Portugal fought until the very end in a match where a last-minute goal was disallowed, ultimately eliminating Croatia from the 2026 World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo made his presence felt during the encounter with a crucial penalty goal, knocking Luka Modric out of the competition.
Following the match, where Ronaldo was substituted, he demonstrated his profound respect for the Croatian captain, whose retirement from international duty remains in doubt. “I played many years with Modric, it’s great to see him still playing at top level,” Ronaldo told FOX Sports. “I told him: congrats Luka, good luck for the future of your career.”
It was a thrilling victory that stayed emotional until the final whistle. Even at the close of the match, Ronaldo was seen moved to tears while holding a Diogo Jota shirt, later explaining as to why he was so visibly emotional.
What’s next for Portugal
Portugal advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Spain, a highly formidable rival. The two sides previously clashed in the UEFA Nations League final, where the Portuguese emerged as champions, and this upcoming match is scheduled for July 6 at Dallas Stadium, where the Spaniards will be looking for revenge.
Next up for @Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the FIFA World Cup: A matchup with Spain in the Round of 16.
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 3, 2026
CR7 spoke with Katie Shanahan after the win over Croatia. pic.twitter.com/GmFgkEuZkW
Cristiano Ronaldo remains completely focused ahead of the encounter, even though it could potentially be his final World Cup appearance, but he responded that he is not thinking about that right now.
“I don’t make reckless decisions,” Ronaldo told reporters postgame. “I will decide after the tournament, not now.” And with good reason. His sister made some comments regarding this before the match, and speculations have been swirling ever since.
Cristiano Ronaldo makes history
With the goal he scored today, Cristiano Ronaldo broke a record that not even Lionel Messi can achieve in this edition of the tournament. But beyond that, he snapped a drought that had persisted since his World Cup debut, finally netting his first-ever goal in the knockout stages.
