What is Snicko? The VAR technology that ruled out Croatia's equaliser against Portugal
- Croatia's late equaliser against Portugal was ruled out after VAR used Connected Ball Technology to confirm a crucial touch in the build-up
- The Adidas Trionda match ball's "Snicko" graphic showed Igor Matanović had made contact, leading to an offside decision
- The same technology previously played a key role at the 2022 World Cup when Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a goal against Uruguay
Croatia were denied a dramatic last-minute equaliser against Portugal after VAR used Snickometer technology to rule out what would have been a crucial goal in their World Cup Round of 32 clash.
Joško Gvardiol thought he had made it 2-2 in stoppage time, moments after substitute Gonçalo Ramos had put Portugal ahead.
Source: Getty Images
However, the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review involving Petar Sučić.
Television replays initially appeared to show Igor Matanović had failed to make contact with the ball as he attempted to flick it on.
Had that been the case, the ball would have instead come off Portugal defender Renato Veiga, meaning Mario Pašalić would have been onside before setting up Gvardiol's finish.
Instead, the referee was called to the pitchside monitor.
How Snicko helped VAR overturn Croatia's goal
The decisive evidence came from the Adidas Trionda match ball, which features built-in Connected Ball Technology.
During the VAR review, officials used the ball's "Snicko" graphic, which showed a clear spike indicating that Matanović had made contact with the ball.
That slight touch was enough to confirm he had played the pass, leaving Pašalić in an offside position.
As a result, Gvardiol's goal was disallowed.
The decision ultimately ended Croatia's World Cup campaign while sending Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into the Round of 16.
The "Snicko" graphic is similar to the technology long used in cricket to determine whether a batter has edged the ball.
What is Snickometer and how does it work?
Snickometer, commonly known as "Snicko," is a technology designed to detect tiny contacts by analysing sound waves and sensor data during slow-motion replays.
It has been widely used in cricket for years to determine whether a batter has made contact with the ball.
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the official Adidas Trionda match ball contains a built-in microchip that can detect every touch of the ball.
The sensor sends information directly to the VAR system and generates a waveform graphic.
Whenever contact is made, the system displays a distinctive spike, allowing officials to determine whether a player has touched the ball.
Ironically, Cristiano Ronaldo was on the wrong end of the same Adidas ball technology at the 2022 World Cup.
During Portugal's match against Uruguay, Ronaldo believed he had headed home Bruno Fernandes' cross, but the technology showed there had been no contact, with the goal instead awarded to Fernandes.
Following Croatia's defeat, FIFA released a statement explaining the decision.
It read:
"According to the data provided by Connected Ball Technology housed within the @adidasfootball Trionda, the official match ball of the @FIFAWorldCup, it was proven that contact was made by Croatia's #20 Igor Matanović in the build-up to the goal against Portugal, allowing the referee to correctly determine offside and disallow the goal.
"IMU sensors housed within the Trionda ball are capable of determining any slight contact, displayed to viewers in the broadcast as a 'heartbeat graphic', and allowing officials an unprecedented level of data to make fast, accurate decisions."
Source: YEN.com.gh
