Teammates scoring Ivan Perišić furious

Despite a goal by PSV'er Ivan Perišić for Croatia against Portugal, the Croats were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. In stoppage time, the Portuguese won 2-1, and in the absolute final phase the Balkan country saw the 2-2 disallowed for offside following a VAR intervention.

In the 53rd minute Perišić made it 0-1 for Croatia and in the 68th minute Cristiano Ronaldo equalised 1-1 from a penalty after the VAR called the Norwegian referee Espen Eskas over for a suspected foul. This decision leaves question marks in the Croatian camp after the final whistle.

''It is difficult to find the right words. We deserved more. I didn’t see a penalty and we were ruled offside three times,'' Igor Matanovic said after the match to Croatian media.

Martin Baturina also talks about an unjust defeat and points as well to the disallowed goal by Joško Gvardiol. ''We get eliminated unfairly. Luck was on their side. And I also wonder what happened there at the end. I asked the referee what he had seen. 'Nothing,' he said. But the sensor in that ball would have told him that Matanovic had touched that ball. We have shown ourselves that we are good, that we have quality. We didn't deserve to end like this,'' says Baturina.

Wing defender Josip Stanisic also points to the referee. ''We could have scored two or three more goals. Luck was not on our side. And the referee could also have given something in our favor. When it’s close, those kinds of things give you the advantage. We are extremely disappointed'', said Stanisic.