Luka Modric vehemently criticizes refereeing and use of VAR in Croatia’s World Cup elimination

Midfielder Luka Modric expressed severe criticism of the referee’s performance during the match in which Croatia lost 2-1 to Portugal, this Thursday, in the city of Toronto. The result sealed the Croatians’ exit from the World Cup, and the number 10 stated that his team was severely harmed by the decisions involving the video referee.

Croatian players pointed out two crucial moments in the second half in which VAR would have interfered negatively. In the 19th minute of the final stage, Norwegian referee Espen Eskas awarded a penalty in favor of the Portuguese, after reviewing a tackle in the area involving Vlasic and Renato Veiga.

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Later, in the decisive moments of the match, ball technology indicated a subtle touch to the head from Matanovic before the Croatians found the net. This deflection caused Pasalic to be offside in the play, leading to the goal being disallowed.

Modric, in an interview in the mixed zone, as published, stated that the arbitration deliberations were decisive in the setback for his selection. He highlighted the ambiguous nature of the penalty, noting that “there are a lot of plays like that” and that Matanovic’s touch on the disallowed goal was unclear, adding to the growing global discussion about subjectivity in moves reviewed by VAR.

The Croatian star reinforced that the video tool should not be applied in situations of dubious interpretation, but rather “to correct clear errors”.

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The match also marked Luka Modric’s farewell to the Croatian national team. The player had already announced his intention to retire from the national team after the world tournament. Now, he reflects on the future of his career as a professional athlete.

Asked about his decision, Modric preferred not to provide details at the moment. “Today is not the day. You will soon know my decision”, he simply declared.

At 40 years old, Modric played for Milan last season, and his contract is being negotiated for renewal. The contractual situation occurs after the Italian club failed to secure a place in the next edition of the Champions League.