Portugal face Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Friday morning, with a place in the last 16 against Spain at stake after Luis de la Fuente’s side eliminated Austria earlier in the day. Two of Europe’s most experienced international teams meet in Toronto, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric leading their nations, with the hope of extending their World Cup campaigns.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martรญnez has backed an attack-minded lineup by restoring Rafael Leao to the left flank, giving Cristiano Ronaldo greater support alongside Pedro Neto. The selection also keeps faith with the Bruno Fernandes-Vitinha-Joao Neves midfield trio that has controlled possession throughout the tournament.ย
Croatia, meanwhile, are unchanged from the side that sealed qualification, with Zlatko Dalic retaining the Modric-Kovacic partnership at the heart of midfield and Ante Budimir continuing as the focal point in attack.
Notably, Portugal reached the knockout stage after finishing second in Group K, recovering from two draws against Colombia and DR Congo. They registered a sensational 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, in which, Cristiano scored a brace. Croatia, on the other hand, advanced as runners-up in Group L after bouncing back from a loss to England with wins over Panama and Ghana.
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