Portugal defeats Croatia thanks to Ronaldo's goal and advances to the 1/8 finals of the 2026 World Cup

Portugal advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with victory over Croatia. The match was full of emotions and twists, and Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role, scoring his first goal in the knockout phase of the World Cup. In the next round, the Portuguese's rival will be Spain. The match between Portugal and Croatia was a real spectacle for the fans. Both teams fielded experienced players - Portugal's squad included 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, while Luka Modric played for Croatia. The team from the Iberian Peninsula dominated from the beginning, but were unable to take advantage of their chances in the first half.  The Croatians surprised after the break. Ivan Perisic, playing as a left back, scored after a perfect pass from Josip Stanisic, making him Croatia's top scorer in World Cup history. Portugal responded with intense attacks and Ronaldo, although his goal was initially disallowed for offside, eventually equalized from the penalty spot. The decisive blow was struck by Gonçalo Ramos, who scored a header in stoppage time after an assist from Rafael Leão. Although Croatia still had a chance to equalize, Josko Gvardiol's goal was disallowed by VAR due to offside. After an exciting match, the Portuguese can be happy about advancing to the 1/8 finals, where they will face Spain. For Croatia, the tournament is over, and for Luka Modric it could have been the last game in national colors. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Desire Doué onderstreept kracht van Franse aanval voor WK 2026](https://oranjenet.live/nl/news/desire-doue-onderstreept-kracht-van-franse-aanval-voor-wk-2026) 2. [Katia Aveiro: Pertandingan Ini Mungkin Menjadi Perpisahan Terakhir Ronaldo](https://bolanesiasports.com/id/news/katia-aveiro-pertandingan-ini-mungkin-menjadi-perpisahan-terakhir-ronaldo)