Croatia eliminated by Portugal in World Cup round of 16

Croatia Portugal World Cup round of 16 VAR controversy

Croatia's national football team exited the 2026 World Cup after a 2‑1 defeat to Portugal in the round of 16. The loss ended Croatia's campaign and sparked debate over several refereeing decisions.

Zlatan Ibrahimović, appearing on Fox Sports, praised Croatia's overall play, noting they dominated early, created chances and deserved a stronger response from the coach. He also highlighted the importance of team effort over individual brilliance.

Controversy centered on a disallowed goal by Igor Matanović. FIFA explained that the ball’s embedded chip registered a touch on his hair, leading to the goal being ruled out. Matanović later admitted he felt a slight contact, which the officials deemed sufficient to cancel the score. The incident added to the scrutiny of VAR and technology used during the match.

Sources

Zlatan se naklonio igri Hrvatske: 'Dominirali su, imali su vratnicu, dvije šanse. . . ' [www.tportal.hr]

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Procurio zastrašujući podatak o Francuskoj: Ovakvo nešto nije viđeno od čudesnog Brazila - Dnevno. hr [www.dnevno.hr]

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