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Croatia's Equalizer Disallowed by VAR in Controversial World Cup Exit

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First reported by N12 · Jul 3, 2026

What happened

Croatia was controversially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after a late equalizer by Joško Gvardiol was disallowed due to a VAR-detected slight touch by Igor Matnović, which placed an assisting player offside. The referee admitted he did not see the touch and relied on a sensor inside the ball to make the call, sparking debate among players and fans.

01Croatia's late equalizer against Portugal was disallowed after a VAR review detected a slight touch by Igor Matnović.
02The VAR decision was based on a sensor inside the ball, which the referee admitted he did not see directly.
03Matnović acknowledged a light contact with the ball, describing it as a touch with his hair.
04Croatian midfielder Petar Sučić said the players were confused and expected clearer explanations about the technology.
05The referee made a split-second call in a complex situation, according to Sučić, who called for further review.
06The incident has caused significant controversy and debate among fans and players at the 2026 World Cup.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

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