Spanish fans experienced euphoria after the team defeated Portugal in the Round of 16 match of the 2026 World Cup with a score of 1:0 in extra time.
Chants of 'Ole! Ole!' echoed around Dallas Stadium, and fans in Madrid erupted in joy.
Porto's Baixa once again became a stage for national celebration during a night marked by both anguish and festivity, after Portugal advanced to the World Cup round of 16, securing a narrow 2-1 victory against Croatia, with the match against Spain already anticipated.
Thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Porto, using giant screens located in Praça D. João I and Avenida dos Aliados, to celebrate the result. This event joins other recent festivities in the city, such as FC Porto's championship win and the São João celebrations.
João Ferreira, 34, expressed the mixed feeling of the night, commenting that the city experienced moments of great celebration, but this one was particularly difficult because 'the heart almost couldn't take it.'
However, Croatia managed to surprise the Porto fans early in the second half, scoring first and silencing the supporters. Marta Sousa, 27, who watched the game at Aliados, described this moment as 'a bucket of cold water,' as the initial belief was abruptly interrupted.
The Portuguese reaction came shortly after. Although Cristiano Ronaldo generated euphoria with a goal later disallowed for offside, the party resumed when the captain took a big penalty and equalized the match, sending Praça D. João I into frenzy. Rui Almeida, 46, who watched the game from Gaia, stated that 'when he took the ball, I knew he would score. It's Ronaldo. In these moments, we always believe.'
From that point, Portugal showed strength, and the tension increased considerably until the 90+3 minutes, when Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal 2-1, causing the celebration to explode in Baixa. Ana Martins, 39, recounted the intensity of the moment, saying that 'it was crazy. I hugged people I had never seen before. It seemed like all of Porto had scored that goal.'
The drama did not end there. At 90+13, Croatia managed an equalizer, causing renewed silence in the crowd. However, the euphoria was restored after the referee consulted VAR and disallowed the Croatian goal. At the final whistle, Porto's Baixa celebrated the hard-fought victory, qualification for the round of 16, and the anticipation of the next challenge against Spain.
