Josko Gvardiol signs new Manchester City contract after World Cup off‑side controversy

Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol reflected on the dramatic off‑side decision that eliminated Croatia from the World Cup after his late attempt against Portugal was ruled out because the ball brushed Igor Matanović’s hair. He described the moment as a “chaos of emotions”, noting that he entered the match in the 92nd minute and saw Portugal take the lead two minutes later.

Despite missing the second half of Manchester City’s 2025‑26 season with a broken leg that will take a year to fully heal, Gvardiol agreed to a new five‑year contract with the English club just before the tournament. The deal came amid interest from other European clubs, and he highlighted his career path from Dinamo Zagreb to City, rejecting a move to Leeds United at 18 and turning down a possible transfer to Chelsea in 2022.