Portugal is all set to lock horns with Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 3. The Toronto Stadium will host the knockout match.
Ahead of the match, Portugal’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be aiming to break his goalless run in the World Cup’s knockout match.
Despite having played six successive FIFA World Cups, Ronaldo is yet to score a goal in the knockout match for Portugal.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievements in ongoing marquee event
In Portugal’s previous match against Colombia, the 41-year-old footballer made his 25th FIFA World Cup appearance and levelled the record with Germany’s legend Lothar Matthaus for the second most appearances in the history of the marquee event. Enjoying the top spot on the list is Argentina’s skipper Lionel Messi with 29 appearances.
During the match against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo led Portugal’s charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net. An own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov further compounded the misery for Fabio Cannavaro’s side as Roberto Martinez’s men secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.
The two goals also helped Ronaldo become his country’s all-time leading scorer in the competition’s history. Currently, he has 10 goals and surpassed legendary Eusebio, who previously held the record with nine goals. Behind Ronaldo and Eusebio, Pauleta is third on Portugal’s World Cup scoring list with four goals.
The Madeira-born footballer also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups. He also ended his 10-match goalless streak across major competitions (the FIFA World Cup and the Euro Championship).
However, the clash between Portugal and Croatia will mark a battle worth watching between Ronaldo and Luka Modric, who had previously shared the dressing room for Real Madrid for years.
Additionally, both players will make history when two outfield players aged over 40 face off for the first time in a World Cup.
But both men will be facing questions over whether their status as national heroes is now more of a burden than a boost to their countries’ hopes of progressing far in the competition.
Before them, only Cameroon’s Roger Milla had played in a World Cup as an outfield player after turning 40.
(With Inputs from Agencies)
