Portugal survived a dramatic late scare to defeat Croatia 2-1 and book their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, where an eagerly anticipated Iberian derby against Spain now awaits.
Substitute Gonçalo Ramos headed home a stoppage-time winner after Cristiano Ronaldo had become the oldest player ever to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, completing Portugal’s comeback following Ivan Perišić’s second-half opener.
After a goalless first half dominated by tactical discipline, Croatia struck first in the 53rd minute when Perišić found the net to become his country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with seven goals, surpassing the six scored by Davor Šuker. The historic strike briefly put Zlatko Dalić’s side on course for another memorable World Cup upset.
Portugal responded midway through the second half after a VAR review awarded Roberto Martínez’s side a penalty. Ronaldo calmly converted from the spot in the 68th minute, ending a remarkable personal drought by scoring his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match. At 41 years and 147 days, the Portugal captain also eclipsed his former teammate Pepe as the oldest player to score in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Martínez then made one of the game’s defining decisions by substituting Ronaldo in the closing stages despite the score being level. The veteran forward left the pitch visibly disappointed, but the gamble ultimately paid off as Ramos, introduced from the bench, powered home Rafael Leão’s cross in the 94th minute to send Portugal through.
Croatia thought they had forced extra time deep into stoppage time when they found the net, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside after determining that Igor Matanović had made the decisive touch before the ball reached the scorer. The decision sparked furious protests from Croatian players and supporters, with head coach Zlatko Dalić later criticizing the officiating while acknowledging his team had not done enough to deserve victory.
The match also produced a historic image before kickoff, as Ronaldo and Luka Modrić became the first two players in international football history with more than 200 senior caps each to face one another on the pitch. The two long-time former Real Madrid teammates shared an emotional embrace after the final whistle, in what was likely Modrić’s final World Cup appearance.
Portugal will now face Spain on Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in one of the standout ties of the Round of 16, with Ronaldo set to meet teenage sensation Lamine Yamal as the Iberian rivals battle for a place in the quarter-finals.