Portugal Ousts Croatia in VAR Drama, Modric's World Cup Journey Ends

Portugal has clinched a spot in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Croatia, a match marked by late drama and a controversial VAR decision. The intense Round of 32 encounter saw Portugal's hopes kept alive by Cristiano Ronaldo, while Luka Modric's World Cup chapter closed.

The match, played in Toronto, was decided in the final moments. Croatia appeared to have forced extra time with a goal from Josko Gvardiol in the 90th minute plus 13 seconds. However, the referee, Espen Eskas, disallowed the goal after reviewing VAR, ruling an offside in the play's buildup. This decision propelled Portugal forward and ended Modric's final World Cup campaign.

Throughout the game, Portugal, under coach Roberto Martinez, displayed dominance, controlling nearly 70 percent of possession in the first half and consistently pressuring Croatia's defense. Despite numerous opportunities from players like Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo, Portugal failed to break the deadlock before halftime. Renato Veiga, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes also had chances but could not find the back of the net.

Croatia surprisingly took the lead in the second half with a goal from Ivan Perisic in the 53rd minute. Igor Matanovic added a second for Croatia, but it was also ruled offside. Portugal fought back, with Rafael Leao hitting the crossbar with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 58th minute, but it wasn't until the late stages that they secured their victory, advancing to face Spain in the next round.