TORONTO — Substitute Gonçalo Ramos scored a dramatic 94th-minute header to fire Portugal into the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Croatia at the Toronto Stadium.
Match Highlights
- Croatia’s Opener: Ivan Perišić broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, slipping the ball past Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa to temporarily stun the Euro 2016 champions.
- Ronaldo’s Milestone: Following a VAR review that penalized Croatia’s Nikola Vlašić for a foul inside the box, Cristiano Ronaldo converted a clinical penalty in the 67th minute. This marked Ronaldo’s first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout stage match.
- Stoppage-Time Decider: In the 4th minute of added time, Rafael Leão delivered a flawless cross to Gonçalo Ramos, who powered home the game-winning header.
- Late VAR Heartbreak: Deep into stoppage time, Croatia thought they had rescued an equalizer via Joško Gvardiol, but a lengthy VAR check ruled the goal out for an offside in the build-up.
With this loss, Croatia bow out of the tournament, potentially marking the end of legendary midfielder Luka Modrić’s glittering World Cup career. Portugal will move on to face Spain in a blockbuster Round of 16 matchup in Dallas on Monday, July 6.
