Portugal booked their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after edging Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic encounter on Thursday, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos delivering the goals that sealed a thrilling victory.
Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute through Ivan Perišić, but Portugal responded when the 41-year-old Ronaldo calmly converted a penalty in the 68th minute to restore parity.
With the match seemingly destined for extra time, Gonçalo Ramos rose highest in stoppage time to head home the winning goal, sparking wild celebrations among the Portuguese players and fans.
Croatia thought they had snatched a dramatic late equaliser through Joško Gvardiol, but after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside, ending Croatia’s World Cup campaign in heartbreaking fashion.
Following the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo paid tribute to his late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, wearing a Portugal jersey bearing the number 21 in honour of the Liverpool forward, who tragically died in a car accident almost a year earlier.
Speaking after the match, Ronaldo described the victory as deeply emotional, saying the timing of the win made the tribute even more meaningful for the entire squad.
The victory also saw Ronaldo become the oldest player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, extending his remarkable World Cup journey. Portugal will now face European champions Spain in a blockbuster Round of 16 clash on Monday.
Earlier, Spain underlined their title credentials with a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice, while Pedro Porro added the third as Luis de la Fuente’s side produced one of their most convincing performances of the tournament.
Spain have now built impressive momentum after opening their World Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Cape Verde and head into the knockout clash against Portugal full of confidence.
