Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history as Portugal edged Croatia with a stoppage-time winner, while Spain cruised past Austria to set up a blockbuster Round of 16 showdown
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes World Cup History as Portugal and Spain Book Epic Last-16 Showdown
Cristiano Ronaldo etched another chapter into football history while substitute Gonçalo Ramos struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Portugal fought back to beat Croatia 2-1 and book a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash with Spain, who swept aside Austria with another commanding display inspired by Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal.
The victory in Toronto delivered a memorable personal milestone for Ronaldo. Appearing in the World Cup knockout stage for the ninth time, the Portugal captain finally found the net in a knockout match, becoming the oldest goalscorer in the competition’s knockout history at the age of 41 and surpassing his former Portugal teammate Pepe.
Portugal had threatened from the opening minutes as Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto and Bruno Fernandes repeatedly tested Croatia’s defence, but Dominik Livaković and his backline held firm. Neto twice delivered dangerous crosses that narrowly eluded Ronaldo, while Leão squandered another promising opportunity.
Croatia capitalised after the break. Nikola Vlašić and Josip Stanišić combined brilliantly on the right before Ivan Perišić arrived at the far post to fire Luka Modrić’s side into the lead.
The Croatians almost doubled their advantage as Mateo Kovačić forced two excellent saves from Diogo Costa, while Igor Matanović was also denied by the Portugal goalkeeper. Petar Sučić thought he had extended Croatia’s lead, only for the offside flag to come to Portugal’s rescue.
Ronaldo then hauled Portugal back into the contest after calmly converting a penalty for his third goal of the tournament, setting the stage for a dramatic finale.
With the match heading towards extra time, Rafael Leão produced a teasing cross in the fourth minute of stoppage time and Ramos rose above the Croatia defence to head home the winner, sparking wild celebrations among Roberto Martinez’s players and staff.
Croatia believed they had rescued the contest moments later when Joško Gvardiol bundled home after Mario Pašalić squared the ball across goal. However, a lengthy VAR review ruled Pašalić offside in the build-up, preserving Portugal’s dramatic victory.
Portugal will now face Spain in Dallas on July 6 in one of the most eagerly anticipated ties of the tournament.
Spain reached the Round of 16 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Austria as Luis de la Fuente’s side underlined their credentials as genuine title contenders.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal dazzled throughout another outstanding display, while Mikel Oyarzabal continued his prolific tournament by taking his tally to four goals, moving within touching distance of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.
The emphatic win also gave Spain a fourth consecutive clean sheet, highlighting the balance between their attacking brilliance and defensive discipline as they march confidently into the knockout rounds.
The reward is a heavyweight Iberian showdown between two of international football’s biggest powers, with Ronaldo seeking another historic moment against a vibrant Spanish side led by the electrifying Yamal. It is a contest that promises to be one of the defining matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
