Luka Modric, the Croatian midfielder, has voiced his discontent with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system following Croatia's elimination from the 2026 World Cup. In a post-match interview, Modric claimed that the officiating, particularly the use of VAR, showed bias towards Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team.

According to Modric, there were several key moments in the match where he felt VAR was misapplied. He pointed out a specific incident involving a player named Matanovic, stating, "The referee told us that Matanovic touched the ball, but upon reviewing the footage, there was no evidence to support that claim. If he didn’t touch the ball, then it shouldn’t have been offside."

This World Cup is expected to be Modric's last, as he is now 40 years old. He expressed disappointment not only with the VAR decisions but also with other situations where he felt Portugal received undue advantages from the referees. Modric remarked, "Some things didn’t go as we expected. The penalty decision... if it were the other way around, VAR would never intervene. Initially, when VAR was introduced, I said I didn’t like it. Over time, it has proven beneficial for some situations, but it is used inaccurately or selectively, depending on the team's reputation."

He emphasized that VAR should only intervene in clear-cut mistakes. "If it’s a gray area, you shouldn’t call VAR. There was no reason to award that penalty," he stated, referring to the first penalty awarded in the match. Modric lamented the impact of these decisions on the team's fate, saying, "It’s hard to accept. We feel a deep sense of injustice because it has decided our destiny... What everyone has sacrificed and fought for... It’s heartbreaking for the young players who come here and are treated this way."