Was Croatia Eliminated from the World Cup by Technology or Portugal?

In Croatia, the agenda is based more on technological discussions and VAR decisions that caused the elimination rather than the national team's elimination from the World Cup. The Vatreni's 2-1 defeat to Portugal and farewell from the tournament caused the country to discuss technical details and management errors rather than football. The main question for fans and the media is whether the team's poor performance or the technological glitches reflected on the pitch determined this result.

The biggest point of contention for Croatia, who left the tournament with a Munichvali defeat, was the goal crisis experienced in the final moments of the match. In the 90+13th minute, the ball that shook the nets was justified as offside thanks to the VAR system and sensors in the chip and was cancelled. Chaos ensued on the field after the decision, and the way the referees left the field next to the Portuguese goalkeeper also drew reaction. This technological intervention was met with great sadness as it rejected the equalizer that would have taken Croatia's match to extra time.

The discussions were not limited to the offside decision; Croatian player Matanović's hairstyle and the chip technology inside the ball held an important place in the match's agenda. The (be)smislenizsizliği of the chip inside the ball created question marks about the reliability of the technology used. The Croatian press and football community opened up a discussion about how FIFA's such technological regulations affected the course of the match and the lack of transparency.

FIFA's VAR rules and application resonated widely in Croatia, and the "meaninglessness" of the rules was emphasized. Despite the claim that technology ensures justice in football, the dominant thought was that the decisions made in this match were not fair. The match's referee management and VAR's views were the scene of debates along with images such as the Portuguese goalkeeper leaving the field without communication. The cost of the incident was not just a technical error, but a management weakness.

Portugal's victory on the field and Croatia's elimination from the tournament remained in the shadow of technical discussions. The fact that a single offside line became the biggest factor determining the fate of the round increased concerns about the technologization of football. While the Croatian public admits that the team played poorly, they argue that the referee's show and the decisiveness of VAR decisions harm sports. The early exit from the tournament turned into an in-depth critique of technology and rules.