BMO Field, Toronto. Portugal defeated Croatia 2–1 in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, setting up a last-16 date with Spain. The victory was anything but straightforward: Croatia led until the 68th minute, and Portugal only sealed it deep into stoppage time.
The 2026 World Cup introduces a new format for the first time: 48 teams split into 12 groups of four, with 32 sides advancing to the knockout round — the twelve group winners, the twelve runners-up, and the eight best third-placed finishers. That means the knockout stage now opens with a round of 32 rather than the round of 16 that was used through 2022.
Ivan Perišić Puts Croatia Ahead
The first half was goalless, with Portugal controlling possession while Croatia sat deep and compact. The deadlock was broken shortly after the restart: in the 53rd minute, Ivan Perišić converted after a low cross from Josip Stanisić on the right flank. Perišić brought the ball under control and drilled a firm, ground-level finish into the net — 0–1. The goal from the experienced Croatian winger, the first Croatian ever to score in a World Cup final, gave Croatia a commanding foothold in the tie.
Portugal responded with a triple substitution in the 63rd minute, bringing on Conceição, Semedo and Gonçalo Matias Ramos. The game opened up. In the 68th minute, the referee pointed to the spot following a VAR review after Renato Veiga was brought down in the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up coolly and converted — his first ever World Cup goal in a knockout round — to level at 1–1.
Ramos Decides It in Stoppage Time
Ronaldo left the field in the 81st minute as Portugal pushed for a winner. Croatia defended resolutely, but the decisive moment arrived in the 94th minute: Rafael Leão whipped a cross in from the left, and Gonçalo Matias Ramos rose above the Croatian defenders to head home the 2–1 winner. It was a late goal from a striker who had already made headlines at the 2026 World Cup — at the 2022 edition, he had netted a hat-trick against Switzerland in his first start, deputising for Cristiano Ronaldo.
For Croatia, it was the end of the road — and in all likelihood the end of Luka Modrić's World Cup journey, having led his nation to the final in 2018 and third place in 2022. In Toronto, Modrić and Ronaldo shared the pitch simultaneously — two outfield players aged 40 or over in a World Cup match, an unprecedented occurrence in the tournament's history. Modrić picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute but was unable to turn the tide for his side.
What's Next: Portugal Face Spain
Portugal advanced as group winners and will face Spain in the round of 16 — the second knockout round of this World Cup. The 2–1 victory over Croatia was far from a polished display, but it was an effective one: in three of their last five competitive matches, Portugal only confirmed the win late on. Gonçalo Matias Ramos, set to join AC Milan from the summer of 2026, will have a strong claim to a starting berth against Spain after his match-winning header.
