Portugal Hub
What happened?
The Portugal National Team beat Croatia 2-1 and advanced to the World Cup round of 16. Manager Roberto Martínez explained the substitution of Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half.
Why the substitution?
Roberto Martínez said the decision to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo was to control the midfield and close out the game. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty goal at 22 minutes of the second half.
The win
Croatia opened the scoring with Perisic at 7 minutes of the second half, but Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal with a header in stoppage time. The National Team showed mental strength and personality on the field.
Next step
The National Team will face Spain on Monday in the round of 16. The game is scheduled for 16h (Brasília time) and is worth a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Congo DR | 1-1 |
The National Team is in good form, with 3 wins and 2 draws in the last 5 games. The next game for the National Team will be against Wales on 2026-09-24.
