Croatia lost 3-1 to Brazil in a friendly in Orlando, concluding its United States tour ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The scoreline came after a match that several of the post-game reactions described as far more balanced than the final result suggests, especially through the first half and into the opening phase of the second. Former coach Dražen Besek said Croatia looked competitive, organized, and equal to Brazil for much of the game, while Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti also described Croatia as a compact side that is difficult to play against and comfortable in possession.
The late penalty became the central talking point
The biggest controversy after the match was the penalty awarded to Brazil late in the game, a moment that shaped much of the immediate reaction in Croatia. Besek said modern officiating has created confusion over what should and should not be considered a penalty, arguing that football increasingly lacks consistency in interpreting such situations. He also said the incident did not look like a clear scoring chance because the Brazilian attacker was moving away from the goal. Zlatko Dalić took a more restrained line, saying Croatia should have reacted better to the long ball and that the Brazilian player used his experience to win the penalty. Luka Modrić also commented on the decision, saying Josip Stanišić considered it a very light penalty.
Dalić points to mistakes Croatia cannot allow
Despite stressing the positives, Dalić directly pointed to the core of Croatia’s problem in the match: avoidable mistakes. He said Croatia’s second half was much better in terms of possession and control but warned that against this level of opponent, the team must take its chances and cannot afford such errors. After Croatia drew level late on, the team still conceded twice, and Dalić said that was something that must not be allowed. At the same time, he described the match as a useful lesson and a good school ahead of the World Cup.
Modrić sees flaws, but also a strong overall impression
Croatia captain Luka Modrić struck a similar tone after the match, saying the result looked worse than the actual impression Croatia left on the field. He said the team gave Brazil too much through its own clean mistakes and stressed that this must be corrected, especially against major opponents. Modrić highlighted the first goal from a set piece, the penalty, and the final goal from a lost ball and counterattack as the kinds of situations Croatia needs to fix, but he still said the general impression was very good and that the two US matches provided valuable tests on which the team can build before the World Cup.
Positive signals from the US camp remain an important takeaway
Even with the defeat, several reactions emphasized that Croatia leaves the tour with reasons for confidence. Dalić said the staff gave opportunities to players according to plan and specifically highlighted young defender Luka Vušković as one of the gains from the camp. Besek also said Croatia showed structure, purpose, and a clear idea in its play, and singled out Vušković’s performance as one that could prove useful. Additional analysis in the post-match coverage argued that Croatia can view the defeat from an optimistic angle because some of Brazil’s chances came from unusual individual mistakes, while the broader performance still contained enough substance to draw meaningful lessons.
Toni Fruk and Lovro Majer provided one of the clearest bright spots
One of the most positively discussed moments of the game was the move that produced Croatia’s goal, with Toni Fruk assisting Lovro Majer. Fruk said Croatia showed in these two matches that it can go far at the World Cup, while also expressing regret that the assist did not contribute to a better final result. Another analysis noted that Fruk did not play many minutes, but his pass for Majer’s goal served as a reminder of what he can offer even against elite opponents such as Brazil.
Brazilian reactions acknowledged Croatia’s quality and the tension after the equalizer
Brazilian reactions after the match also reflected the level of difficulty Croatia created. Ancelotti said Brazil had problems because Croatia knows how to play with the ball, defends well, and brings experience to such matches. One of the reports also said the Brazilian side was alarmed when Croatia equalized in the 84th minute, before quickly regaining control of the result. The scoring sequence cited after the game was Danilo Oliveira for 1-0, Majer for 1-1 in the 84th minute, Igor Thiago from the penalty in the 88th, and Gabriel Martinelli on the counterattack in stoppage time.
The result hurt, but the wider message remained more encouraging than negative
Taken together, the reactions to Croatia’s 3-1 defeat to Brazil were not dominated by panic but by a mix of frustration and measured optimism. The late penalty remained the most disputed moment; Dalić and Modrić both pointed to costly individual mistakes, and the ending was clearly seen as a warning about what cannot happen against top teams. But the same coverage also consistently stressed Croatia’s competitiveness, its control for long stretches, the encouraging showings of several players, and the belief that these two preparation matches offered evidence that the team has a serious base on which to build ahead of the World Cup.
