Portugal prepares for Croatia clash in World Cup last 32
Portugal faces Croatia in the FIFA World Cup last 32. Witness the fifth clash between football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric. Portugal aims to exten
Portugal's Vitinha urges fans to keep faith ahead of Croatia clash - espn.in
Portugal faces Croatia in World Cup last 32
Portugal is set to face Croatia in the last 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto. This upcoming fixture will mark the fifth international meeting between two prominent figures in football, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric. Portugal enters the match with a strong historical record against Croatia, having won four of their previous international encounters.
The Opta supercomputer has identified Portugal as the favourite for this last-32 fixture, assigning them a 56.2% win probability compared to Croatia’s 19.5%. A draw, which would lead to extra-time and potentially penalties, has a 24.3% probability. Portugal has a 68.7% chance of advancing to the last 16, while Croatia’s chances are estimated at 31.3%.
Key players and team performance
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, is expected to make his 232nd appearance for Portugal, while Luka Modric, 40, will likely make his 202nd appearance for Croatia. This match could potentially be the final time these two players share a pitch in international competition. Ronaldo has played in eight knockout games in the World Cup but has yet to score in any of them. If he plays against Croatia, it will be his ninth World Cup knockout match.
Portugal’s journey to the knockout stages saw them finish second in Group K. They drew with DR Congo and Colombia, and secured a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan. Ronaldo scored twice against Uzbekistan but did not find the net in the other two group stage matches. The team has shown strong possession and passing statistics in the group stage, completing 1,690 passes and averaging 62.5% possession, their highest on record for a World Cup group stage.
Midfielder Vitinha has been a key player for Portugal, completing 270 passes in the group stages, which is the most by a Portugal player in the group stages of a World Cup on record. Against Colombia, he completed all 54 of his passes, achieving a 100% accuracy rate, a joint-record for a midfielder in a World Cup match.
Croatia, on the other hand, finished as runners-up in Group L. They began their campaign with a 4-2 loss to England but recovered to defeat Panama 1-0 and Ghana 2-1. This marks the fourth time Croatia has reached the knockout stages of a World Cup, having progressed past the first knockout round in all three of their previous attempts in 1998, 2018, and 2022.
If Luka Modric plays, it will be his 23rd World Cup appearance, placing him alongside Paolo Maldini and Manuel Neuer for the joint-fifth most appearances in the tournament’s history. Only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lothar Matthäus, and Miroslav Klose would have made more appearances.
Historical context and outlook
The history between Portugal and Croatia shows a clear advantage for the Portuguese side. Across all competitions, Portugal has lost only one of their 10 matches against Croatia, securing seven wins and two draws. In competitive fixtures, Portugal remains unbeaten against Croatia, with five wins and one draw in six encounters.
Croatia’s recent record against European opposition in the World Cup has seen them fail to win any of their last three matches, including a 4-2 defeat to France in the 2018 final and a goalless draw against Belgium in the 2022 group stage. The upcoming match in Toronto represents a significant challenge for Croatia to break this trend and secure a victory against a historically dominant Portugal side.
The Opta supercomputer gives Portugal a 4.4% chance of winning the tournament overall, while Croatia’s chances are considerably slimmer at 0.6%. The match is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Toronto.
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Source: theguardian.com
Rohan Gupta
Sports Reporter
