Croatia faced a heartbreaking exit from the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 loss to Portugal. The dramatic match saw Croatia's potential game-saving equalizer by Josko Gvardiol in the 13th minute of stoppage time disallowed by VAR. This decision hinged on a "Snickometer-style technology" ruling that Igor Matanovic had made a faint touch on the ball in the build-up while an Croatian player was in an offside position, invalidating the goal and ending Croatia's World Cup dreams.
The controversial VAR call, which relied on advanced chip technology within the Adidas Trionda match ball detecting Matanovic's touch, sparked chaotic scenes as furious Croatia fans threw plastic bottles onto the pitch. Portuguese coach Roberto Martinez supported the decision, noting that the ball's sensors confirmed the contact. FIFA later issued a statement explaining that the technology proved Matanovic touched the ball, upholding the offside call despite general disbelief among Croatian players and fans.
For 40-year-old Croatian legend Luka Modric, this defeat likely marks the end of his World Cup career. Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, whose sister had declared this tournament his "last dance," saw his World Cup journey continue, prolonged largely by the VAR decision that denied Croatia. The match was described as having "everything" from disallowed goals, a debated penalty, and VAR controversy, ultimately prolonging Ronaldo's participation while concluding Modric's.
Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic expressed his frustration with VAR, stating, "VAR kills emotions, it kills everything within you." He also criticized the refereeing as "very bad," though he did not elaborate further on the disallowed goal. Meanwhile, Portugal will advance to face Spain in the Round of 16.
