KUCHING: Cristiano Ronaldo etched another chapter into football history as Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 to book their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, bringing Luka Modrić’s illustrious World Cup career to an emotional end.
At BMO Field in Toronto, Ronaldo’s record-breaking penalty and Gonçalo Ramos’ decisive second-half strike proved enough for Roberto Martínez’s side to survive one of the tournament’s most dramatic knockout ties, setting up an all-Iberian clash with Spain.
Ronaldo thought he had put Portugal ahead much earlier, only for his finish to be ruled out for offside.
The 41-year-old responded after the break by calmly converting from the penalty spot, becoming the oldest player ever to score in a World Cup knockout match while also netting his first goal in the competition’s elimination rounds.
Croatia, however, refused to surrender.
Trailing again after Ramos restored Portugal’s advantage, Zlatko Dalić’s side threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, with Modrić orchestrating one final charge.
Mateo Kovačić came within inches of levelling when his thunderous strike cannoned off the post before Diogo Costa reacted superbly to deny the rebound. Moments later, Mario Pašalić headed agonisingly wide from close range as Portugal struggled to withstand relentless Croatian pressure.
With Martínez withdrawing Ronaldo late on to protect the lead, Croatia continued to pile forward as the fourth official signalled an extraordinary 10 minutes of added time.
The drama reached its peak in the 90+13th minute when Joško Gvardiol bundled the ball into the net after a flick across the six-yard box, sparking wild celebrations among Croatia’s players and supporters.
But after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside, with officials ruling the initial header had originated from an offside position despite the subsequent touch before Gvardiol’s finish.
The decision triggered furious protests from Croatia’s players, while plastic bottles were thrown onto the pitch from the stands as play was briefly halted before Portugal eventually saw out the closing moments.
For Modrić, it marked the end of an extraordinary World Cup journey.
Seven thousand four hundred and twenty-eight days after making his senior debut for Croatia, the 40-year-old midfielder walked off football’s biggest stage after one final attempt to inspire another famous comeback.
Portugal, meanwhile, march on.
Having survived a frantic finale, Martínez’s men will now face neighbours Spain in the Round of 16 as Ronaldo’s pursuit of an elusive World Cup title continues.
Beyond the football, Portugal are also carrying a deeper motivation.
After Portugal’s goalless draw with Colombia last week, Martínez said the squad wanted to honour Diogo Jota, describing the late forward as a source of inspiration for the team.
“I think we need to honour Diogo Jota,” Martínez said.
“I think it’s a moment to cherish that everything we started in this team started with him. We won the Nations League with him. He’s probably the sign and the light of the biggest stimulation that we have. We want to win the World Cup for him.”
