Cristiano Ronaldo offered words of comfort to a devastated Petar Sucic after Portugal's dramatic 2-1 World Cup victory over Croatia on July 3, 2026. The win secured Portugal's place in the last 16 against Spain, but the match ended in heartbreak for Croatia after a late equalizer was disallowed by VAR.
VAR controversy denies Croatia
Croatia thought they had snatched a 103rd-minute equalizer through Josko Gvardiol, but VAR intervened. The technology in the match ball revealed that Igor Matanovic had touched the ball in the build-up, meaning Mario Pasalic was offside. The decision sparked outrage, with fans throwing bottles onto the field and Croatian players left in disbelief.
At full-time, Sucic was on the floor in tears, overwhelmed by the cruel turn of events. Ronaldo, who had celebrated the win and paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota, took time to console the young midfielder.
Ronaldo's comforting words
Speaking after the match, Sucic revealed what Ronaldo told him: “Honestly, I was very shaken. But he told me that this is football, that there will be difficult moments in football, but that I am great, to keep going and that things will get better in the future.”
The gesture highlighted Ronaldo's leadership and empathy, as he balanced his own joy with compassion for an opponent's pain. Portugal now advance to face Spain in the round of 16, while Croatia head home after a heartbreaking exit.
