Luka Modric Critiques VAR After Croatia's World Cup Exit
Modric's Discontent with VAR Decisions
Toronto [Canada], July 3: Following Croatia's elimination from the FIFA World Cup at the hands of Portugal, Luka Modric expressed his dissatisfaction with the VAR system. He felt that his team was unfairly treated due to a contentious penalty and a late goal that was disallowed.
Modric raised concerns about the inconsistency in officiating, suggesting that larger footballing nations tend to receive more favorable decisions during crucial moments.
He reiterated his long-held reservations about VAR, arguing that it should only be utilized in cases of clear mistakes. Modric pointed out that Croatia has frequently faced unfavorable calls in critical situations.
"We deserved much more. Some decisions did not go our way. That penalty... If the roles were reversed, VAR would not have been involved," Modric remarked, as reported by a Media House.
"This is not a penalty. Both players were grappling. [Nikola] Vlasic did not pull him; they both fell. Such a penalty should not be judged in a match of this significance. It should only be used when a mistake is absolutely clear. If you can interpret a situation in multiple ways, then it’s not fair. This frustrates me and often works against us," he added.
Portugal secured their place in the next round when Goncalo Ramos scored a header to give them a 2-1 lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Croatia thought they had equalized nine minutes later when Josko Gvardiol scored, igniting celebrations among their fans.
Initially, the goal was allowed as it seemed Matanovic had not touched Ivan Perisic's cross before Mario Pasalic got involved. However, referee Espen Eskas was summoned to review the pitchside monitor after Connected Ball Technology indicated a slight touch from Matanovic, reportedly as minimal as a brush against his hair.
According to reports, this contact was not visible in TV replays but was crucial. The touch meant Pasalic had received the ball from a teammate while in an offside position before assisting Gvardiol, leading to the goal being disallowed and ending Croatia's hopes for a comeback.