Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a historic performance as Portugal came from behind to defeat Croatia 2-1 and book a place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Round of 32 clash at Toronto Stadium in Canada was billed as a meeting between two football icons, 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatian captain Luka Modrić, both widely expected to be making their final World Cup appearances.
Portugal dominated the opening stages, creating several chances but failing to break the deadlock. Bruno Fernandes tested the goalkeeper early on, while Ronaldo narrowly missed connecting with a dangerous cross as Portugal controlled possession throughout the first half.
Croatia came out stronger after the break and took the lead in the 53rd minute when Ivan Perišić finished a cross with a composed left-footed strike. The Croatians thought they had doubled their advantage moments later, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Portugal responded quickly. Rafael Leão struck the crossbar before Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside.
The breakthrough finally came in the 64th minute when Portugal were awarded a penalty following a foul inside the box. Ronaldo calmly converted from the spot to draw his side level and score his first-ever goal in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, adding to his remarkable international legacy.
With the match seemingly destined for extra time, Portugal struck the decisive blow in stoppage time. Gonçalo Ramos met a cross with a close-range header to complete a dramatic comeback and send the Portuguese bench into celebration.
Croatia nearly forced extra time when they found the net deep into added time, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
The victory sends Portugal into the Round of 16, where they will face Spain, who defeated Austria 3-0 earlier in the day. For Croatia, the defeat brings an end to their World Cup campaign and could mark the final international appearance of veteran midfielder Luka Modrić.
