Zlatko Dalic expressed his frustration over the officiating during Croatia's 2-1 defeat to Portugal, which resulted in their elimination from the World Cup. The Croatian coach was particularly upset about the disallowed late equaliser, calling the refereeing "very bad."

Match Overview

In the match held at Toronto Stadium, Croatia initially took the lead in the 53rd minute with a goal from Ivan Perisic, marking his seventh career goal in World Cup tournaments. However, the game quickly became contentious as Nikola Vlasic's subsequent goal was ruled offside. Portugal's Rafael Leao came close to scoring, hitting the crossbar with a long-range effort.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot after Renato Veiga was fouled in the box by Vlasic. Despite Croatia's attempts to regain the lead, including a disallowed goal from Petar Sucic in the 80th minute for offside, the drama continued. In stoppage time, Josko Gvardiol appeared to have scored an equaliser, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review determined that Mario Pasalic was offside in the build-up.

Dalic's Reaction

Dalic did not shy away from voicing his disappointment with the officiating, stating, "It was very bad refereeing." He acknowledged that while Croatia could have secured a win earlier in the match, the decisions made by the officials detracted from the joy of the game. "You were able to see to what extent emotions have literally been killed," he added, criticizing how VAR has affected the emotional experience of football.

Modric's Potential Farewell

The defeat also marked a significant moment for Luka Modric, who made his 23rd World Cup appearance, putting him among the top players in tournament history. Reports suggest that Modric may retire from international football following Croatia's exit, concluding a remarkable 20-year career with the national team. Dalic expressed regret that this was not the ending he had hoped for Modric's illustrious international journey, stating, "Well, this was probably his last World Cup."

As Croatia reflects on their World Cup campaign, the controversy surrounding the officiating will likely linger, overshadowing what was a hard-fought match.