Ronaldo consoles tearful Sucic after VAR denies Croatia in dramatic World Cup exit

Cristiano Ronaldo took a moment amid Portugal’s celebrations to console a distraught Petar Sucic after a VAR-assisted 2-1 victory over Croatia secured Portugal’s place in the last 16 of the World Cup, where they will face Spain.

Croatia appeared to have salvaged a draw when Josko Gvardiol headed home in the 103rd minute, only for VAR to intervene with an offside call in the build-up. Data from technology embedded in the match ball determined that Igor Matanovic had touched it, rendering Mario Pasalic offside in the passage of play. The decision left Croatian players in disbelief and sparked fury in the stands, where angry supporters threw bottles onto the pitch.

Sucic, who had been one of Croatia’s more influential players, was found on the floor in tears at full-time. Ronaldo, who had already paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota during his own post-match celebrations, made his way over to the young midfielder.

“Honestly, I was very shaken,” Sucic said afterwards. “But he told me that this is football, that there will be difficult moments in football, but that I am great, to keep going and that things will get better in the future.”

The gesture drew widespread praise, with Ronaldo’s words appearing to offer some comfort to a player who had just experienced one of the cruellest endings the tournament can produce. For Croatia, the loss ends their World Cup campaign in painful fashion, denied not by a goal but by millimetres and a sensor in a football.