Zlatko Dalić Proud Despite Croatia's Heartbreaking World Cup Exit

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić praised his players' courage despite their heartbreaking FIFA World Cup exit, insisting they did not deserve to lose after Portugal edged a dramatic Round of 32 encounter 2-1 in Toronto.

Portugal looked destined for victory after Gonçalo Ramos headed a stoppage-time winner, only for Croatia to believe they had equalised moments later through Joško Gvardiol. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside, ending Croatia's tournament in an agonising fashion.

Dalić began by congratulating Roberto Martínez and Portugal before reflecting on a defeat that left his squad devastated.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate Portugal and Roberto Martínez on the win. I wish them all the best in the rest of the tournament," Dalić said in his post-match press conference.

"It is difficult to say much after a defeat like this. We had a plan to defend in a middle block, but we were pushed into a low block. Even so, we managed to survive the first half without conceding."

The Croatian coach believed the momentum shifted after the interval and felt his side deserved more from the contest.

"We turned the game around in the second half. We were better; we created a lot of chances, and, in the end, I don't think we deserved this result. The players gave everything they had, and I can only congratulate them."

The defining moment came deep into stoppage time when Croatia thought they had rescued the match, only for VAR to intervene.

Although Dalić stopped short of directly blaming the officials for the defeat, he admitted the overturned goal left a bitter feeling.

"It was a very bad decision from our point of view," he said. "But that's not the reason we lost. Croatia lost, and I don't have the right to comment too much."

More broadly, Dalić questioned whether football risks losing its emotional essence through increasing reliance on technology.

"You were able to see to what extent emotions have been literally killed," he said.

"I'm not saying VAR can't sometimes help, but it kills the emotions. It kills everything within you. It takes away what you're experiencing, and it's not easy to deal with."

Croatia had shown remarkable resilience throughout their recent World Cup campaigns, but this time fortune deserted them.

"It's never easy when you concede in the last minutes," Dalić admitted. "Then you score what you believe is the equaliser in the very last moment, and suddenly those emotions are taken away."

"The players are deeply disappointed. It's hard for them, and it's difficult for all of us to process."

Despite the heartbreak, Dalić thanked the Croatian supporters who turned Toronto into a sea of red and white.

"Unfortunately, it didn't end the way we wanted, and that's sad," he said.

"But the atmosphere was fantastic. We had incredible support from our fans. We showed our character, our love for our country and our courage. I just want to thank everyone who stood behind us."

Dalić described the defeat as the conclusion of one of the greatest periods in Croatian football history.

"Croatia has achieved great things across three World Cups," he reflected. "This is the end of a beautiful era that lasted around ten years. Now comes a new beginning."

However, he dismissed suggestions that the defeat necessarily marked the end of his tenure.

"When I speak about a new era, I'm talking about the next World Cup in four years. We'll discuss everything else back in Croatia."

The coach also paid tribute to captain Luka Modrić after what is expected to be the midfield legend's final World Cup appearance.

"It's Luka's last World Cup, and it's a shame it ended like this," Dalić said.

"He played very well in the second half. Once again, he showed his character and quality. He led Croatia right until the very end."

Ivan Perišić also earned special praise after becoming only the sixth player to score in four different World Cups.

"I'm glad Ivan scored because he deserved it. It's a remarkable achievement and something he should be proud of."

While acknowledging that a generational transition is now underway, Dalić expressed confidence that Croatia will continue to compete on the biggest stage.

"We have many talented young players," he said. "Now it's their time to take on bigger responsibilities."

"They've experienced both victory and defeat. After this loss they'll realise success is never easy, but defeat is also part of football. Sometimes defeat is the best school for young players."

Looking ahead, Dalić remains optimistic despite the painful exit.

"I'm not worried about Croatia's future," he concluded. "There are many young talents coming through, and some of them showed their quality today. I don't know if we'll be able to repeat everything this generation achieved because those results were extraordinary, but Croatia has a very good future."