Portugal Edge Croatia 2-1 in Dramatic World Cup Thriller to Set Up Spain Clash

Portugal Edge Croatia 2-1 in Dramatic World Cup Thriller to Set Up Spain Clash

Ronaldo Scores Historic Knockout Goal Before Gonçalo Ramos Seals Late Victory

Portugal booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia, with substitute Gonçalo Ramos scoring a stoppage-time winner in a thrilling Round of 32 encounter.

The victory keeps Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream alive and sets up a blockbuster Round of 16 clash against Spain.

Croatia struck first early in the second half through veteran winger Ivan Perišić. The experienced forward found the breakthrough in the 53rd minute, giving Croatia a deserved lead and putting Portugal under pressure.

Portugal responded strongly and thought they had equalised through Cristiano Ronaldo, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. However, the Portuguese captain was not to be denied for long.

Ronaldo finally found the net later in the second half, scoring his first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup knockout-stage match and bringing Portugal level at 1-1. The goal sparked renewed belief among Roberto Martínez's side as they pushed for a winner.

In a surprising tactical decision, Martínez substituted Ronaldo in the 81st minute, with the match seemingly heading towards extra time.

The decisive moment arrived in the 94th minute when substitute Gonçalo Ramos produced a clinical finish to give Portugal a dramatic 2-1 lead and send their supporters into celebration.

Croatia appeared to have forced the game back level when Joško Gvardiol found the net in the 113th minute. However, after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for offside against Mario Pašalić in the build-up, preserving Portugal's advantage.

Despite a spirited effort from Croatia and another influential performance from Luka Modrić, the 2018 finalists were unable to find a way back into the contest and were eliminated from the tournament.

Match Result

Portugal 2-1 Croatia

Goals

Ivan Perišić (Croatia) – 53'

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Gonçalo Ramos (Portugal) – 94'

Key Moment

Joško Gvardiol's late equaliser was ruled out by VAR for offside, allowing Portugal to hold on and secure qualification.

Portugal now advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Spain in one of the most anticipated matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage.