Croatia fans erupt in anger after would-be tying goal ruled offside

Chips embedded in the balls can determine whether there was contact, leading to the offside ruling

Published Jul 02, 2026  •  Last updated 24 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Bottles and cans thrown by fans are seen on the pitch during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto. Photo by Justin Setterfield /Getty Images

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A World Cup Round of 32 game ended in anger and frustration, and especially in the heat of the moment, reaction from Croatian fans — controversy.

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A wild night at Toronto Stadium seemed headed for extra periods when deep in second half added time Josko Gvardiol had appeared to score the equalizer for Croatia.

An emotional night hit its crescendo when the play was ruled to be offside as VAR administered by FIFA officials ruled no goal, determining that Mario Pasalic was offside on the play.

While the consensus among soccer experts was that the correct call was made, overheated Croatian fans, the majority of whom were populating the south end of the stadium where the would-be tying goal crossed the line, vociferously disagreed.

Dozens of bottles soon littered the field, punctuated by loud booing from the Croatians. The players were crestfallen, especially after the final whistle blew not long afterwards.

“It’s a shame one of the two teams had to lose today, but the call is clear,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said. “We were fortunate with the moment, but it was a clear moment.

“The technology helps uphold the decision.”

As the Croatian players were shocked at the result, especially after the lengthy review by officials, Portugal players erupted in celebration as their team’s two second-half goals to erase a 1-0 deficit held up.

Luka Modric, the Croatian legend who quite likely played his final World Cup match, appeared stunned at the ruling, the heartbreaking verdict sending Portugal off to the Round of 16.

It was a wild ending to an incredible night in theatre, one in which four would-be goals — two per team — were ruled to be offside.

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Why the ruling?

As Martinez noted, the chips embedded in the balls used at the World Cup can determine whether there was contact, which ultimately determined that Croatia’s Igor Matanovic did in fact make contact.

“The ball has a chip, that is why it was clear,” Martinez said. “The sensor of the ball shows that the ball was touched. The play was offside. It is an objective opinion.”

But where the controversy comes into play is that without that technology, would VAR have determined the play to be offside? Moot point in the aftermath, but a painful one for Croatia and their supporters.

While the “connected ball technology” is well known within the sport, it was news to some, leading to some of the negative reaction to the call.

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