Portugal thrashed Croatia 5-1 in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday, with a record four goals disallowed by VAR, according to FIFA. The victory sends Roberto Martinez's side into the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of France vs England.
Record-Breaking Match
The match at the Lusail Iconic Stadium saw Portugal dominate from the start. Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring in the 12th minute, followed by goals from Rafael Leão, João Cancelo, and a brace from Gonçalo Ramos. Croatia's only goal came from Luka Modrić via a penalty in the 67th minute.
However, the game will be remembered for the four disallowed goals — three for offside and one for a foul in the build-up — the most in a single World Cup match since records began in 1966. "It's unprecedented," said former referee Howard Webb, now a FIFA officiating consultant. "The technology worked perfectly, but it's a strange statistic."
Martinez's Tactical Masterclass
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez praised his team's performance: "We played with intensity and creativity. The disallowed goals show how dangerous we were in attack." Croatia's Zlatko Dalić lamented the result: "We couldn't cope with their pace. Four disallowed goals is frustrating, but the scoreline reflects the difference."
Portugal had 68% possession and 22 shots, with 12 on target. Croatia managed only 8 shots, with 3 on target. The win extends Portugal's unbeaten run to 12 matches.
Historic Context
The previous record for most disallowed goals in a World Cup match was three, set in 2018 (Brazil vs Costa Rica) and 2022 (Argentina vs Saudi Arabia). According to FIFA, Friday's match also set a record for VAR interventions in a single game, with five reviews.
Portugal now awaits the semi-final opponent, with the match scheduled for Tuesday at the Al Bayt Stadium. Martinez added: "We'll enjoy this win, but our focus is already on the next challenge."
