Portugal secured a dramatic 2 to 1 victory over Croatia after one of the most controversial VAR decisions seen at a World Cup. A stoppage time equaliser from Croatia was ruled out following a review that relied on ball sensor technology, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo’s title hopes to stay alive while Luka Modric’s World Cup journey appears to have come to an end.
Ball sensor technology overturns Croatia’s late celebration
Croatia believed they had forced extra time when Josko Gvardiol scored from close range in the 103rd minute. The players celebrated, while Ronaldo watched from the bench after being substituted earlier in the match.
The goal was immediately checked for offside. The crucial issue was whether Igor Matanovic had made the slightest contact with the ball before it reached Gvardiol. If he had touched it, the attacker was offside. If not, the goal would stand.
Referee Espen Eskas reviewed the incident after consulting VAR official Jarred Gillett. Television replays failed to provide a clear answer, but data from the Adidas match ball, equipped with an internal sensor, detected contact from Matanovic. The equaliser was disallowed with almost the final action of the match.
The decision sparked furious reactions from Croatia supporters, with bottles thrown onto the pitch as their World Cup campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion.
FIFA later confirmed that the sensor technology proved Matanovic had touched the ball before the finish. Similar systems have already been used during recent major international tournaments.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic criticised the overall refereeing performance after the game.
He said the officiating had been poor throughout the match and argued that VAR continues to remove emotion from football, adding that the sport has gone too far with constant video intervention.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez defended the decision, saying there was no controversy because the technology clearly showed the ball had been touched.
Former England defender Matt Upson admitted he remained unconvinced after watching multiple replays, saying he could not clearly see any change in the ball’s movement that proved contact had been made.
Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann supported the officials, explaining that the sensor evidence confirmed the touch and therefore the offside decision was correct.
Ronaldo keeps chasing history as Modric’s farewell arrives
The match delivered constant twists from start to finish. Croatia moved ahead through Ivan Perisic before Ronaldo had an equaliser ruled out for offside. The Portugal captain later converted a penalty to score his first ever goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup during his sixth appearance at the tournament.
Ronaldo was substituted in the 81st minute after playing every previous minute of Portugal’s campaign. Moments later he celebrated wildly from the sidelines when Goncalo Ramos scored what became the winning goal deep into added time.
Former England international Theo Walcott believed Portugal made the correct decision by replacing Ronaldo, even after his important contribution.
For Modric, the defeat is expected to mark the end of an extraordinary World Cup career. The Croatian captain, who made his tournament debut in 2006 and recently reached 200 appearances for his national team, is unlikely to feature again on football’s biggest stage when the next World Cup arrives in 2030.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo embraced his former Real Madrid teammate in an emotional moment. Former Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva described Modric as one of football’s true legends, praising his achievements across two decades and his role in taking Croatia to historic heights on the international stage.
