FIFA World Cup 2026 Live. Portugal completed a remarkable comeback win to seal a place in the R16
It will be remembered as the night Toronto witnessed pure, unadulterated footballing theatre. Portugal are through to the Round of 16 after coming out on top in a breath-taking, 109-minute epic that pushed the boundaries of the modern game of the game.
When Ivan Perišić broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, a collective chill ran through the Portuguese contingent. With one goal and seemingly no answers against a stubborn, veteran Croatian midfield, it really looked like La Seleção’s journey to this 2026 World Cup had reached a premature, devastating conclusion. The looming reality of international retirement for Cristiano Ronaldo hangs over the stadium.
But this Portuguese side refused to stop believing. Throwing caution to the wind, they flooded the final third and forced a critical error from the Croatian backline, winning a penalty in the 68th minute. Stepping up to the spot under unimaginable pressure, Cristiano Ronaldo coolly buried the equalizer into the back of the net to give his country a lifeline.
Then came tactical roulette. In the 82nd minute, manager Roberto Martínez made the seismic decision to hang Ronaldo, replacing him with fresh legs. With the game seemingly bound for a grueling extra-time period and the dreaded lottery of a penalty shootout, the gamble paid off in the most unusual way. In the 94th minute of play, Rafael Leão delivered a peach of a cross, and Gonçalo Ramos rose to the top to push a sublime header past Livaković, who breathed life into the Portuguese camp.
What followed in the final moments of the time stop will be debated for decades. Deep into the 10-minute block of added time, Croatia launched a final, desperate attack. On literally the last kick of the game, the ball was bundled into the back of the net. The Croatian bench was empty, the players were crying on the pitch, and the fans were touching the absolute peak of human joy.
But it wasn’t meant to be.
As the stadium held its breath for nearly ten minutes, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reared its ugly head once again. After a painfully detailed check on the monitor, the referee ruled that the build-up was offside. The goal was ruthlessly erased from the board.
It was a devastating, crushing end for a legendary Croatian generation, but a fittingly cinematic conclusion to what turned out to be a thoroughly engrossing World Cup. Portugal survived the storm, completing a comeback in many years.
Final Score: Portugal 2 – 1 Croatia