Luka Modrić slams 'unbelievable' penalty decision after Croatia's World Cup exit

Croatia captain Luka Modrić voiced strong dissatisfaction following his team's 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the World Cup Round of 16, particularly criticizing a penalty decision that he believes unfairly impacted the match.

"This is not a penalty, he didn't pull him, they both fell. You cannot award such a penalty in a match like this," Modrić stated. He expressed frustration that such decisions consistently go against Croatia. While acknowledging the team's strong performance in the second half, he lamented missed opportunities that could have changed the outcome.

Modrić also questioned the use of VAR, suggesting it is applied selectively and inconsistently. "When VAR was introduced, I said I didn't like it. Later, it turned out VAR is good for some things, but they use it incorrectly, selectively, and based on the size of the team," he commented. He believes VAR should only intervene in clear-cut situations, not in 'gray zones,' and reiterated that the penalty awarded to Portugal was not a clear case for VAR intervention.

Furthermore, Modrić challenged the referee's decision to disallow a late Croatian goal, which was ruled offside. "He says he touched the ball, but we watched the replays and it's not visible. In my opinion, it's not offside if the player doesn't touch the ball," he said. Despite the controversial calls, Modrić concluded by expressing pride in how Croatia represented their country.