Snicko technology denies Croatia a last-gasp equaliser as VAR rules out Gvardiol's goal against Portugal

Croatia’s 2026 World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak at BMO Field on Sunday after Josko Gvardiol’s stoppage-time equaliser was ruled out by VAR following a touch so faint it was invisible to the naked eye, sending Portugal through to the last 16 with a 2-1 victory.

Portugal had appeared to seal the round-of-32 tie when Goncalo Ramos headed home in the 94th minute to make it 2-1, cancelling out Ivan Perisic’s 53rd-minute opener after Cristiano Ronaldo had levelled from the penalty spot. Croatia refused to yield, and in the 103rd minute Mario Pasalic knocked a left-wing cross into the path of Manchester City defender Gvardiol, who converted what looked like a dramatic late equaliser.

The celebration was short-lived. Snicko technology embedded in the match ball detected the faintest flick off the head of Igor Matanovic as the delivery came into the area, placing Pasalic in an offside position when he received it. Referee Espen Eskas — in an unusual move for an offside call — was summoned to the pitchside monitor before overturning the goal.

The decision provoked immediate fury among Croatia supporters, who threw water bottles onto the pitch and forced a delay to the restart.

The legitimacy of the decision itself was not in doubt for former referee Darren Cann, whose assessment was relayed by BBC presenter Mark Chapman. “He was offside when the ball was last played by a teammate and the ball was deflected by the defender and not deliberately played, so the offside stands,” Cann said. “Snicko 100 percent proves that he touched it with the flick-on.”

The controversy centred not on the rule but on the technology’s role — the touch was so marginal that no human observer could have detected it unaided, raising questions about how much automated systems should influence outcomes at the sport’s highest stage.

The final whistle brought scenes of devastation in the Croatia camp. Midfielder Mateo Kovacic was in tears and needed consoling, while the result drew the curtain on 40-year-old captain Luka Modric’s World Cup career. Modric, who led Croatia to the final in 2018 and the semi-finals in 2022, will not feature at another tournament. Portugal advance to face Spain in the last 16.