Why VAR Disallowed Croatia’s Goal to Send Portugal into the World Cup Last 16

Portugal reached the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia, but the match ended in controversy after a late Croatia equaliser was ruled out by VAR.

Croatia believed they had forced extra time when defender Josko Gvardiol tapped the ball into the net in the 13th minute of added time. The Croatian players and fans celebrated wildly, while Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo watched from the bench in disbelief.

However, the celebrations were cut short when Norwegian referee Espen Eskas was advised to review the goal following a VAR check for offside.

The key question was whether Croatia striker Igor Matanovic had touched the ball with his head during the build-up. If he had touched it, then he was in an offside position and the goal could not stand. If he had not touched it, the goal would have been allowed.

After a lengthy review, officials used the technology inside the Adidas Trionda match ball, which contains a microchip capable of detecting every touch of the ball in real time. The data, supported by Snickometer-style technology, showed that Matanovic had made contact with the ball.

As a result, VAR official Jarred Gillett ruled that the goal should be disallowed for offside, leaving Croatia heartbroken and sending Portugal into the Round of 16.

The decision sparked angry scenes inside the stadium, with some Croatia supporters throwing plastic bottles onto the pitch after the final whistle.

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic was unhappy with the officiating but stopped short of discussing the decision in detail.

“I will not comment much about it, but I will say the refereeing was very bad,” Dalic said.

“No fouls, no set-pieces on our side which should have been, but that’s no reason to talk about the defeat. It was very bad refereeing.

“You were able to see to what extent emotions had been killed and, altogether, all these decisions take you back and actually take the joy out of football.

“VAR kills emotions, it kills everything within you. We have gone too far with VAR.”

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez defended the decision and said the technology had provided clear evidence.

“It’s a shame one of the two teams had to lose,” Martinez said.

“But there is no bad decision or lucky decision. It was a clear moment. The balls now have a chip and the sensor shows the ball was touched.”

Former England defender Matt Upson, who was working for BBC Radio 5 Live, admitted he was not convinced by the television replays.

“Has he definitely touched that?” Upson asked during commentary.

“The spin on the ball doesn’t change. I don’t think he touches that ball.”

After watching further replays, he added: “From what I can see, I don’t see any change in direction of the ball. I can’t quite see that.”

However, former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann supported the decision, saying the technology proved Matanovic touched the ball.

“Snicko… that 100% proves that he touched it with the flick-on,” Cann said.

The dramatic finish ensured Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream remains alive. The Portugal captain had earlier scored his first-ever goal in the knockout stages of the World Cup before being substituted in the 81st minute.

For Croatia captain Luka Modric, however, the painful defeat may mark the end of an outstanding World Cup career. The 40-year-old midfielder, who made his 23rd World Cup appearance, was comforted by his former Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo after the final whistle.

“It is very harsh for Croatia to go out like this, for Luka Modric, probably his last game in the World Cup,” former Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva said.

“A legend of the game. He has shown for more than 20 years how good he is. You feel sad for him, but he has had a great career.”