Modric retires after Croatia's controversial World Cup exit to Portugal

Portugal 2–1 Croatia, your World Cup is over

Portugal knocked Croatia out in the round of 32 on Friday. Ivan Perišić scored in the 53rd minute to put your team ahead (1) (3) (8). Then it unravelled. A penalty, a red card, and a Gonçalo Ramos winner sent Croatia home (3) (7). Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty that levelled it, then Ramos came off the bench to score the decider (3) (7).

Gvardiol's equaliser disallowed in the dying minutes

Josko Gvardiol thought he had forced extra time with a late goal. VAR ruled it out. The offside call hinged on Igor Matanovic making the slightest contact with the ball in the build-up (2) (3) (8). FIFA later released a statement pointing to sensor data from the match ball as proof of that touch (8). Croatia had three goals disallowed across the match (2).

Modric: the officials were swayed by Ronaldo

Luka Modric did not hold back after the final whistle. He accused the match officials of bias and said they were influenced by Ronaldo and Portugal (4) (5). "If the roles had been reversed…" Modric fumed, making clear he felt Croatia were treated differently (5).

Modric retires from international football

Luka Modric has played his last match for Croatia. At 40, he announced his international retirement after the defeat (5) (7). It ends an era. One of the greatest midfielders the game has seen walks away at the World Cup, the same stage where he led Croatia to a final in 2018.

Fan reactions

Croatian supporters online are not taking the exit quietly. The disallowed goal dominates every thread, with fans calling it a robbery and circulating new angles of the offside incident. FIFA's sensor-data statement has fuelled the anger rather than settling it. The mood: disbelief and fury, with some pointing to Ronaldo's man of the match award as adding insult to injury. New angles of Croatia's disallowed goal