Portugal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in a World Cup encounter marked by late controversy and a moment of sportsmanship from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The match, which saw Croatia enter as underdogs, came alive shortly after half-time when Ivan Perisic put the Croatians ahead. Portugal responded with 22 minutes remaining as Cristiano Ronaldo, from the penalty spot, netted his first goal in a World Cup knockout match to equalize. The tension escalated into stoppage time when Goncalo Ramos found the back of the net, seemingly sealing the win for Portugal.
Connected ball technology denies Croatia
However, the drama was far from over. In the final seconds, Croatia believed they had snatched a late equalizer through Josko Gvardiol, only for VAR to intervene. The goal was ultimately disallowed due to an offside call in the build-up. FIFA later clarified, via the Mirror, that the Connected Ball Technology housed within the adidasfootball Trionda, the official match ball, provided definitive proof of contact by Croatia’s #20 Igor Matanović, leading to the offside decision.
The controversial call left Croatian players visibly distraught, with television cameras capturing Inter Milan midfielder Petar Sucic particularly shaken. In a poignant moment, the 41-year-old Ronaldo approached Sucic to offer words of comfort. Sucic later recounted the exchange, telling the Mirror, “Honestly, I was very shaken. But he told me that this is football, that there will be difficult moments in football, but that I am great, to keep going and that things will get better in the future.” The decision also sparked anger among fans, with bottles reportedly thrown onto the field.
Read also: Taiwan police break up $313m World Cup betting ring
Ronaldo defers future decision
Despite the contentious ending, Ronaldo’s performance earned him his second Player of the Match award of the tournament, having also received the accolade against Uzbekistan. The veteran forward also addressed speculation regarding his international future, a topic fueled by his sister Katia Aveiro’s earlier comments suggesting his retirement after the tournament.
Speaking to AS, Ronaldo remained tight-lipped about his plans. “Cristiano’s future is not important right now. I’ll talk about it… I’ll have time. After we win or lose, I’ll speak with my family and then make the best decision. I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment anymore. Everything is done calmly now. Right now it’s about enjoying the present,” he stated, emphasizing a focus on the immediate challenges.
Portugal will now face Spain on Monday, July 6, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. Ronaldo also took a moment to pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota after the match, and shared a brief interaction with his former Real Madrid teammate, Luka Modrić.
Read also: 2026 World Cup top scorers: Who will win the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot?
Read also: FC Barcelona returns to La Liga's 1:1 rule, boosting transfer market flexibility
