The World Cup clash between Croatia and Portugal offered plenty of drama, spotlighting stars Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo. This match held significance as it might mark the final World Cup appearance for both players. Ronaldo’s contribution was significant, scoring a penalty to equalize the match during the second half. Unfortunately for Modric, Croatia suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat, compounded by a disallowed goal from VAR that could have tied the game.
Croatia’s coach, Zlatko Dalic, expressed frustration over the refereeing. He remarked, “I don’t want to comment on it too much, but the refereeing was definitely very poor. Nothing went our way — not a single foul, not a single decision. Nothing was favorable for us. But that’s not the reason we lost. The refereeing was poor,” acknowledging Croatia’s defeat without making excuses.
The controversy arose when a late goal by Mario Pasalic was ruled out by VAR for offside. The technology, which detects a player’s touch using a chip inside the match balls, was instrumental in this decision. Croatian players and fans were displeased, some fans resorting to throwing objects onto the field. Despite their protests, the technology’s accuracy left little room for dispute.
ESPN reported that, as of this game, VAR had disallowed ten goals during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Croatia’s goal being one among them. Portugal’s head coach, Roberto Martinez, supported the VAR’s role, saying, “There is no subjective opinion — the chip of the ball shows. There was no bad decision, no unlucky call.” He emphasized how the technology provided clarity and attributed Portugal’s fortune partly to this.
In the match, Portugal was fouled six times while Croatia faced twelve fouls, one of which led to Ronaldo’s crucial penalty goal. Portugal had the upper hand in possession, controlling the ball 60% of the time, showcasing their dominance throughout the game.
The match concluded with a 2-1 victory for Portugal, thanks to Ronaldo’s efforts and Goncalo Ramos’ decisive goal in extra time. Portugal now faces a challenging Round of 16 match against Spain and their young star Lamine Yamal.