Ronaldo announced his last World Cup, Portugal awaits Spain

06.07.2026 08:01 HotInfo

After advancing from Group K in second place, Portugal handled the first match of the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, beating Croatia 2:1 to reach the round of 16 against Spain. Cristiano Ronaldo equalized to 1:1 from a penalty kick in Toronto, and Gonçalo Ramos added the decisive goal in stoppage time. France24 ↗

The match also brought a controversial moment when, in the 103rd minute, the video referee disallowed Josko Gvardiol's equalizing goal. After being eliminated, Croatia criticized both the decision and the technology in the ball. After the match, Ronaldo consoled Luka Modrić, and the Portuguese team paid tribute to Diogo Jota, who died a year ago. After the win, the Portuguese players also celebrated with fans by the hotel. idnes.cz ↗

Meanwhile, Ronaldo confirmed that the current championship is his last World Cup. The forty-one-year-old forward has faced criticism during the tournament over his performances and his position in the team, but ahead of the duel with Spain he emphasized that he takes criticism as part of football. At his club Al-Nassr, he will be led after the tournament by new coach Ange Postecoglou. teraz.sk ↗

The development follows the group stage, in which Portugal drew with DR Congo, defeated Uzbekistan 5:0, and finished second after a draw with Colombia. DR Congo also secured its historic advancement to the knockout stage after a comeback against Uzbekistan. Portugal now awaits a generationally watched clash with Spain, in which Ronaldo will face young star Lamin Yamal. Index.hu ↗

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