Porto's Baixa celebrates Portugal's qualification for the World Cup round of 16 after victory over Croatia

Spain and Portugal, long-time rivals, are preparing for a tense match in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in Texas. This encounter could be decisive for both teams as well as for Cristiano Ronaldo's international career.

Spanish Team Preparation

The Spanish European champions started their playoff journey confidently, defeating Austria 3-0. Goals were scored by Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro. This match in Los Angeles was presented as a spectacular Hollywood-style event.

Despite Spain initially facing an unexpected 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, the victory over Austria showed the team's potential to contend for the main football trophy. Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente spoke of a magnificent match, noting that the team approached perfection in all aspects, but warned that there are areas for further improvement.

Lamine Yamal's Performance

In the match against Austria, 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal from Barcelona attracted special attention. He played 85 minutes on the field in California, which was the longest appearance in the World Cup after a hamstring injury. Yamal expressed his desire to advance further and win with Spain, stating: 'We are not afraid of any team. We are Spain. The World Cup starts now.'

Portugal's Situation and Ronaldo

At the other pole of his career is Portuguese captain Ronaldo, who is 41 years old, and this will be his last World Cup. The leading goalscorer in men's football faces questions about potentially ending his career with Portugal after the tournament. After a tough 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the group stage, he scored twice in a resounding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, temporarily calming skeptics.

After finishing second in the group, Roberto Martínez's team beat Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32, with Ronaldo scoring a penalty. As the game approached extra time, Ronaldo was replaced by midfielder Ruben Neves. Martínez, who was criticized by some for keeping the talisman despite his age, watched as substitute striker Gonzalo Ramos scored a dramatic goal in the 94th minute. This once again raised questions about Martínez's preference for Ronaldo over the younger Ramos, which the coach dismissed.

Match Prediction

The veteran seems likely to start against Spain. However, Spain represents a higher level of difficulty compared to Croatia and enters the match in Texas as the favorite to advance. Nevertheless, Portugal has recent history, having drawn twice 2-2 in the 2025 Nations League final before winning on penalties. Martínez acknowledged respect for Spain's quality, emphasizing that they are a European team, and suggested it would be a fantastic match between two teams aiming to score quickly and create chances.

In a group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1, securing their place in the preliminary quarter-finals. In this game, the video assistant referee (VAR) system and new technological developments played a decisive role, rather than the players themselves.

Match Development and Goals

Croatia started the game confidently when Ivan Perišić scored after a superb cross from Josip Stanišić, giving the team an advantage. In response, Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo equalized with a penalty. This was Ronaldo's first goal in the World Cup playoffs.

As the match approached extra time, Portugal's coach Roberto Martínez made a tactical decision, substituting Ronaldo for Rúben Neves. This exchange proved effective: Gonçalo Ramos scored with a header following an accurate cross from Rafael Leão, increasing Portugal's lead to 2-1.

Controversial Moment and VAR Intervention

After this, Croatia intensified its play. In the 103rd minute, Ivan Perišić delivered an excellent cross into the penalty area, which Josko Gvardiol headed in. The assistant referee did not raise the flag, and Croatian players and fans began celebrating, believing the match would go into overtime. However, VAR soon began reviewing the entire episode.

The analysis revealed that forward Igor Matanović barely touched Perišić's cross. This touch was almost imperceptible on television replays, but the Adidas Trionda ball used in the 2026 World Cup recorded this contact. The new technology, a motion sensor embedded in the ball, records data on every touch in real-time. The sensor confirmed that at the moment of contact, Mario Pašalić was in an offside position. Subsequently, Pašalić passed to Gvardiol, who scored the goal. Since the offside began with this touch, VAR recommended disallowing the goal.

Technology and Team Reaction

After the goal was disallowed, Croatian players approached the referee, loudly protesting the decision. Many players argued on the field. Although it was unclear from television replays whether Matanović touched the ball, VAR had data from motion sensors and semi-automated offside technology upon which the decision was based.

The new technology, being used for the first time at the 2026 World Cup, is compared to the snickometer in cricket, although the operating principles of these technologies are different. In cricket, the microphone is used to detect contact between the bat and the ball, whereas the motion sensor in the FIFA smart ball records every touch and the slightest change in the ball's direction. It was with this technology that VAR made a decision that was almost impossible to discern with the naked eye or during a normal replay viewing. For Croatia, this was a serious blow. At the same time, Portugal, having won 2-1, advanced to the Round of 16, where they will face World Cup champion Spain.