Croatia's Late Equalizer Denied Amid VAR Controversy at World Cup

WHO:

CNN - Cristiano Ronaldo expressed that the victory was a "special moment" as it coincided with the anniversary of his late teammate Diogo Jota's death.

CNN - Ronaldo was seen wearing Jota’s jersey after the match.

CNN - Luka Modric stated, "It kills the emotions. It kills everything within you," regarding the impact of VAR on the game.

CNN - Portugal manager Roberto Martínez said, "The message is very clear... It’s not a subjective opinion," in reference to the VAR decision.

ESPN - Croatia's team included players like Igor Matanovic and Josko Gvardiol.

CNN - Cristiano Ronaldo played for Portugal and scored a penalty in the match.

The Hindu - Croatia's head coach is Zlatko Dalic.

WHAT:

CNN - Croatia's last-minute equalizer was ruled out due to a VAR decision that determined Mario Pašalić was offside after a touch from Igor Matanović.

CNN - The goal was disallowed after a VAR review in the 116th minute of the match.

CNN - Croatia's last-minute equalizer was ruled out after a VAR check determined that Mario Pašalić was offside due to a touch from Igor Matanović.

CNN - The disallowed goal occurred in the 113th minute of the match.

Sportskeeda - Croatia lost to Portugal 2-1 in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

beIN SPORTS - Josko Gvardiol's equalizing goal was disallowed after a VAR check.

CNN - Portugal advanced to the Round of 16 after the match against Croatia.

Daily Mail Sports - The disallowed goal was due to an offside call involving Mario Pašalić.

CNN - Ronaldo's penalty was his first in the knockout stages of a World Cup.

WHERE:

CNN - The match took place in Toronto, Canada.

WHEN:

CNN - Portugal is set to face Spain in the Round of 16 on July 6, 2026.

Sportskeeda - The match occurred on July 2, 2026.

CNN - Portugal is scheduled to play Spain in the Round of 16 on July 6, 2026.

WHY:

USA Today - FIFA confirmed that the Connected Ball Technology in the Trionda ball proved that Igor Matanović made contact with the ball, which led to the offside call.

CNN - FIFA explained that the VAR decision was based on "proven" contact made by Matanović, which allowed the referee to determine offside correctly.

CNN - The VAR decision to disallow the goal was based on a minute touch by Igor Matanovic that put Mario Pašalić in an offside position.

Newsweek - Zlatko Dalic criticized the refereeing as "poor" and felt it cost Croatia the game.

HOW:

CNN - The Trionda ball contains sensors that detect any contact, which was used to determine the offside in the disallowed goal.

CNN - The Trionda ball used in the World Cup contains IMU sensors that detect any slight contact, providing data to VAR officials in real time.

CNN - The new World Cup ball, Trionda, contains sensors that detect any contact, which was used to determine the offside in the disallowed goal.

beIN SPORTS - FIFA's semi-automated VAR technology identified the offside through a faint header by Matanovic.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated a significant victory while wearing the jersey of his late teammate Diogo Jota, marking the occasion as a "special moment." In a dramatic turn during the match, Croatia's last-minute equalizer was disallowed after a VAR review determined that Mario Pašalić was offside following a touch from Igor Matanović, thanks to the Connected Ball Technology in the Trionda ball. Portugal is set to face Spain in the Round of 16 on July 6, 2026.