Cristiano Ronaldo delivered another historic World Cup moment as Portugal came from behind to beat Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic Round of 32 clash, booking a place in the last 16 against Spain.
Croatia struck first in the 53rd minute through Ivan Perišić, leaving Portugal chasing the game in front of a packed crowd in Toronto. The breakthrough for Portugal came in the 68th minute when Cristiano Ronaldo calmly converted a penalty after Rafael Leão was brought down in the box, leveling the score and becoming the oldest player ever to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match.
With extra time looming, substitute Gonçalo Ramos emerged as the hero, heading home Leão’s cross in stoppage time to complete Portugal’s comeback and send Roberto Martínez’s side into the Round of 16.
The closing moments were filled with controversy as Croatia thought they had forced extra time with a late equaliser, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. The decision sparked angry reactions from Croatian players and fans before the final whistle confirmed Portugal’s victory.
The match also carried emotional significance as it was widely viewed as the final World Cup meeting between football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić. After the game, the two veterans embraced, with Modrić leaving the tournament in tears while Ronaldo kept alive his dream of lifting the World Cup for the first time.
Portugal will now face Spain in one of the tournament’s biggest Round of 16 fixtures after La Roja comfortably defeated Austria. With Ronaldo finding the net and Portugal showing resilience under pressure, fans are already anticipating a blockbuster Iberian showdown between two of Europe’s football giants.
