Portugal booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia at Toronto Stadium in Canada.
After a closely contested first half, Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute when veteran Ivan Perišić controlled the ball at the far post before firing home.
Portugal responded in the 68th minute as Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty to score his first-ever World Cup knockout-stage goal, drawing his side level.
With the match heading towards extra time, Gonçalo Ramos headed home a cross from Rafael Leão in the 90+4th minute to complete Portugal’s comeback.
Croatia appeared to have equalised deep into stoppage time through Joško Gvardiol, but a VAR review ruled the goal out for offside against Mario Pašalić in the build-up. The decision sparked protests from Croatian players and crowd unrest, with objects thrown onto the pitch, resulting in a lengthy delay.
After 19 minutes of stoppage time, Portugal held on to secure victory and will now face Spain in the Round of 16.