Portugal’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia at the 2026 World Cup has reignited debate over technology in football after the rarely used “Snicko” system was decisive in overturning a last-gasp Croatian equaliser.
Deep into stoppage time in Toronto, Croatia believed they had forced extra time when defender Joško Gvardiol found the net. However, VAR intervened to determine whether the ball had made slight contact with Igor Matanović in the build-up.
Using data generated by a microchip embedded inside the official Adidas Trionda match ball, officials detected a minimal touch from Matanović’s head. That contact meant another Croatian player was in an offside position, leading to the goal being disallowed and sending Portugal into the last 16 while eliminating Croatia.
The technology involved is commonly known as “Snicko” or Snickometer, a system originally developed for cricket in the 1990s by English computer scientist Allan Plaskett. In cricket, it is used to determine whether a batter has edged the ball by detecting even the slightest contact through motion sensors and visual waveforms.
FIFA introduced its football adaptation of the technology at the 2022 World Cup and continued using it at Euro 2024 and the 2026 tournament. The system relies on inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors housed inside the ball, capable of detecting tiny touches that may be impossible to identify with the naked eye.
Television viewers were shown the now-familiar “heartbeat graphic”, which displayed a small spike at the exact moment the ball passed Matanović, providing evidence that contact had occurred.
In a statement, FIFA explained that the Connected Ball Technology embedded within the Adidas Trionda had confirmed the touch, enabling match officials to correctly apply the offside law.
The decision provoked strong reactions from Croatian players and supporters, many arguing that football is becoming overly dependent on technology.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić criticised the increasing influence of VAR after the match.
“These decisions take away the joy of football,” Dalić said. “VAR can help, but it kills emotions. Football should be fair, but perhaps we have gone too far.”
For Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, however, a tiny signal inside a football proved enough to keep their World Cup dream alive.