Portugal national team head coach Roberto Martinez mounted a strong defense of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, which stole the spotlight in the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match. The match, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Portugal over Croatia, was marked by the drama of four disallowed goals following video reviews.
Martinez dismissed suggestions that his team was merely lucky to advance to the Round of 16 thanks to refereeing decisions. According to him, the use of a special microchip inside the ball and other supporting technologies worked with precision, making every decision taken—including the annulment of three Croatian goals and one by Cristiano Ronaldo—the correct and necessary outcome.
"I have great respect for Croatia, but today's decisions were all accurate and objective. There is no room for luck in modern football assisted by advanced technology," said Martinez after the match held at Toronto Stadium, Canada.
The peak of the tension occurred in the 103rd minute, when Josko Gvardiol's goal was disallowed due to a razor-thin offside violation. That decision sealed Portugal's victory while bringing Croatia's campaign to an end, marked by an emotional moment between Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric at the final whistle.
With this result, Portugal is set to face a tough match against Spain in the Round of 16. Meanwhile for Ronaldo, his penalty goal in this match cemented his status as the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout stage, a record that further underlines his legendary status on the international stage.
