Portugal vs Croatia: Preview, Team News and Prediction for Potential Final World Cup Game for Ronaldo or Modric

Portugal will face a significant challenge in their quest for a maiden World Cup title when they take on Croatia in a Round of 32 clash at Toronto's BMO Field early on Friday.

The Selecao advanced as runners-up from Group K, finishing two points behind Colombia. Similarly, the Vatreni secured their knockout stage spot by placing second in Group L, just one point shy of England.

Portugal, ranked fifth in the world, are bracing for a tough test against a Croatian side sitting just six places below them. A more dominant group stage performance could have secured Roberto Martinez's team a more straightforward path in the knockout rounds.

Their 2026 World Cup campaign began with a lackluster 1-1 draw against DR Congo, where they struggled to create chances, registering only 0.65 expected goals compared to their opponents' 0.87.

Portugal found their form in the second match, thrashing Uzbekistan 5-0 with a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo. However, they were held to a goalless draw by Colombia in their final group game, a match where they endured 24 shots while managing only 13 of their own.

Finishing second has placed Portugal on what appears to be the more difficult side of the bracket. A potential Round of 16 match against Euro 2024 champions Spain looms, followed by possible encounters with co-hosts USA or Belgium in the quarter-finals, and France or Morocco in the semis.

Despite the tough draw, history offers a glimmer of hope. At Euro 2016, Portugal defeated Croatia in their first knockout match and went on to win the tournament, even after an unconvincing group stage. The team is also currently on an eight-match unbeaten run (Won 5, Drawn 3) since a World Cup qualifying loss to the Republic of Ireland, conceding just four goals in that span.

Meanwhile, Croatia have cemented their reputation as a World Cup force, finishing as runners-up in 2018 and securing third place in 2022. Zlatko Dalic's squad has its sights set on another deep tournament run.

The Checkered Ones opened their campaign with a 4-2 loss to England but bounced back with a 1-0 win over Panama and a 2-1 victory against Ghana. In that final group match, Luka Modric became the oldest player to record a World Cup assist, setting up Nikola Vlasic's 83rd-minute winner.

While Croatia has won 11 of their last 16 matches, all four of their defeats in that period came against nations ranked higher than them, raising questions about their ability to overcome top-tier opposition on Friday. Their head-to-head record against Portugal is also a cause for concern, having lost seven of their ten previous meetings, including five of the last six competitive fixtures.

Portugal reported no new injuries following their draw with Colombia, but manager Roberto Martinez may shuffle his lineup after rotating players during the group stage. Joao Neves is expected to return to the starting eleven after coming off the bench against Colombia.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the first player to score in six different World Cups, is set to lead the attack. The defence is likely to feature Nuno Mendes, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias, and Joao Cancelo in front of goalkeeper Diogo Costa, with Vitinha and Neves supporting Bruno Fernandes in midfield.

Croatia also came through their last match unscathed. Josko Gvardiol is anticipated to return at left-back, which would allow Ivan Perisic to play a more advanced role on the left wing. Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic are expected to anchor the midfield, with Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic also making strong cases for a starting spot after their goal-scoring contributions against Ghana.

Portugal possible starting lineup: Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Vitinha, Joao Neves; Neto, Fernandes, Felix; Ronaldo

Croatia possible starting lineup: Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol; Sucic, Modric, Kovacic; Baturina, Budimir, Perisic

This promises to be a tightly contested match between two European powerhouses. While Croatia's resilience is well-documented, Portugal's historical edge and attacking firepower may just be enough to see them through to the next round.