Croatia’s controversial FIFA World Cup exit continues to cast a long shadow after the Croatian Football Federation claimed it has yet to receive a response from FIFA following an official request to release the VAR communications behind the tournament’s most debated decision. More than a week after Croatia’s Round of 32 defeat to Portugal, technical director Stipe Pletikosa says federation president Marijan Kustić formally asked FIFA for access to the VAR audio relating to Joško Gvardiol’s disallowed extra-time equaliser, but insists the governing body has remained silent. The latest development adds another chapter to the growing scrutiny surrounding refereeing standards and the implementation of VAR technology at the 2026 World Cup.
Croatia says FIFA has remained silent after formal request
Croatia’s World Cup campaign ended in dramatic fashion against Portugal after Gonçalo Ramos scored a stoppage-time winner to give the Portuguese a 2-1 lead in the Round of 32. Zlatko Dalić’s side believed it had forced extra time when Joško Gvardiol bundled home in the 103rd minute. Instead, celebrations were cut short following a lengthy VAR review. Officials ruled that striker Igor Matanović had made the slightest touch on the cross before it reached Mario Pašalić. Because the touch altered the attacking phase, Pašalić was judged to have been in an offside position, leading to Gvardiol’s equaliser being disallowed. The decision relied on FIFA’s Connected Ball Technology, with sensors inside the Adidas Trionda match ball detecting what Matanović later described as only “slight contact with my hair.” Croatia accepted FIFA’s technical explanation but questioned both the application of the technology and whether the correct VAR protocol had been followed during the review. Speaking to RTL, Croatian Football Federation technical director Stipe Pletikosa revealed that federation president Marijan Kustić formally contacted FIFA immediately after the match. “We took an official position and immediately the day after the incident in the match with Portugal, President Kustić sent a harsh letter to FIFA, requesting insight into the VAR communication regarding that infamous chip. We have not received a response to this day,” Pletikosa said.
FIFA defended the decision but Croatia wants the VAR conversations
Following the controversy, FIFA publicly defended the decision to disallow Croatia’s goal. In an official statement, football’s governing body said Connected Ball Technology conclusively detected contact from Matanović before the ball reached Pašalić. “According to the data provided by Connected Ball Technology housed within the Adidas ball Trionda, the official match ball of the FIFA World Cup, it was proven that contact was made by Croatia’s Igor Matanović in the build up to the goal against Portugal, allowing the referee to correctly determine offside and disallow the goal,” FIFA explained. The organisation added that inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors inside the match ball are capable of identifying even the slightest touches, with the data displayed to broadcasters through the now-familiar “heartbeat” graphic used throughout the tournament. While FIFA has already explained the technology behind the decision, Croatia’s latest complaint centres on transparency, with the federation seeking access to the conversations between the on-field officials and the VAR team during the review.
Pletikosa questions FIFA’s handling of the tournament
Pletikosa stressed that referees will inevitably make mistakes but argued FIFA has failed to protect the game during this World Cup. “We have thrown away the feeling of inferiority when we play against big teams and I hope we will no longer be in a situation where our placement is decided by other things than ourselves,” he said. He then broadened his criticism beyond Croatia’s elimination. “FIFA has stopped protecting football for the first time. It has had better and darker periods, but it has always protected the game. I’m not talking about referees, they will always make mistakes, it’s a normal and integral part of the game. “But the hydration break, the chips, the 18 minutes of half-time in the Croatia-England game… it has gone so far that the game is no longer protected. I am surprised that the people who work there, who should recognize situations and protect the game, do not react at all.” Croatia are not the only nation to have publicly challenged officiating during the tournament. Following their dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 defeat to Argentina, the Egyptian Football Association lodged a formal complaint after questioning several VAR decisions, accusing officials of making “blatant errors” and requesting the removal of the referee and the entire officiating crew. Responding to the wider criticism, FIFA chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina defended the tournament’s officials, saying constructive discussion over decisions is part of football while insisting allegations questioning the integrity of referees have no place in the sport. The controversy comes during a period of change for Croatian football. Following the country’s World Cup exit, Zlatko Dalić ended his tenure after leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and a third-place finish in 2022. Former manager Slaven Bilić has since returned for a second spell in charge, having previously managed the national team between 2006 and 2012.
