Ronaldo leads Portugal into crucial World Cup clash against Croatia

Cristiano Ronaldo will spearhead Portugal's bid for a place in the Fifa World Cup last 16 when they take on Croatia in a high-stakes round of 32 clash at Toronto on Thursday (2 July).

With knockout football leaving no room for error, both sides will be aiming to keep their title hopes alive in what promises to be one of the standout ties of the round.

The winner will face either Spain or Austria in the next round, adding even greater significance to a meeting between two European heavyweights led by Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić.

The match kicks off at 5am early Friday (BST).

Portugal arrive under greater scrutiny despite progressing from Group K. Roberto Martínez's side finished runners-up behind Colombia after recording one win and two draws, with questions lingering over both their performances and their reliance on 41-year-old Ronaldo.

Croatia, meanwhile, also finished second in Group L after edging past Panama and Ghana before suffering defeat to Colombia, continuing their reputation for grinding out results when it matters most.

Portugal's biggest talking point remains Ronaldo. Although he scored twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage, the veteran captain was kept quiet against DR Congo and Colombia, extending a remarkable statistic in World Cup history.

Despite featuring in six World Cups, Ronaldo has never scored or provided an assist in a knockout-stage match. With this potentially his final opportunity to chase the one major trophy missing from his collection, all eyes will once again be on the Portuguese icon.

Martínez is also facing increasing pressure over his tactical approach. Critics have questioned his continued dependence on Ronaldo while arguing that Portugal's wealth of midfield talent has not been fully utilised.

Against a disciplined Croatian side that thrives on controlling matches, Portugal will need a far more convincing display than those seen during the group stage.

Croatia, meanwhile, have built a reputation as one of international football's toughest knockout opponents. Their run to the 2018 World Cup final featured two penalty shootout victories and a one-goal win, while they again survived two shootouts en route to the semi-finals in 2022.

Under Zlatko Dalić, Croatia have consistently frustrated opponents by slowing games down, dominating midfield battles and remaining composed under pressure.

Although this Croatian squad is gradually transitioning to a younger generation, experienced figures such as Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Ivan Perišić continue to provide the backbone of the team.

Their narrow victories over Panama and Ghana demonstrated that they still possess the resilience and defensive organisation that have defined their recent tournament success.

Portugal arguably boast greater attacking quality on paper, but Croatia's ability to disrupt rhythm and drag matches into tense, low-scoring contests makes this one of the most intriguing fixtures of the round.

If the game remains level deep into the second half, Croatia's experience in knockout football could become a decisive factor.

Portugal head into the knockout clash with a fully fit squad, with no injury concerns reported ahead of the match. Croatia are also expected to have a full-strength squad available.

Portugal have enjoyed the upper hand in meetings between the two nations, winning seven of their 10 previous encounters. Croatia have won only once, while the remaining two matches ended in draws.

Their first meeting came at Euro 1996, when Portugal claimed a 3-0 victory. Croatia's lone win came in an international friendly in June 2024, defeating Portugal 2-1, while the most recent meeting ended in a 1-1 UEFA Nations League draw in November 2024.

Probable XI

Portugal:

Diogo Costa; João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, João Félix; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Croatia:

Dominik Livaković; Josip Stanišić, Joško Šutalo, Marin Pongračić, Ivan Perišić; Mateo Kovačić, Luka Modrić; Petar Sučić, Nikola Vlašić, Martin Baturina; Ante Budimir.