Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Portugal vs Croatia offside controversy became the major talking point after Croatia had a stoppage-time equaliser ruled out in Thursday’s FIFA World Cup Round of 32 defeat at Toronto Stadium.
Portugal won 2-1 and advanced to face Spain, but the closing argument centred on a late Croatia attack, a sensor-equipped match ball and a VAR decision that ended Luka Modrić’s tournament in painful fashion.
For more World Cup knockout coverage, read Portugal vs Croatia: Ronaldo And Modric Headline World Cup Knockout Test, while official tournament details are available through the FIFA World Cup 2026 page.
Late Goal Wiped Away
Croatia thought they had forced extra life in the 103rd minute when the ball reached Mario Pašalić after a crowded penalty-area sequence. Pašalić finished the chance, but the goal was ruled out after VAR judged him offside following a touch from Igor Matanović.
The decision sparked fury because the contact appeared tiny in real time. Reports said the sensor in the ball helped confirm that Matanović had touched it before the ball reached Pašalić, which made the offside call active.
Technology Takes Centre Stage
This was not a simple flag from the assistant referee. It was the kind of modern offside call that turns football into a frame-by-frame debate, especially when a World Cup knockout tie is on the line.
Portugal had already gone ahead through Gonçalo Ramos in the 90+4th minute after Cristiano Ronaldo’s earlier penalty cancelled out Ivan Perišić’s second-half opener.
Croatia Left Furious
Croatia’s anger was understandable, even if the technology backed the final call. A possible 2-2 equaliser vanished, and Portugal walked away with a famous escape.
Roberto Martínez defended the review, with ESPN listing his post-match message as: “Croatia were offside, the technology is correct.”
For Croatia, the debate will not fade quickly. For Portugal, it is now a Round of 16 meeting with Spain, but the win will be remembered as much for the last offside ball as for the goals.
