'Not beneficial to football': Croatia demands FIFA explanation over VAR drama during 2-1 loss to Portugal

In a series of surprising events, Croatia have filed an official complaint with FIFA after their controversial departure from the ongoing FIFA World cup 2026, raising concerns over the influence of technology in their Round of 32 loss against Portugal. The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has challenged the officiating process, saying that the excessive dependance on VAR and data produced by Trionda match ball played a big role in a crucial decision during Portugal's 2-1 win.

What had actually happened?

The controversial moment took place during the dying minutes of the game when Josko Gvardiol found the back of the net with what looked to be Croatia's dramatic equaliser. The goal was initially allowed to stand, but referee Espen Eskas changed his decision after a long VAR check, crushing Croatia's hopes of forcing extra time.

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Unlike a normal offside review based on broadcast replays, the official chose to prefer the date from the Trionda match ball. As per FIFA's technology, the balm made the slightest contact with Igor Matanovic's hair before reaching Gvardiol, altering the offside sequence and leading to the goal being ruled out.

The decision instantly sparked controversy, as television replays appeared to signal that the goal should have counted. FIFA, however, stood by the verdict, saying that the sensor-equipped match ball was given the evidence needed to confirm the offside infringement.

On the other hand, Croatia's federation argues that depending too much on technology goes beyond VAR's intended purpose and moves away from the intention of correcting clear errors.

In an interaction with RTL, HNS Tomislav Pacak claimed that the instance is an abuse of technology, saying that the warning has been sent to the FIFA and they expect a full detailed explanation of all the decisions which led to their unfortunate exit from the tournament.

"We believe that this is an abuse of technology, which we welcome in football, but we believe that this application is not beneficial to FIFA, teams and football fans, and we know that our letter will not reduce the pain and disappointment of fans and players, but we believe that it is important to warn FIFA and request a detailed explanation of all decisions"