Portugal beats Croatia with late Gonçalo Ramos winner at World Cup

Portugal survived a chaotic finish in Toronto, where Gonçalo Ramos buried Rafael Leão’s left-wing cross in the 90+4 minute to beat Croatia 2-1 at BMO Field and send Portugal into the World Cup 2026 round of 16. The winner capped a match that swung three times, ended under a cloud of VAR controversy and pushed Luka Modrić out of the tournament.

Croatia had struck first through Ivan Perišić in the 53rd minute, forcing Portugal to chase the game for more than half an hour. Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot in the 68th minute, and the goal gave him his first in a World Cup knockout stage. Portugal stayed compact after the equaliser, kept Croatia from finding space through midfield and waited for one late opening.

That opening came deep into stoppage time. Leão accelerated down the left and bent a precise cross into the area, where Ramos timed his movement and snapped a forceful header past the goalkeeper. FIFA’s match record placed the goal at 90+4, but the drama did not stop there. In the 103rd minute, Josko Gvardiol appeared to have forced a late equaliser, only for VAR to intervene and wipe out the goal.

Portugal’s ability to keep control after Ronaldo’s penalty reflected a deeper pattern. The side did not chase wildly as Croatia pressed and the clock ran down. The bench provided fresh legs, the back line absorbed repeated pressure and the decisive delivery came from Leão, who attacked the space that finally opened on the flank. That sequence, more than the highlight itself, decided a match that had been balanced on one mistake.

The result sent Portugal on to face Spain in the next round and ended Croatia’s run. It also closed another World Cup campaign for Modrić, while Portugal advanced with a late display of execution under pressure, as Ronaldo, Leão and Ramos delivered when the match was already into its final seconds.