In a thrilling turn of events, Gonçalo Ramos emerged as Portugal's hero with a last-minute goal, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup. The match, held on Thursday at BMO Field in Toronto, propelled the Portuguese team into the next round.
The game began with Croatia dictating the pace. Ivan Perisic broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, putting the Croatians in the lead. Portugal quickly sought to equalize, and although the VAR disallowed a goal by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 61st minute for offside, the Portuguese captain soon made amends by converting a penalty in the 68th minute, leveling the score at 1-1.
Coaching Decisions and VAR Impact
With the score tied, coach Roberto Martínez made a strategic move in the 63rd minute, making four simultaneous substitutions, including bringing Ramos onto the field for João Cancelo. This decision proved to be pivotal.
In the 81st minute, VAR once again played a crucial role, ruling out a goal by Petar Sucic of Croatia for offside, keeping the match level. Ronaldo was substituted by Rúben Neves in the same minute. As the match entered stoppage time, Ramos found the back of the net, sealing the 2-1 victory. Additionally, in the 90th minute, VAR nullified a goal by Josip Gvardiol due to offside, ending Croatia's hopes of a comeback.
Statistical Overview
Portugal dominated possession with 60%, outshooting Croatia with 15 attempts compared to 14. Despite this, Croatia posed a greater threat on target with six shots compared to Portugal's three. The Croatians committed 12 fouls and received two yellow cards—one each for Luka Modric and Perisic—while Portugal's only booking was Ruben Dias in the 17th minute.
Historic First Encounter
This match marked the first-ever World Cup meeting between Portugal and Croatia, made possible by the expanded 48-team format introducing a Round of 32. Portugal entered the matchup as the second team from Group K with five points, while Croatia also advanced as second from Group L with six points.
Having secured their spot in the next round, Portugal will face Spain on July 6 at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas in what promises to be one of the most exciting clashes of the round. Croatia, on the other hand, is out of the tournament.
Portugal vs. Croatia World Cup 2026: Key Questions
Who scored the decisive goal for Portugal against Croatia?
Gonçalo Ramos scored the decisive last-minute goal for Portugal.
What was the final score between Portugal and Croatia?
The final score was 2-1 in favor of Portugal.
How did VAR influence the match outcome?
VAR disallowed goals for both teams due to offside, impacting the match outcome significantly.