Luka Modrić Accuses VAR Of Favoritism For Portugal: 'If It Were The Other Way Around...'

Published 3 July 2026 · sports

Luka Modrić Accuses VAR Of Favoritism For Portugal: 'If It Were The Other Way Around...' Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 23:03 IST Luka

Luka Modrić Accuses VAR Of Favoritism For Portugal: 'If It Were The Other Way Around...' Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 23:03 IST Luka Modrić criticized VAR after Croatia's 2-1 World Cup loss to Portugal, citing two key decisions against his team, including a penalty and a disallowed equalizer. Croatia's Luka Modric (10) reacts to a call as Portugal's Bernardo Silva (10) looks on during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Portugal and Croatia in Toronto, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Luka Modrić launched a scathing attack on VAR after Croatia’s dramatic 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, claiming two key decisions went against his side. Croatia were eliminated after Portugal came from being 0-1 behind, with Cristiano Ronaldo converting a second-half penalty before Gonçalo Ramos scored the winner late in stoppage time.

Croatia then had an even later — on last kick of the ball — equaliser ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Speaking after the match, Modrić questioned both the penalty decision and VAR’s involvement. “Yes, we deserved a lot more. Some things didn’t go our way." “That penalty… If it were the other way around, VAR would never have been included. I said about VAR at the beginning, when it was first introduced, that I didn’t like it," Modrić said of referee Espen Eskås awarding Portugal a penalty after reviewing a challenge between Nikola Vlašić and Renato Veiga on the pitch-side monitor. The Croatia captain argued there was nothing illegal about the challenge. “This is not a penalty. Both players are grappling, pushing. Vlašić did not pull him, he held him and both fell.

That is why you cannot judge such a penalty in a match like this. VAR must be used if the mistake is 200 percent. If you can treat something this way and that, you have no say in it." Croatia’s frustrations deepened in the 103rd minute when they thought they had equalised through Joško Gvardiol. However, VAR ruled the goal out for offside after determining that Igor Matanović had made contact with the ball before it reached Mario Pašalić, who was in an offside position. Modrić disputed that conclusion as well. “He says that Matanović touched the ball, but we watched the footage, you can’t see him touching the ball anywhere. If he doesn’t touch the ball, it’s not offside." The defeat ended Croatia’s World Cup campaign, and almost certainly marked the conclusion of Modrić’s decorated career at the biggest stage.