Portugal vs Croatia live online: updates, score, stats & goals | 2026 World Cup round of 32
Live last-32 action from BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, as Portugal and Croatia meet in the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup today, Thursday, July 2.
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Portugal vs Croatia: World Cup live!
EDUARDO LIMA / EFE
Luka takes a look at the field
Croatia's Luka Modric walks the BMO Field turf ahead of kickoff in Canada.
Croatia lineup confirmed
Zlatko Dalic's team is also up. The Croats start thusly: Livakovic, Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Perisic, Modric, Kovacic, Vlasic, Sucic, Baturina, Budimir.
No changes to the team that beat Ghana in the final round of group-stage games.
Portugal lineup confirmed
Roberto Martínez has named his XI. It is: Costa, Cancelo, Veiga, Dias, Mendes, J. Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes, Neto, Leao, Ronaldo.
Martínez makes two changes to the team that began the matchday-three draw with Colombia. Joao Neves is back alongside Vitinha in the midfield, while Rafa Leao gets the nod over Joao Felix in attack.
At a glance: Croatia's recent form
The Vatreni's last five results:
Jun. 27: Croatia 2-1 Ghana, World Cup
Jun. 24: Panama 0-1 Croatia, World Cup
Jun. 17: England 4-2 Croatia, World Cup
Jun. 7: Croatia 2-1 Slovenia, friendly
Jun. 2: Croatia 0-2 Belgium, friendly
How did Croatia reach the round of 32?
Like Portugal, Croatia also finished second in their group.
The Vatreni opened up Group L with a 4-2 defeat to England, but recovered to record consecutive wins.
At today's venue, Ante Budimir's second-half strike gave the Croats a 1-0 win over Panama on matchday two. Then, in their final group game, Croatia leapfrogged Ghana into second spot with a 2-1 triumph, thanks to goals by Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic.
| group 12 | T | MP | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Jeenah Moon / REUTERS
Cristiano checks in
Cristiano Ronaldo arriving at BMO Field a short while ago, as Portugal prepare to take on Croatia in Toronto.
Portuguese party in Toronto
Roberto Martínez's players will also be backed by some pretty vocal Portuguese support, by the looks of things.
Players to carry Jota with them
As they have been since this World Cup began, the Portugal players will be wearing special wristbands honoring Diogo Jota's memory.
"Diogo Jota's game"
Speaking to reporters after Portugal's draw with Colombia, Roberto Martínez said of the anniversary: “Every day is difficult. When you are training, there are always moments that Diogo Jota comes back into our memory.”
Martínez added: "I would say that [the anniversary] is a little bit of a celebration. I think we need to honor Diogo Jota. I think it's a moment to cherish.
"Everything we started in this team started with him, we won the Nations League with him, he's probably our sun and light and the biggest stimulation that we have. We want to win the World Cup for him.
“The anniversary is just a moment that makes the game Diogo Jota’s game.”
Maja Hitij - UEFA / UEFA via Getty Images
Today’s game is one that carries huge emotional significance for Portugal: It comes a day before the first anniversary of the death of Liverpool and Seleçao star Diogo Jota.
On July 3, 2025, Jota and his brother, André Silva, were killed in a car crash in Spain, as they travelled to Liverpool so the forward could begin preseason training with the Reds.
Jeenah Moon / REUTERS
Portugal boss Roberto Martínez arrives at BMO Field ahead of kickoff.
At a glance: Portugal's recent form
The Seleção's last five results
Jun. 27: Colombia 0-0 Portugal, World Cup
Jun. 23: Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan, World Cup
Jun. 17: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo, World Cup
Jun. 10: Portugal 2-1 Nigeria, friendly
Jun. 6: Portugal 2-1 Chile, friendly
Ronnie and Robbie share unwanted record
In eight knockout-stage appearances for Portugal, Ronaldo has not only failed to score, but hasn't even registered an assist.
Per Opta, Ronaldo's 29 shots without scoring in a World Cup knockout game are the joint most by any player on record since 1966. He shares that mark with a fellow former Real Madrid favorite, Brazil’s Roberto Carlos.
But there's a major gap on CR7's World Cup resumé
...aside from the obvious, trophy-shaped hole in his CV, that is.
All of Ronaldo's World Cup goals have come in the group stage. He's yet to find the net once in the knockouts.
KEVIN SOUSA / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters
Ronaldo surpasses Eusébio
That 2006 campaign was, of course, the first of Cristiano Ronaldo’s joint-record six World Cups.
Now 41, he became the first player to score at six separate finals when the Portuguese thumped Uzbekistan on matchday two.
Ronaldo's double against the Uzbeks also took him past the great Eusébio as Portugal’s highest ever scorer at men’s World Cups. The Al-Nassr forward now has a career total of 10 tournament goals.
Portugal set for another last-16 date?
Unimpressive though they may have been, Portugal are now into the knockout rounds for the fifth time in the last six men's World Cups.
They're chasing last-16 qualification for the third straight tournament.
In eight men's World Cup campaigns so far, Portugal’s best performance came in 1966 and 2006, when they were beaten semifinalists.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
Portugal held twice in Group K
On matchday one, Portugal produced a hugely disappointing display against DR Congo: Despite a dream start in Houston - where Joao Neves headed home inside the first few minutes - the Portuguese were held to a 1-1 draw.
Although the Seleçao then responded by thumping Uzbekistan 5-0, a second stalemate followed on matchday three, this time against the Colombians. That draw ensured Los Cafeterias topped Group K ahead of Roberto Martínez’s side.
How did Portugal qualify for the last 32?
What with that stacked midfield and everything, Portugal came into this World Cup as one of the major favorites. But they certainly haven't convinced so far.
Roberto Martínez's men had to settle for second place in Group K, behind Colombia, after winning only one of their first-round games:
| group 11 | T | MP | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
World Cup last-16 matchups: as it stands
July 4:
Canada vs Morocco
Paraguay vs France
July 5:
Brazil vs Norway
Mexico vs England
July 6:
Portugal/Croatia vs Spain
United States vs Belgium
July 7:
Argentina/Cape Verde vs Australia/Egypt
Switzerland/Algeria vs Colombia/Ghana
Who has qualified for the round of 16?
Following Spain's win over Austria, we now have 11 confirmed last-16 teams, with two more to follow today.
After Portugal and Croatia face off in Toronto, Canada then plays host to another round-of-32 clash, as Switzerland and Algeria meet in Vancouver. That game kicks off at 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT.
For all the reaction to Spain's 3-0 win in California, join my colleague Calum Roche here.
Lisi Niesner / REUTERS
Spain await after ousting Austrians
The final whistle has just gone in L.A., where Spain have swept past Austria to reach the round of 16.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored two, either side of a goal for Pedro Porro, as the European champions eased Das Team aside.
La Roja now move on to Dallas, where they'll play Portugal or Croatia next Monday, July 6.
What time is kickof?
Toronto's BMO Field - where Croatia beat Panama in their second group game - is the setting for this evening's round-of-32 tie.
Kickoff in Canada is in just about two hours' time: at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. We'll have team news for you just as soon as it drops.
Portugal vs Croatia: welcome!
Hello! In the second of two all-European clashes today, Portugal and Croatia meet for the first time ever at a men's World Cup.
It’s an exceedingly appetising game whose winners, we now know, will face Spain in the last 16. In today's opening Old Continent matchup - a clash that has just finished - the Spaniards saw off Austria in Los Angeles.
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