Former Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has strongly criticized the controversial VAR decision that denied Croatia a late equalizer in their 2026 FIFA World Cup clash against Portugal.
Portugal secured a 2-1 victory in the Round of 32 encounter, but the match ended amid heated debate following a disallowed goal that could have leveled the scoreline for Croatia.
Gonçalo Ramos had earlier put Portugal ahead with a header, giving his side a crucial advantage. However, Croatia appeared to have found a dramatic equalizer when Joško Gvardiol bundled the ball into the net, sending fans into celebration.
The joy was short-lived, as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened and ruled out the goal. FIFA later explained that the decision was based on Connected Ball Technology, which detected a slight touch from Igor Matanović, leading to an offside call.
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Reacting to the incident, Ibrahimovic expressed disbelief and frustration, insisting the decision was incorrect.
“It was a fantastic match ruined in the end by VAR,” he said. “I saw nothing irregular about the 2-2 goal. For me, it was a robbery.”
He further questioned the reliability of the technology used in making the call.
“Either the sensor in the ball wasn’t working or something went wrong.
Renato Veiga clearly touched the ball, which should have ruled out any offside. Croatia’s number 20 didn’t influence the play or change the ball’s direction in any way,” Ibrahimovic added.
The controversial decision has since sparked widespread debate among fans, analysts, and former players, raising fresh concerns about the consistency and accuracy of VAR technology in high-stakes matches.
Despite the backlash, Portugal progressed to the next round, while Croatia’s World Cup journey came to a contentious end.
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