Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Ronaldo's penalty and Ramos' late header send Portugal through


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Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Ronaldo's penalty and Ramos' late header send Portugal through

Portugal battled past Croatia 2-1 in a gripping Round of 32 tie at Toronto Stadium to book their place in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they'll meet fierce rivals Spain. It was a night of late drama, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos combining to break Croatian hearts deep into stoppage time.

The first half offered little to shout about, with Portugal dominating possession but struggling to fashion a clear opening. Croatia broke the deadlock just after the hour when Ivan Perišić lashed home a low finish, capping a swift move that sliced Portugal open on the counter.

Portugal hit back ten minutes later. Renato Veiga was hauled down in the box, and after a VAR review confirmed the penalty, Ronaldo stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way — his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match, and a moment that lifted the Portuguese support inside the stadium.

With the game locked at 1-1 and extra time looming, Roberto Martínez turned to his bench, withdrawing Ronaldo in the 81st minute. The substitution paid off handsomely. Deep into added time, Rafael Leão whipped in a cross from the left and Ramos rose above his marker to head Portugal in front, sparking wild scenes among the players and travelling fans.

Croatia thought they'd found a way back in the final seconds, bundling the ball over the line as the clock ran down, but the goal — which came off a deflection via Rúben Dias — was chalked off for offside after a lengthy VAR check, sparking furious protests from the Croatian bench.

The win sends Portugal into a mouth-watering Round of 16 clash with Spain. For Croatia, and especially the evergreen Luka Modrić, it likely brings the curtain down on their World Cup campaign, after a battling display that ultimately fell just short.

Player of the Match: Cristiano Ronaldo — not just for the composed penalty, but for the calm he brought at the moments his side needed it most.

Portugal will know they got away with one, while Croatia can walk away with their heads held high after pushing the eventual finalists all the way. On to the next round.

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