Portugal Edge Croatia in World Cup Drama as VAR Call Seals Ronaldo’s Last-16 Passage
Portugal secured a 2-1 victory over Croatia in Toronto to advance to the World Cup last 16, with captain Cristiano Ronaldo converting from the penalty spot and substitute Gonçalo Ramos notching a crucial 94th-minute header to decide a chaotic second-half encounter. The match carried added significance as Ronaldo seeks to extend what many view as his final World Cup campaign, with both sides competing fiercely for progression.
A decisive late VAR review denied Croatia a lifeline when Josko Gvardiol's stoppage-time goal was ruled out for offside, extinguishing the Balkan nation's hopes of snatching an equaliser in the frantic closing stages. Portugal's win sets up a Round of 16 fixture against Spain, continuing Ronaldo's bid to leave a mark on his tournament swan song.
- Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 with goals from Ronaldo (penalty) and Ramos to advance to the Round of 16
- VAR disallowed Gvardiol's late equaliser for offside, a pivotal decision that sealed Portugal's progression
- Portugal will face Spain next; Ronaldo's farewell World Cup campaign continues
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Portugal and Croatia met in the group stage of the World Cup, with both teams needing a strong result to guarantee their place in the knockout rounds. Portugal are led by Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football's most decorated players, who at this stage of his career is widely thought to be playing in his last World Cup. Croatia, semi-finalists and finalists in recent tournaments, are known for punching above their weight and have a track record of causing upsets against bigger footballing nations.
VAR, or Video Assistant Referee, is a system used to review key decisions such as goals, penalties and offsides using video replays, and it has become a regular and sometimes controversial feature of major tournaments. Offside calls in particular can be extremely close and are often decided by fine margins checked frame by frame. Such rulings can directly decide whether a team advances or is eliminated, which is why they carry such weight in knockout football.
The outcome of this match determines which teams progress to the last 16, the next stage of the knockout phase, and shapes who each side will face next. For Ronaldo, continuing in the tournament matters beyond the result itself, given the broader narrative around this likely being his final chance to win the World Cup.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the VAR intervention would argue that disallowing Gvardiol’s goal was essential to protect sporting fairness: however dramatic the moment, an offside goal should not stand. They would say the technology gives officials a better chance of applying the laws consistently in a high-stakes match, reducing the risk that Portugal’s progress is decided by an avoidable human error.
The case against
Critics would argue that late VAR reversals can make football feel overly forensic, particularly when a marginal offside call erases a potentially tournament-defining goal after supporters have celebrated it. They may accept the need to correct clear mistakes while contending that the system should be used with greater restraint, so that uncertain or minute decisions do not overshadow the flow, emotion and human judgement of the game.
Coverage
- BBC Sport — Huge VAR call prolongs Ronaldo’s last dance but ends Modric’s
- BBC Sport — Portugal through to last 16 after dramatic victory over Croatia
- BBC Sport — Victorious Portugal pay emotional tribute to Jota
- Fox News — VAR denies Croatia’s game-tying goal as Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal to Round of 16
- The Guardian — Ramos sends Portugal into last 16 as VAR drama caps wild finish against Croatia
- BBC Sport — Late VAR drama as Croatia denied equaliser
- BBC Sport — Ronaldo levels from penalty spot for Portugal