Croatia Outraged After Controversial Offside Call Ends World Cup 2026 Run

Croatia was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic 2-1 loss to Portugal in the round of 16, sparking widespread anger over three disallowed Croatian goals. The most contentious was a late goal ruled offside due to a sensor detecting a touch by Croatian player Metanovic, a decision that was not based on referee judgment but on technology. Croatian media outlets expressed harsh criticism of the refereeing team, demanding explanations for what they called borderline calls favoring Portugal. The Croatian press praised the national team's heroic performance but condemned the refereeing, with Vecernji calling the elimination "especially painful" and 24sata accusing the referee of consistently siding with Portugal. The technological offside call intensified the controversy, leaving Croatian fans and media frustrated over the abrupt end to their World Cup journey.