Match Report: Portugal 2-1 Croatia

Gonçalo Ramos scored a dramatic late winner as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 to book their place in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The substitute headed home a brilliant cross from Rafael Leão in the fourth minute of added time after Croatia had created most of the better chances during a hard-fought match played on a beautiful summer’s evening in Toronto.

Croatia thought they had rescued the game in the closing seconds when Joško Gvardiol found the net, but the goal was ruled out for an offside in the build-up. The decision left the Croatian players devastated, while Portugal celebrated reaching the next round.

Cristiano Ronaldo also played a key role in the victory, scoring from the penalty spot to cancel out Ivan Perišić’s second-half opener. It was Ronaldo’s first goal in a World Cup knockout match, and it made him the oldest player ever to score in the knockout stage, though he remains the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history overall, behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla.

After a quiet first half with few clear chances, both sides came out with greater intent after the break. Croatia broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Josip Stanišić’s cross was only partially cleared into the path of Ivan Perišić, who calmly slotted the ball beneath Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Croatia thought they had doubled their lead in the 55th minute, but the goal was disallowed after the assistant referee flagged Nikola Vlašić for offside in the build-up. A few minutes later, Ronaldo thought he had equalised after controlling a long pass and finishing well, but the flag was again raised for offside.

Portugal were awarded a penalty when Renato Veiga was rugby tackled in the box by Nikola Vlašić. Following a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot and Ronaldo calmly fired his penalty down the middle to make it 1-1.

The match remained open, with both sides pushing for a winner. Mateo Kovačić came close for Croatia, but Costa produced an excellent fingertip save to push his low effort onto the post.
Croatia continued to threaten and Petar Sučić found the net, only for his goal to be ruled out for another offside. They kept pushing for a win and almost snatched a late victory when Mario Pašalić’s header drifted just wide of the far post.

However, Portugal had the final say. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Gonçalo Ramos met Leão’s superb delivery with a powerful header to seal a dramatic victory and send Portugal into the last 16.

Portugal will now face Spain in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Iberian rivals will meet on Monday, 6 July, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a place in the quarter finals on the line.

Croatia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup journey is over, and it is almost certainly the end of an unforgettable World Cup career for Luka Modrić. Croatia finished as runners-up in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and claimed third place at Qatar in 2022, the two best results in the country’s World Cup history.

If this was the end of Modrić’s international career, he leaves behind a legacy that helped shape the greatest era Croatian football has known.