Portugal advances past Croatia in World Cup Round of 32 following disputed VAR ruling

Portugal advanced to the next round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a 2-1 victory over Croatia on July 2 at Toronto Stadium. The result eliminated Croatia from the tournament, though the athletic achievements of the match were ultimately overshadowed by a contentious late video assistant referee (VAR) decision.

The defining incident occurred in the 103rd minute of play. Croatian defender Joško Gvardiol appeared to score a late equalizer, but the goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review. The decision prompted immediate protests from the Croatian team on the pitch and generated intense criticism in the Croatian press, with international sports outlets reporting widespread frustration from fans over the officiating.

Prior to the disputed call, the match featured a dramatic second-half exchange. Ivan Perišić opened the scoring to give Croatia the lead in the 53rd minute. Portugal responded in the 68th minute with a penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo. According to tournament records, the goal made the 41-year-old the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout stage match.

The decisive goal of the fixture came deep into stoppage time of regular play. Substitute Gonçalo Ramos secured Portugal's lead with a header in the 94th minute, forcing Croatia to chase the game and setting up the fraught final stages of the match.

The fallout from the disallowed equalizer has extended beyond the final whistle. The circumstances of Croatia's elimination have been cited in subsequent sporting coverage to reiterate ongoing calls for greater transparency and consistency regarding VAR implementation in high-stakes international tournament officiating.