Luka Modric has lashed out at the use of VAR following Croatia’s elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Portugal, arguing that his team were treated unfairly after a contentious penalty decision and a disallowed equaliser. The Croatia captain openly questioned the consistency of officiating and implied that larger footballing nations tend to receive more favourable decisions.

Controversial calls leave Croatia disheartened

Croatia’s World Cup journey came to an agonising end with a 2-1 loss to Portugal, a match overshadowed by two highly debated refereeing decisions. A penalty awarded to Portugal and a disallowed goal for Croatia proved pivotal in determining the outcome. Speaking after the final whistle, Modric expressed his disappointment, saying that Croatia deserved a better result, especially considering their strong second-half performance. The veteran midfielder insisted that the penalty should never have been given and claimed that VAR would not have intervened if the same incident had involved Portugal instead.

Modric questions VAR consistency

The Croatian captain reiterated his ongoing concerns about the way VAR is implemented, saying that the technology is being used inconsistently. He argued that VAR should only intervene in cases of clear and obvious errors by the referee, and stated that decisions often tend to go against Croatia in tight situations.

“Yes, we deserved much more. Some things just didn’t go our way,” Modric said, as quoted by Jutarnji. “That penalty... If the situation were the other way around, VAR would never have stepped in. I said from the start when VAR was introduced that I wasn’t a fan of it.

“That was not a penalty. Both players were grappling, pushing — [Nikola] Vlasic didn’t pull, he held his ground and both fell. You cannot give such a penalty in a match of this importance. VAR should only be used when a mistake is absolutely clear, 200 percent. When an incident can be interpreted both ways, it shouldn’t be judged like that. It frustrates me — it always seems to go against us.”

Disallowed equaliser adds to Croatia’s anger

Modric was also incensed by the decision to chalk off Croatia’s late equaliser. He said the referee had told the players that Igor Matanovic had made contact with the ball, but claimed that the replay footage did not support that explanation.

“He said Matanovic touched the ball, but we reviewed the footage and you can’t see him make contact anywhere. If he doesn’t touch the ball, then it’s not offside,” Modric explained.

Croatia face another painful World Cup exit

The defeat means Croatia must once again grapple with disappointment on the global stage after their early exit from the tournament. For Luka Modric, this World Cup in North America likely marks his final appearance on football’s biggest stage, as he will be 44 years old by the time the next edition comes around.