Luka Modric Slams VAR After Croatia's Controversial FIFA World Cup 2026 Exit

July 04, 2027: Croatia's FIFA World Cup 2026 journey ended in heartbreaking fashion after a Round of 32 defeat to Portugal. However, the match has become one of the most talked-about games of the tournament, not just because of the result but also because of several controversial refereeing decisions. Many fans on social media questioned whether Portugal's late winning goal should have stood, while others argued that the penalty awarded to Cristiano Ronaldo's side was harsh. The match also created a unique World Cup record, with four goals being disallowed in a knockout game for the first time in tournament history.

Croatia captain Luka Modric did not hide his frustration after the final whistle. Speaking about the controversial penalty awarded to Portugal, the veteran midfielder said he did not believe it was a penalty at all. According to Modric, such important decisions should only be made when there is absolute certainty. He also expressed concern over the growing use of technology in football, saying that repeated interventions can affect the confidence and mental state of young players. Modric said, "You cannot award a penalty so easily in a match like this. VAR should only be used when the mistake is 200 percent certain. These decisions affect the mental health of young footballers, and the whole team has to pay the price."

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic also questioned some of the refereeing decisions. While he admitted that his side had opportunities to finish the game earlier, he felt Croatia deserved a few more free kicks during key moments of the match. "We deserved a few more free kicks. But I don't want to make excuses because we had enough chances to win the match ourselves," Dalic said. His comments reflected the disappointment within the Croatian camp despite acknowledging that the team had missed opportunities to avoid extra controversy.

Why Croatia's Goal Was Ruled Offside and Portugal Defended the Decision

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez, however, fully backed the match officials and the VAR system. He insisted that both controversial decisions were correct under the Laws of the Game. According to Martinez, the offside technology clearly showed that Croatia's disallowed goal was illegal, while the penalty awarded to Portugal was also the right decision. "The technology showed a clear offside. There was no wrong decision. The penalty was also clear," Martinez said after the match.

The biggest talking point came from Croatia's disallowed goal. The move began when Ivan Perisic delivered a cross into the penalty area. At the moment the cross was played, none of the Croatian attackers were in an offside position. However, before the ball reached Mario Pasalic, striker Igor Matanovic made a slight header. That touch completely changed the situation because Pasalic had already moved into an offside position by the time Matanovic redirected the ball. If Matanovic had not made contact with the cross, the goal might have counted.

The semi-automated offside system, along with the electronic sensor inside the match ball, confirmed that Matanovic had touched the ball before it reached Pasalic. Under the current offside law, that made Pasalic offside, leaving the officials with no choice but to disallow the goal. The technology confirmed that the decision was correct according to the rules, even though many supporters initially believed Croatia had been unfairly treated.

Interestingly, Croatia were not the only team to suffer from VAR during the match. Cristiano Ronaldo also had a goal ruled out for offside, making it one of four disallowed goals in the game. The unprecedented number of overturned goals has reignited the debate over VAR's role in modern football. While technology has improved the accuracy of decisions, many fans and football experts continue to question whether constant interventions are affecting the natural flow, emotion, and spontaneity that have always been a defining part of the sport.