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Croatia thought their FIFA World Cup hopes were still alive when they scored the equalizer just before the end of second-half stoppage time.
But a VAR review indicated Mario Pasalic was offside and it was Portugal who went through instead.
Gonçalo Ramos’ goal a few minutes earlier – a beautiful header into the back of the net in the 94th minute – was decisive in Portugal’s 2-1 victory. And it was only the second time in Portugal’s World Cup history that the country had to come from behind to win, underlining its resilience on the sport’s biggest stage.
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Luka Modric of Croatia and teammates react after the 1-2 loss in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
It was a controversial finish, however, and Croatia tried to argue that the ball never hit Igor Matanovic’s head, putting Pasalic offside when VAR reviewed.
It is also worth noting that a new chip inside the ball indicates when it is touched, giving more concrete proof of the referee’s final decision at such a crucial moment in the match. It was the 10th goal ruled out by VAR so far in the World Cup.
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So, with the goal ruled out, Croatia’s participation in the tournament is over. As a result, Croatian legend Luka Modrić completes his fifth World Cup, which will likely be the 40-year-old midfielder’s last.
But another older legend on the pitch will move on, as Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history in this match.
When the No. 7 stepped on the field and the ball was kicked, he became the oldest player to appear in a World Cup knockout match at 41 years and 147 days. He also became the oldest player to score in a knockout match when he witnessed a penalty situation with Portugal trailing 1–0 in the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
Ivan Perisic scored the first goal of this match and put Portugal’s backs against the wall. But after a foul was committed in the Croatian box in the 67th minute, it was time for Ronaldo to score his first career knockout goal, and he did not disappoint.
Ronaldo was delighted, sprinting to the corner flag and performing his signature “SIU!” » celebration that the crowd bellowed with the score 1-1. Ronaldo had also appeared to score that first knockout goal a few minutes earlier, but he was flagged offside.
Modrić and Ronaldo, two former Real Madrid teammates, also made history together, as they were the first two players aged 40 or over to play the same match together.
Luka Modric of Croatia congratulates Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal after the 2-1 victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
It was also an emotional moment after the match, as Ronaldo wore the jersey of his Portuguese teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident a year ago. A team photo was taken on the pitch, with Ronaldo holding up Jota’s jersey alongside his team.
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Now that the job is done in the round of 16 for Portugal, they face a tough challenge against a key rival in the round of 16.
Spain, which topped Austria 3-0 earlier Thursday, awaits Portugal at Dallas Stadium on July 6 at 3 p.m. ET.
