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FIFA Explains the Disallowed Goal to Croatia Against Portugal in the 2026 World Cup
The organization clarified that the ball technology detected a previous touch by Matanovic, which left Pasalic offside and validated the referee's decision.
The disallowed goal
The match between Croatia and Portugal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 featured one of the most debated plays so far, the disallowed goal by Josko Gvardiol in the 103rd minute, which would have meant an equalizer for the Balkans. The decision by referee Espen Eskas sparked intense debate, as the television footage did not clearly show the supposed infraction.
FIFA's explanation regarding the controversy
The controversy erupted because the goal was disallowed after the intervention of the official ball technology, the Trionda, which has internal sensors capable of registering any contact. According to the FIFA report, the system detected that Igor Matanovic, number 20 for Croatia, had headed the ball in the previous play. That touch, imperceptible to the cameras, left Mario Pasalic in an offside position, who participated in the play before Gvardiol pushed the ball into the back of the net.
The technology of the Trionda
The highest governing body of world football issued a statement on its social media to support the referee's decision: "According to the data provided by the Connected Ball technology housed within the Trionda, it was demonstrated that there was contact by Matanovic, which allowed the referee to correctly determine the offside and disallow the goal."
