Portugal beats Croatia after sensor‑driven goal annulment in World Cup 2026

In the round of 16 on 2 July 2026 at Toronto's BMO Field, Portugal defeated Croatia 2‑1 to reach the quarter‑finals. The decisive moment came when Josko Gvardiol's late equaliser for Croatia was ruled out. A sensor embedded in the official Adidas "Trionda" ball detected an imperceptible head‑touch by Igor Matanović, which the VAR system interpreted as causing Mario Pašalić to be offside. Referee Espen Eskå s, following the VAR recommendation, annulled the goal, allowing Portugal’s earlier lead to stand.

FIFA defended the decision, citing the Connected Ball technology’s 500 Hz inertial measurement unit that records every ball‑player interaction. The incident sparked criticism from Croatian coach Zlatko Dalić, captain Luka Modrić and other players, who argued the technology removed the human element from the game. The controversy has reignited debate over the role of advanced sensors and VAR in football officiating.