TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Portugal will meet Croatia in the round of 32 match of the 2026 World Cup at BMO Field Stadium in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, July 3, Indonesian time, a stage for testing the leadership of veteran players on both sides.
As ANTARA reported, both Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatia's main creator Luka Modric are breaking records in the 2026 edition, which marks their sixth World Cup final appearance.
Portugal and Croatia advanced to the knockout stages as runners-up in Group K and Group L, respectively. The upcoming meeting will be their first at the FIFA World Cup.
Although the two teams have never met in a World Cup before, they have shared memorable encounters at the UEFA European Championship. Luis Figo scored in Portugal's 3-0 victory in the group stage of UEFA EURO 1996, before Ronaldo and Modric both featured in the round of 16 clash at EURO 2016, where Ricardo Quaresma's extra-time winner sent Portugal through.
Their last meeting came in the UEFA Nations League in November 2024, when Josko Gvardiol cancelled out Joao Felix's opener in a 1-1 draw. This match between two of Europe's leading football nations presents an intriguing storyline, especially the potential for a final meeting between two of the greatest players in football history.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatia captain Luka Modric spent six seasons together at Real Madrid, winning four UEFA Champions League titles, and both veterans remain central figures for their respective teams, with Ronaldo scoring twice against Uzbekistan and Modric marking his 201st cap for Croatia with a crucial assist against Ghana.
This match is expected to be one of the most exciting matches in the round of 32. Although Portugal is slightly favored due to its deeper squad, Croatia has immense experience in knockout matches.
Portugal can rely on ball possession through the trio of Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Bruno Fernandes in midfield. In the knockout stages, the Seleccao das Quinas demonstrated their ability to mount varied attacks from the midfield and down the wings with Joao Felix or Pedro Neto, with Cristiano Ronaldo providing the finishing touch.
Fernando Santos' team also boasts a solid defense, having conceded only one goal in the group stage. However, they haven't been tested by Croatia's combination of experience, creativity, and swift counterattacks.
Croatia entered the knockout stages with a strong, competitive mentality, as evidenced by their recent World Cup performances. They had Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Martin Baturina competing for midfield dominance and slowing down Portugal's tempo.
Zlatko Dalic's team boasts a quick counter-attacking ability, a key weapon with Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric/Budimir. Although Croatia lacks a prolific striker, its players have excellent off-the-ball movement, making them difficult to defend. Additionally, the threat posed by dead balls, thanks to the quality of Modric and Baturina's passes, could be the deciding factor.
Croatia's defense has also shown improvement. Despite conceding a significant number of goals in their opening 4-2 loss to England, their backline has been much more solid in the following two matches, guiding Croatia to the knockout stages.
However, Josko Gvardiol and Josip Stanisic will have a harder time containing Ronaldo and the Portuguese wingers. Croatia can improve its chances of advancing if the match is slow and tight. However, if Portugal scores first, they could potentially take control of the match.
Estimated line-up:
Portugal: Diogo Costa (goalkeeper), Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic (goalkeeper), Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Marin Pongracic, Josko Gvardiol, Petar Sucic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Martin Baturina, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perisic.
Read: World Cup: USA Beats Bosnia and Herzegovina, Advances to Round of 16
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
