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Luka Modrić and Croatia were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on Thursday, July 2.
Croatia suffered a 2-1 loss to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at BMO Field in Toronto.
Croatia appeared to have scored the equalizer in the 103rd minute, when the ball bounced off other players before Josko Gvardiol directed it into the net. But the goal was eventually disallowed after offside was called following a VAR check. A player was called for offside during the buildup to the goal.
"I asked the referee, and he said he didn't see anything, but the ball has sensors in it and the ball called it a touch," midfielder Martin Baturina told reporters after the game.
Croatian fans were clearly upset with the call, with one woman caught on the broadcast yelling an expletive toward the field. The broadcast also said items were thrown onto the field.
Petar Sucic already had a Croatian goal wiped off the board when an official called offside. He expressed frustration after the match, stating that it's a difficult situation to have officials make a quick judgement call.
"They said in difficult situations they need to check more, but he decided in one second, but it's difficult. … Today luck is on (Portugal's) side," Sucic said after the game.
Gonçalo Ramos scored Portugal's go-ahead goal in stoppage time after Ronaldo, the 41-year-old star, had already been substituted off the field.
Ronaldo and his teammates expressed a sigh of relief, and excitement, knowing it would not be his final World Cup appearance. Ronaldo put Portugal on the board with a penalty kick in the 68th minute that tied the game at 1.
Ivan Perišić scored the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute to give Croatia an early 1-0 lead.
Modrić scored 29 goals in 202 international appearances. He played in five FIFA World Cup matches.
He also won the World Cup Golden Ball in 2018.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Croatia heartbroken after loss to Portugal: What players had to say
Continue reading...
Croatia suffered a 2-1 loss to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at BMO Field in Toronto.
Croatia appeared to have scored the equalizer in the 103rd minute, when the ball bounced off other players before Josko Gvardiol directed it into the net. But the goal was eventually disallowed after offside was called following a VAR check. A player was called for offside during the buildup to the goal.
"I asked the referee, and he said he didn't see anything, but the ball has sensors in it and the ball called it a touch," midfielder Martin Baturina told reporters after the game.
Croatian fans were clearly upset with the call, with one woman caught on the broadcast yelling an expletive toward the field. The broadcast also said items were thrown onto the field.
Petar Sucic already had a Croatian goal wiped off the board when an official called offside. He expressed frustration after the match, stating that it's a difficult situation to have officials make a quick judgement call.
"They said in difficult situations they need to check more, but he decided in one second, but it's difficult. … Today luck is on (Portugal's) side," Sucic said after the game.
Gonçalo Ramos scored Portugal's go-ahead goal in stoppage time after Ronaldo, the 41-year-old star, had already been substituted off the field.
Ronaldo and his teammates expressed a sigh of relief, and excitement, knowing it would not be his final World Cup appearance. Ronaldo put Portugal on the board with a penalty kick in the 68th minute that tied the game at 1.
Ivan Perišić scored the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute to give Croatia an early 1-0 lead.
Luka Modrić stats
Modrić scored 29 goals in 202 international appearances. He played in five FIFA World Cup matches.
He also won the World Cup Golden Ball in 2018.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Croatia heartbroken after loss to Portugal: What players had to say
Continue reading...
