Former Real Madrid teammates and Ballon d'Or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić are set to face each other when Portugal face Croatia in the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 3, with a place in the Round of 16 against either Spain or Austria at stake.
Despite being 41 years and 40-years-old respectively, Ronaldo and Modrić continue to rewrite the record books at the World Cup. Ronaldo became the second-oldest player to score in the tournament's history after finding the net against Uzbekistan, while Modrić became the oldest player to register a World Cup assist when he set up Nikola Vlašić's goal against Ghana.
Portugal's journey in this tournament began with a surprise 1-1 draw against DR Congo, who were marking their return to the FIFA World Cup after a gap of 52 years. The Roberto Martinez-coached side bounced back from the draw as they thrashed debutants Uzbekistan 5-0 in their next outing. The team could not keep up with the winning ways as a goalless draw against Colombia rounded-off their group-stage campaign, taking second spot in Group K.
Croatia endured a difficult start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, suffering a 4-2 defeat to England in their opening Group L fixture. However, Zlatko Dalić's men responded impressively, edging past Panama 1-0 before defeating Ghana 2-1 in their final group-stage match, finishing second in Group L.
Match Time, Tenue
The match will kick-off at 4.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time on Friday. It will be played at BMO Field, Toronto.
Head-to-Head
- Matches played: 10
- Portugal wins: 7
- Croatia wins: 1
- Draws: 2
Form Guide (last five matches, most recent first)
- Portugal: D-W-D-W-W
- Croatia: W-W-L-W-L
Portugal
- Possible Playing 11 (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa; João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, João Félix; Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Substitutes: Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho, Tomas Araujo, Diogo Dalot, Goncalo Inacio, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, Samuel Costa, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Francisco Conceicao, Goncalo Guedes, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Ramos, Francisco Trincao.
- Coach: Roberto Martinez.
Croatia
- Possible Playing 11 (4-2-3-1): Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Marin Pongracic, Ivan Perisic; Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric; Petar Sucic, Nikola Vlasic, Martin Baturina; Ante Budimir
- Substitutes: Dominik Kotarski, Ivor Pandur, Josko Gvardiol, Duje Caleta-Car, Martin Erlic, Luka Vuskovic, Mario Pasalic, Luka Sucic, Kristijan Jakic, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk, Andrej Kramaric, Ante Budimir Marco Pasalic, Petar Musa, Igor Matanovic
- Coach: Zlatko Dalic
Players to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): The 41-year-old produced his standout display of the tournament against Uzbekistan, scoring twice. Operating as the focal point of Portugal's attack, Ronaldo will be the primary target for crosses and through balls, and his clinical finishing could prove decisive against Croatia.
Luka Modrić (Croatia): Croatia's hopes will largely rest on the shoulders of their veteran captain. The 40-year-old continues to dictate the tempo of games with his vision, passing and composure in midfield.
How To Watch Live Telecast?
The Portugal vs Croatia FIFA World Cup 2026 match will be televised live in India on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD television channels.
How To Watch Live Streaming?
The Portugal vs Croatia FIFA World Cup 2026 game will be streamed live on the ZEE5 app and website in English, Malayalam, Bangla and Hindi.
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