Toronto: Croatia coach Dalic critical of refereeing in World Cup loss to Portugal

By Sanjay Menon — 3 July 2026 — 3 min read

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing following his team’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the World Cup round of 32 match on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The loss resulted in Croatia’s elimination from the tournament, though Dalic stated he would not use the officiating as an excuse for the outcome.

The match saw significant drama, particularly in stoppage time. Portugal was awarded a penalty after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, which Cristiano Ronaldo converted to level the score. Later, Goncalo Ramos scored in the 94th minute, putting Portugal ahead. The controversy intensified when Josko Gvardiol believed he had scored an equalizer for Croatia. However, a subsequent review indicated that the ball had touched Igor Matanovic, making Gvardiol offside. Norwegian referee Espen Eskas ultimately disallowed the goal.

Controversial VAR Decision

The decisive moment occurred in the 103rd minute of the match, which took place in Toronto. Gvardiol, a defender for Manchester City, initially celebrated what he thought was a goal that would tie the game at 2-2. However, the celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened. Referee Eskas was instructed to review the play for a potential offside infringement earlier in the sequence.

The core of the VAR review focused on whether Croatian forward Igor Matanovic had made contact with the ball before it reached Mario Pasalic, who was in an offside position. After a thorough review of the footage and data from the match ball’s sensor technology, officials concluded that Matanovic had indeed made a slight touch on the cross. Because Pasalic was offside at the moment of Matanovic’s touch, his subsequent involvement in setting up Gvardiol’s goal was deemed illegal under the Laws of the Game.

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann provided an explanation of the decision, noting that Pasalic was offside when a teammate last played the ball, and the deflection by the defender was not considered a deliberate play, thus upholding the offside call. Cann also highlighted the use of “Snicko” technology, a waveform system embedded within the match ball, which can detect even minimal contact. He stated that this technology provided 100% proof of Matanovic’s touch.

The ruling provoked strong reactions from Croatian players and supporters, many of whom were convinced that Matanovic had not touched the ball. Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic questioned the decision after the match, suggesting that the incident warranted further review and clarification. Ultimately, the combination of VAR footage and ball sensor technology was crucial in disallowing Croatia’s equalizer, allowing Portugal to advance to the last 16.

Dalic Reflects on Croatia’s World Cup Journey

Dalic described the refereeing as “very bad” and felt his team should have been awarded more free kicks. Despite his criticism, he maintained that he would not use it as an excuse for Croatia’s loss. He added that his team “could have won this earlier.”

The coach noted that Croatia did not create enough scoring opportunities in the first half but showed significant improvement in the second half. Dalic suggested that the team’s luck, which had been present in their previous two World Cup campaigns, had run out. Croatia had achieved a runner-up finish in 2018 and secured third place in 2022, but they will depart this tournament without a medal.

The match also marked what was likely the final World Cup appearance for 40-year-old captain Luka Modric, who has been a central figure for Croatia for many years. Dalic expressed regret that Modric’s final tournament match ended in this manner. Despite the end of an era for some players, Dalic expressed optimism about the future of Croatian football, citing the emergence of many young players who demonstrated quality during the match. He concluded that a “wonderful era” had come to an end, with “new beginnings” on the horizon for the national team.

Source: thehindu.com