Croatia blames VAR after 2-1 knockout loss to Portugal

Croatia's national football team was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, losing 2-1 to Portugal. Midfielder Luka Modrić criticised the Video Assistant Referee system, claiming it was applied selectively and that a disallowed goal in the 103rd minute and a non‑penalty decision were mishandled. He said, “VAR should intervene only when there is 100 % certainty a mistake was made,” and expressed frustration that the calls favoured the opposition.

Statistical analysis of Croatia's performance showed Mateo Kovačić as the team's most accurate passer with a 96 % success rate, followed by Modrić and Josip Šutalo at 90 %. Defender Marin Pongračić recorded the most long passes, while Josip Stanišić was the fastest Croatian player at 35.9 km/h and covered the greatest distance (42.5 km). Other notable figures included Martin Baturina, who led in tackles, and Nikola Vlašić with the highest number of successful duels per match.