The Portuguese national team will meet Croatia in the round of 32 match of the 2026 World Cup at BMO Field Stadium, Toronto, Canada, which will be a stage to test the leadership of veteran players on both sides.
Both Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatia's main creator Luka Modric are breaking records in the 2026 edition, which marks their sixth World Cup finals appearance.
Portugal and Croatia advanced to the knockout stages as runners-up in Group K and Group L, respectively. The upcoming meeting will be their first at the FIFA World Cup.
Although the two teams have never met in a World Cup before, they have shared memorable encounters at the UEFA European Championship. Luis Figo scored in Portugal's 3-0 victory in the group stage of UEFA EURO 1996, before Ronaldo and Modric both featured in the round of 16 clash at EURO 2016, where Ricardo Quaresma's extra-time winner sent Portugal through.
Their last meeting came in the UEFA Nations League in November 2024, when Josko Gvardiol cancelled out Joao Felix's opener in a 1-1 draw.
This match between two of Europe's leading football nations presents an intriguing storyline, especially the potential for a final meeting between two of the greatest players in football history.
