Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former football star, has publicly criticized the officiating in the recent World Cup 2026 match where Croatia faced Portugal. In a dramatic encounter, Croatia was denied a last-minute equalizer that Ibrahimovic believes was a clear case of poor refereeing.

During the match, Croatia thought they had scored a vital goal when Josko Gvardiol found the net after a cross from Mario Pasalic in the 90+13 minute. However, the VAR team intervened, prompting referee Espen Eskas to review the play. The controversy stemmed from an earlier incident involving Igor Matanovic, who was deemed offside before Pasalic's assist. After reviewing the footage, Eskas ruled that Matanovic had touched the ball prior to the goal, thus disallowing Gvardiol's effort.

Ibrahimovic did not hold back in his criticism, stating, "Referees are doing everything possible to ensure Cristiano Ronaldo wins the World Cup, while many claim Lionel Messi is FIFA's favorite. This situation was clearly not offside as the ball had not touched the Croatian player. It is a blatant robbery in broad daylight. If you intend to disallow a goal in the 90th minute, the evidence must be indisputable. I have watched that situation repeatedly from various angles and still see no convincing evidence to overturn the on-field decision. If VAR officials need to spend minutes analyzing every frame to determine offside by a shoulder, shoe, or heel, it shows the situation is not clear. If it's not clear, the goal should stand. That is the very purpose of VAR.

Ibrahimovic also expressed concern over the increasing reliance on technology in football, stating it is diminishing the emotional experience of the game. He remarked, "Referees have allowed technology to become the main character of the match. Fans do not come to the stadium or stay up late to watch VAR; they come for the football, the thrilling contests, and the memorable moments. Croatia fought bravely, and they believed they had scored a valuable equalizer to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Yet, a single decision took it all away, and this will be a topic of controversy for years to come. This is why fans' trust in VAR is eroding. The technology is no longer used to correct clear mistakes but is scrutinizing every millimeter to the point that no one in the stands can perceive it with the naked eye. That is not football as it should be. I feel sorry for the Croatian players more than anyone else. They celebrated, believing their World Cup dream was alive, only to have it all vanish in seconds. In my opinion, both the main referee and the VAR team made a wrong decision.