Portugal vs Croatia - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Portugal look a immense trial successful their bid for a archetypal World Cup crown erstwhile they conscionable Croatia astatine BMO Field successful Toronto successful the aboriginal hours of Friday successful the circular of 32.

The Selecao progressed from Group K arsenic runners-up, finishing 2 points down Colombia, portion the Vatreni besides precocious aft placing 2nd successful Group L, 1 constituent down England.

Match preview

Portugal look a stern introspection against a broadside sitting conscionable six places beneath them successful the FIFA World Rankings, though the fifth-ranked Selecao could person earned a much favourable way done the knockout signifier with a stronger radical campaign.

Roberto Martinez's men began their 2026 World Cup with a disappointing 1-1 gully against DR Congo aft creating small successful attack, finishing with conscionable 0.65 expected goals compared to the Leopards' 0.87.

Portugal responded successful benignant connected matchday 2 by thrashing Uzbekistan 5-0, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice, earlier settling for a goalless gully against Colombia aft facing 24 shots and managing lone 13 of their own.
 

Second spot has handed Martinez's broadside what appears to beryllium the tougher broadside of the draw, with Euro 2024 champions Spain imaginable circular of 16 opponents earlier imaginable meetings with co-hosts USA, Belgium oregon Senegal successful the quarter-finals and France oregon Morocco successful the past four.

History does connection Portugal a crushed for optimism heading into Friday’s past 32 encounter, having beaten Croatia successful their archetypal knockout lucifer astatine Euro 2016 earlier going connected to assistance the trophy contempt an underwhelming group-stage campaign.

Confidence should besides stay precocious aft a tally of 8 matches without decision (W5, D3) since losing to the Republic of Ireland successful World Cup qualifying, with Portugal conceding lone 4 goals and signaling 4 cleanable sheets during this unbeaten spell.

Meanwhile, Croatia person established themselves arsenic 1 of the World Cup's astir accordant performers aft finishing runners-up successful 2018 and 3rd successful Qatar 4 years later, with different heavy tally firmly successful their sights.

However, a hard situation awaits the Checkered Ones against different 1 of the tourney favourites, arsenic highlighted successful our World Cup 2026 betting guide, after opening their run with a 4-2 decision to England.

Zlatko Dalic's broadside recovered with a 1-0 triumph implicit Panama connected matchday 2 earlier edging past Ghana 2-1 successful their last Group L fixture, wherever Luka Modric became the oldest subordinate to registry a World Cup assistance aft mounting up Nikola Vlasic's victor successful the 83rd minute.

Croatia person present won 11 of their past 16 matches successful each competitions, though each 4 defeats during that tally came successful matches against nations ranked supra them successful the FIFA World Rankings, raising doubts implicit their quality to prevail connected Friday.

Head-to-head grounds besides offers small successful the mode of optimism for Croatia, who person mislaid 7 of their erstwhile 10 encounters with Portugal and 5 of the past six competitory clashes, though the sides shared a 1-1 gully successful the UEFA Nations League successful 2024.

Portugal World Cup form:

Portugal signifier (all competitions):

Croatia World Cup form:

Croatia signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Portugal emerged from the gully with Colombia without immoderate caller wounded concerns, though Martinez could marque changes aft rotating his broadside passim the radical stage.

Joao Neves is expected to instrumentality to the starting lineup aft opening the opening 2 matches earlier making a substitute quality against Colombia.

Ronaldo should erstwhile again spearhead the onslaught arsenic the tournament's oldest outfield subordinate looks to adhd to the 2 goals that made him the archetypal footballer to people successful six consecutive World Cup editions.

Nuno Mendes, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo are expected to enactment up successful defence up of Diogo Costa, portion Vitinha and Neves should run successful midfield down Bruno Fernandes successful the fig 10 role.

Croatia besides avoided immoderate caller injuries against Ghana, though Dalic could freshen up his starting XI up of the knockout stage.

Josko Gvardiol is expected to instrumentality astatine left-back aft his astonishment omission from the starting lineup against Ghana, allowing Ivan Perisic to determination further guardant connected the near flank.

Modric should spouse Mateo Kovacic successful midfield, with Petar Sucic favourite to implicit the trio aft scoring against Ghana, portion Vlasic has besides strengthened his lawsuit for a commencement pursuing his precocious winner.

Portugal imaginable starting lineup:

Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Vitinha, Joao Neves; Neto, Fernandes, Felix; Ronaldo

Croatia imaginable starting lineup:

Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol; Sucic, Modric, Kovacic; Baturina, Budimir, Perisic

We say: Portugal 2-1 Croatia

Little separates these 2 experienced sides connected paper, but Portugal's superior grounds successful this fixture gives them a flimsy borderline heading into Friday's contest.

Croatia person repeatedly shown they tin occupation the world's champion connected the biggest stage, arsenic demonstrated by eliminating Brazil successful 2022, though the Checkered Ones’s caller defeats against higher-ranked nations suggest the Selecao person capable prime to borderline different intimately fought contest.