How the new World Cup ball helped knock Croatia out with use of technology
Joško Gvardiol scoring what he thought was a late equalizer at the end of the match.
By Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — It’s been called one of, if not the biggest VAR decision in World Cup history. Whatever you call it, it was one that left Croatia heartbroken and Portugal thanking its lucky stars.
But what exactly happened in last night’s Round of 32 clash? And how did new technology within the World Cup ball help determine the outcome? Let’s unpack it all here.
First, to the game itself. Portugal had just scored with a last-gasp header to make it 2-1 deep into stoppage time at the end of the match. Gonçalo Ramos’ goal ultimately sent his nation through to play Spain in the next round… but not before some even later drama ensued.
As the clock ticked past the 103rd minute of the match – yes, you read that right – the Vatreni thought they had scored an equalizer when Joško Gvardiol bundled the ball over the line. It was a moment that sparked elation from Croatian players and fans, and one that left Portugal dumbfounded.
But just when it looked like the game was heading to extra-time, the referee indicated that the video assistant referee (VAR) was looking at a possible offside in the buildup to the goal. Long story short, the goal was ruled out for offside and the Seleção progressed through to the Round of 16. But there was a lot more to the story than just that.
This is why it was offside
The goal was ruled out because Croatia’s Mario Pašalić was standing in an offside position before passing the ball to would-be scorer Gvardiol.
Pašalić had nudged the ball across goal after being picked out by a cross from wide. When that cross was made to him, Pašalić was very much onside.
But on its way to him, the ball took the smallest of touches off teammate Igor Matanović. That tiny brush off his head – maybe even just the tips of his hair – meant Pašalić was offside and the goal was rightly ruled out.
You may have noticed the ball also came off a Portuguese defender as well, but that touch was irrelevant because it wasn’t deliberate.
Frustingly for Croatia, Matanović’s tiny touch was barely noticeable with the naked eye. In previous World Cups, it probably would have been given as a goal. But this year, FIFA has deployed new technology.
To keep it simple, the technology involves placing a sensor inside the ball itself that detects every touch, no matter how small. It then sends that data in real time to help VAR officials make the correct decisions. It’s similar to technology that is commonplace in sports such as cricket, but has only recently been introduced into soccer.
FIFA was quick to release a statement explaining what had happened, saying there was “proven” contact made by Matanović, which allowed the referee “to correctly determine offside.”
The governing body will undoubtedly see this as a massive win for its new Trionda ball which has received some criticism for moving unnaturally fast.
“IMU sensors housed within the Trionda ball are capable of determining any slight contact, displayed to viewers in the broadcast as a ‘heartbeat graphic,’ and allowing officials an unprecedented level of data to make fast, accurate decisions,” FIFA said.
Interestingly, the NBA announced yesterday that it would be trialing a ball with an embedded sensor during its upcoming summer leagues.
Croatia still furious
Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game. Croatia fans also threw bottles onto the pitch which delayed the restart.
“It kills the emotions. It kills everything within you,” Dalić said, per TNT Sports. “It kills what you are experiencing and then brings you back to the beginning.
“It’s not easy to deal with all of this. Football should be fair, and the decisions should be such, but we’ve gone on too far about VAR.”
Safe to say Portugal manager Roberto Martínez had a different take.
“The message is very clear,” he said after the game. “The balls now have a chip, and it’s very clear that’s why the VAR intervened. It’s not a subjective opinion.”
On this occasion, Martínez is right. But that won’t help anyone affiliated with Croatia – or some neutrals who decry too much technology in the Beautiful Game – this morning.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
