Portugal 2 Croatia 1: Ramos scores late to keep Ronaldo's World Cup dream alive

Portugal 2 Croatia 1: Ramos scores late to keep Ronaldo's World Cup dream alive

Portugal secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia in a round of 32 match in Toronto on Thursday, July 2, 2026, advancing to the round of 16 after a finish defined by late goals and a controversial VAR decision. The result ensures that 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, appearing in his sixth World Cup, remains in contention for the title.

The match began with Portugal dominating possession and attacking pressure, though they failed to score in a tense first half. According to ESPN, Portugal recorded nine shots compared to Croatia's three, leading in expected goals 0.97 to 0.21 by the break. However, Croatia broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Ivan Perisic scored from a cross provided by Josip Stanisic that had glanced off Ruben Dias.

Portugal responded in the 68th minute. After VAR determined that Croatia's Nikola Vlasic had dragged down Renato Veiga in the penalty area during a corner, Ronaldo converted the resulting penalty. The goal, scored with a stutter-step move to fake out goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, marked Ronaldo's first ever goal in a World Cup knockout stage and his 25th goal at major international tournaments.

The drama intensified in the final stages of the match. In the 81st minute, manager Roberto Martinez substituted Ronaldo for Ruben Neves. Shortly after, in the 94th minute, Goncalo Ramos—who had entered the game in the 63rd minute—headed in a cross from Rafael Leao to give Portugal a 2-1 lead.

Croatia believed they had equalized in the 13th minute of stoppage time when Josko Gvardiol bundled a finish home. The goal was initially allowed, but a lengthy VAR review overturned the decision. Officials ruled that Mario Pasalic was offside because teammate Igor Matanovic had made a slight touch of the ball with his head. This determination was aided by "Connected Ball Technology," an Adidas sensor delivering data 500 times per second to detect the precise moment of contact.

The disallowed goal sparked outrage among Croatian spectators, who threw bottles and cans onto the field in protest.

For Croatia, the loss likely signals the end of an era for 40-year-old Luka Modric. The former Golden Ball winner, who had previously led Croatia to second and third-place finishes in 2018 and 2022, shared an embrace with Ronaldo both before and after the match.

"I played with Luka so many matches and we are nearly the same age. He is a legend of football,"

Cristiano Ronaldo, via FOX

Portugal's manager, Roberto Martinez, expressed pride in his team's personality after falling behind. Goncalo Ramos, who is set to join AC Milan next season following three years at Paris Saint-Germain, noted the importance of the group's strength. Portugal's goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, contributed to the win with five saves, including two late denials of Mateo Kovacic.

Portugal now advances to a round-of-16 "Iberian derby" against Spain. Spain entered the next round after defeating Austria 3-0 on Thursday, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Pedro Porro adding one. The match between the two neighbors is scheduled for Monday in Arlington, Texas, where the winner will face either Belgium or the USMNT in the quarterfinals.