Portugal vs Croatia Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Round of 32
In something that feels very UEFA European Championship early knockout round, this Round of 32 clash in Toronto features the star-studded but stumbling Portuguese take on the old war horses of Croatia.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app / USA – FOX One
Portugal preview: The obvious but ignored issue
In his last 12 matches at major tournaments, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has scored two goals with those goals coming in their 5-0 demolition of poor FIFA World Cup debutants Uzbekistan in Houston during the group stage. Their best performance at tournaments in that time came against Switzerland in the Round of 16 at FIFA World Cup 2022, when the legendary attacker was dropped.
Portugal, coming into the tournament as one of the favourites with a simply ridiculous level of quality in the middle of the park, stumbled to second place in Group K. Their goalless draw with Colombia, where they were fortunate to survive with a point, condemned them to a clash with Croatia, rather than Ghana.
Croatia preview: Resilient and still going
FIFA World Cup 2018 finalists and FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finalists, there is almost always a feeling that Croatia will eventually fade away with their small population still reliant on the experience of veterans such as Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic, but Zlatko Dalic and the Croats just keep on going.
Croatia began their campaign with an entertaining 4-2 defeat to England in Dallas before then very nearly pinching top spot in Group L ahead of The Three Lions. They edged past Panama by a goal to nil before then beating a Ghana side that held England to a draw, by two goals to one.
Portugal team news: Roberto Martinez expected to stick by CR7
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Roberto Martinez has defended his choice to continually stick by Cristiano Ronaldo and the Al Nassr captain is again expected to start up front, regardless of how peripheral he does appear to be on the pitch when Portugal attack against reasonable opposition.
Joao Neves was rested against Colombia but he is expected to replace Ruben Neves this time around. Joao Felix appears to still be ahead of Rafael Leao, while Ruben Dias could partner Renato Veiga despite Tomas Araujo returning from injury.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes; Neto, Ronaldo, Felix
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Croatia team news: Change of shape reaping rewards
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Having begun with a back three against England, Zlatko Dalic has since reverted to a 4-2-3-1 system and that has got the very best out of exciting Como attacking midfielder Martin Baturina, able to float across the pitch, who is again expected to be in behind Osasuna striker Ante Budimir.
Ivan Perisic was moved back to left-back and that wouldn’t be a surprise to see again, albeit with the dropped Josko Gvardiol coming back in, likely at centre-back ahead of Josio Sutalo.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Livakovic; Stanisic, Pongracic, Gvardiol, Perisic; Kovacic, Modric; Vlasic, P. Sucic, Baturina; Budimir
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Portugal’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Nuno Mendes ($5.8m) – Defender
Bruno Fernandes ($8.5m) – Midfielder
Cristiano Ronaldo ($10.0m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Bruno Fernandes
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes
Free kicks: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes
Corners: Bruno Fernandes, Nuno Mendes
Croatia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Josko Gvardiol ($5.0m) – Defender
Luka Modric ($6.2m) – Midfielder
Petar Sucic ($4.2m) – Midfielder
Matchday 4 captain pick: Luke Modric
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Luka Modric, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perisic
Free kicks: Luka Modric
Corners: Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric
Key stats
- This is the first World Cup meeting between Portugal and Croatia. Overall, they have met ten times with Portugal losing just once (W7 D2). Their only encounter in a major tournament knockout tie was in the round of 16 at UEFA EURO 2016 when Portugal won 1-0 in extra time on their way to winning the competition.
- Portugal are competing in the knockout stage for the fifth time in their last six participations in the tournament.
- Portugal have lost only three of their last 14 World Cup matches (W6 D5).
- With his 25th appearance against Colombia, Cristiano Ronaldo has moved into joint-second place alongside Lothar Matthäus on the list of top appearance-makers in FIFA World Cup history with only Lionel Messi (29) having featured more.
- Croatia have been successful in six of their eight World Cup knockout phase ties against European sides.
- Croatia have reached the FIFA World Cup knockout stages for the third consecutive edition, following their run to the final in 2018 and their third‑place finish at Qatar 2022.
- Croatia have prevailed in nine of their 12 knockout phase ties at the World Cup.
- Luka Modrić has featured in each of Croatia’s last 22 matches at the World Cup, a sequence that dates to the nation’s second outing at the 2006 instalment. A 23rd appearance at the global showpiece would move him into joint-fifth on the list of all-time most appearances in the competition alongside Paolo Maldini and Manuel Neuer.
- Croatia need to find the net twice to reach the landmark of 50 goals scored at the FIFA World Cup.
- The captains of the opposing team, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić, were Real Madrid team-mates from 2012-18, winning, among other trophies, four UEFA Champions League titles together.
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Portugal vs Croatia prediction
Portugal did win UEFA EURO 2016 but their performances at major tournaments have been very average. Indeed, their performances at that tournament didn’t necessarily convince anyway, winning just one game inside 90 minutes in France.
It was a group stage exit at FIFA World Cup 2014 before that and they have been knocked out in the Round of 16 on the global stage in 2018 and again at UEFA EURO 2020 before a quarter-final loss to Morocco at FIFA World Cup 2022. What followed was a quarter-final defeat to France at UEFA EURO 2024 after losing to Georgia and then edging past Slovenia on penalties in the Round of 16.
Croatia, unlike the Portuguese, are the true modern day tournament team - even without winning. Finding a way to be difficult to beat but still able to control the tempo, making nearly every game decided by fine margins but often having the ticker to edge those fine margins.
Portugal have the stars but Croatia do appear to have the mentality and in knockout football that is crucial, so backing the Croats to spring something of a surprise could be a decent bet.
Portugal vs Croatia betting tip: Double chance – Croatia or draw
