Portugal advanced to the World Cup round of 16 with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Croatia, a match marked by strong attacking play and dramatic twists in the round of 32.

With the win, Portugal asserted their dominance and readiness for the knockout rounds, despite struggling against Croatia's trademark defensive solidity.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goals for Portugal, while Ivan Perišić scored Croatia's only goal, setting up a fiery round of 16 clash between Portugal and Spain, a highly anticipated match between two teams with big ambitions.

First half: Portugal dominate but fail to break down Croatia's stubborn defense.

Portugal dominated possession and created several chances in the first half, but they were thwarted by Croatia's organized defense and tactical discipline, resulting in a goalless first half.

The match began at a high tempo as Portugal pressed forward, using the pace and width of Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, and Nuno Mendes. Bruno Fernandes and João Neves were effective in midfield, but the final ball was lacking in front of goalkeeper Dominik Livaković.

Portugal continued to create chances from crosses and set pieces, with Cristiano Ronaldo, João Cancelo, and Renato Veiga all heading off target.

The most dangerous moment came from Bruno Fernandes, who shot powerfully from inside the box on a quick counter, but the Croatian goalkeeper made a brilliant save.

On the other side, Croatia relied on organized defense and quick counterattacks, using the movements of Ante Budimir and Nikola Vlašić. Budimir posed an early threat with a shot from inside the penalty area, but he didn't aim well.

Despite intense Portuguese pressure, the Croats maintained their defensive cohesion and succeeded in closing the main paths to goal.

The half saw Rúben Dias receive a yellow card for a foul, while Portugal showed clear superiority in possession and attacking variety, but lacked effectiveness in front of goal.

Croatia executed their 'absorb and counter' plan effectively, using their experience in big games to wait for an opportunity to strike in the second half.

Second half: Croatia strike first, then Portugal fight back.

Croatia came out transformed with more intensity, and took the lead in the 53rd minute through Ivan Perišić, who capitalized on a well-worked move.

Portugal's response came quickly, but Ronaldo's goal was disallowed for offside, then a powerful shot from Leão hit the crossbar.

Portugal continued to press, and were awarded a penalty after a VAR review, which Cristiano Ronaldo successfully converted to equalize in the 68th minute.

The Portuguese controlled the following minutes and sought the winning goal, especially after Ronaldo's exit and Ruben Neves' entry, but they again hit Croatian defensive solidity, with some quick counterattacks that almost restored Croatia's lead.

Portugal showed technical and physical superiority and comfortable possession, but suffered from a clear problem of effectiveness in front of goal, which raises concerns before the upcoming knockout rounds.

Croatia once again showed they are the 'monster that never dies' in major tournaments; despite being outplayed, they used space intelligently, scored from a single chance, and defended tenaciously until the end.

And at the moment when everyone thought the match was heading to extra time, Gonçalo Ramos appeared to write the final chapter of the Portugal-Croatia epic in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

In the 90+4th minute, Ramos rose in the center of the penalty area to convert a precise cross from his teammate Rafael Leão with an unstoppable header that settled into the bottom right corner of Croatia's goal.

At the moment when Croatian fans erupted in celebration of a dramatic equalizer, VAR delivered a blow to silence the joy and decide the outcome. In the 90+13th minute, Joško Gvardiol headed the ball into Portugal's net, appearing to be the equalizer that would force extra time.

However, the Croats' joy lasted only seconds, before the VAR intervened and called the referee to review the play. After minutes of anticipation and tension, the shocking decision came: goal disallowed due to a foul before the goal.

The final whistle blew immediately after the decision, turning the goal that would have brought Croatia back to life into a painful memory, officially ending Croatia's dream in the 2026 World Cup, while Portugal advanced to the round of 16 amidst mixed feelings between the joy of qualification and the awe of the final minutes.