Portugal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after substitute Gonçalo Ramos scored a late winner in Toronto. Ivan Perisic gave Croatia the lead early in the second half. However, Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot before Ramos sealed the victory with a stoppage-time header.

Croatia thought they had forced extra time. However, VAR ruled out Josko Gvardiol's late goal for offside. As a result, Portugal advanced to the Round of 16, where they will face Spain.

Portugal and Croatia Create Chances in the First Half

Both teams started cautiously and looked for openings. Bruno Fernandes tested Dominik Livakovic with a powerful first-time shot. However, the Croatian goalkeeper made an excellent save.

Soon after, Renato Veiga found space inside the penalty area. However, he headed the ball over the crossbar. Croatia controlled possession for long periods. Even so, Portugal remained dangerous on the counterattack. Neither side managed to score before halftime.

Ivan Perisic Gives Croatia a Deserved Lead

Croatia returned with much more energy after the break. Substitute Igor Matanovic immediately changed the game. First, he created a chance for Mateo Kovacic, whose shot forced Diogo Costa into action.

Then Croatia finally broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Josip Stanisic's deflected cross reached Ivan Perisic inside the box. Perisic controlled the ball brilliantly before firing a low shot through Costa's legs into the bottom-right corner.

The goal was Perisic's seventh at the FIFA World Cup. Only three minutes later, Croatia celebrated again. Nikola Vlasic squared the ball for Matanovic, who finished from close range. However, the assistant referee raised the offside flag. Therefore, the goal did not count.

Cristiano Ronaldo Brings Portugal Back Into the Match

Portugal responded quickly after falling behind. Rafael Leão curled a stunning shot towards goal. However, the effort crashed against the crossbar. Soon after, Ronaldo also found the net. However, the offside flag denied him.

Portugal continued attacking and earned a penalty in the 68th minute. Nikola Vlasic pulled Renato Veiga during a corner. After reviewing the incident, VAR awarded Portugal a penalty.

Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up confidently and blasted the ball into the net. The goal levelled the score at 1-1. It also became Ronaldo's first-ever goal in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup.

Croatia Miss More Chances as VAR Intervenes Again

Croatia refused to give up. Diogo Costa made a brilliant save to push Mateo Kovacic's powerful shot onto the post. Moments later, Costa denied Igor Matanovic from a tight angle.

In the 80th minute, Petar Sucic calmly finished after receiving a perfect through ball. However, the offside flag ruled out Croatia's second goal of the night. Later, Mario Pasalic headed narrowly wide from an excellent position. That miss proved costly.

Gonçalo Ramos Scores the Winning Goal

Portugal made Croatia pay for the missed opportunities. Deep into stoppage time, Rafael Leão delivered an excellent cross into the penalty area. Gonçalo Ramos rose above his defender and powered a header into the net.

The late goal sent Portugal's players and supporters into celebration. Croatia launched one final attack. Josko Gvardiol fired the ball into the net during the 13th minute of added time.

However, VAR reviewed the build-up and ruled that Mario Pasalic had been offside. As a result, the referee disallowed the goal. Portugal held on to claim a memorable victory.

Cristiano Ronaldo Creates More FIFA World Cup History

Ronaldo made history even before kickoff. At 41 years old, he became the first player aged 41 or older to appear in a FIFA World Cup knockout match. Later, he reached another major milestone.

His penalty became his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match after eight previous appearances in the knockout rounds. Ronaldo has now scored three goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Remarkably, every player aged 40 or older before this tournament had combined for only one World Cup goal, scored by Roger Milla. His penalty was also his only touch inside Croatia's penalty area during his 81 minutes on the pitch.

Ivan Perisic Breaks Croatia's FIFA World Cup Scoring Record

Although Croatia exited the tournament, Ivan Perisic achieved a historic milestone. His goal against Portugal became his seventh at the FIFA World Cup. As a result, he moved past Davor Suker to become Croatia's all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.

Luka Modric May Have Played His Final FIFA World Cup Match

The defeat could mark the end of Luka Modric's World Cup career. Reports suggest the Croatian captain plans to retire after the tournament. Although Modric worked tirelessly throughout the match, he could not produce one final magical moment.

Meanwhile, Portugal celebrated one of the latest winning goals in the country's World Cup history. The victory also carried emotional significance.

Portugal continued their quest for a first FIFA World Cup title on the first anniversary of Diogo Jota's death. After the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated the victory to his former teammate as Portugal marched into the Round of 16.