Portugal advanced to the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 after defeating Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic knockout match that featured a stoppage-time winner and an emotional tribute to the late Diogo Jota.

Croatia took the lead early in the second half when Ivan Perišić finished a cross from Josip Stanišić in the 53rd minute. Portugal responded through Cristiano Ronaldo, who converted a penalty in the 68th minute to score his first-ever World Cup knockout-stage goal.

As the match entered stoppage time, Rafael Leão delivered a cross that Gonçalo Ramos headed into the net, completing Portugal's comeback and securing qualification for the next round.

Croatia believed they had equalized moments later when Mario Pašalić found the net, but a VAR review ruled the goal out for offside. The decision sparked protests from Croatian players and supporters, but the result stood.

After the final whistle, Ronaldo honored former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota by wearing his No. 21 national team shirt and pointing to the sky. The tribute came one day before the first anniversary of Jota's death, making the victory especially meaningful for the Portuguese squad.

Ronaldo said the team had spoken about Jota before kickoff and felt motivated to win in his memory. Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão also described the late forward as a source of inspiration throughout the tournament.

Portugal will now face Spain in the round of 16 as they continue their World Cup campaign following a hard-fought victory over Croatia.