophy of VAR is that we are searching for more fairness in the game.

“Everything at this FIFA World Cup will be shown on screens in the stadia: footage, clear wording. In terms of communications, this will mean a lot for the fans.”

Boban, recalling his own World Cup playing experience, said: “I can be as excited as I was in 1998 when, for the very first time in the history of my country, we played a World Cup. If you are defeated, or if you are a winner, it doesn’t matter. You are playing in a piece of history.

“You can’t feel or see it in other sports. All the world gathers in one place, with a million different colours and an incredible passion for their teams and players.”

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