- Portugal vs Croatia lineups: Ronaldo starts his fourth straight 2026 World Cup match as Portugal face Croatia in the Round of 32.
- The match will be played at Toronto Stadium, kicking off at 2am East Africa Time (EAT).
- The winner of the tie will face Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo starts for his fourth straight 2026 FIFA World Cup match as Portugal take on a dangerous Croatia side led by Luka Modric at Toronto Stadium from 2am EAT.
Ronaldo has started and captained Portugal in all their Group K matches, where they finished second with five points after draws against DR Congo and Colombia before he scored twice in a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan to become Portugal’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with 10 goals.
The 41-year-old captains the side once again as he looks to guide Portugal into the Round of 16, where they would face Spain, who comfortably beat Austria 3-0 on Thursday.
ALSO READ: Portugal vs Croatia prediction: World Cup knockout preview, team news, key stats & h2h
Official Portugal vs Croatia lineups
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has made a bold tactical call for this knockout clash, leaving Bernardo Silva and Joao Felix on the bench while handing starts to Pedro Neto and Rafael Leao on the wings.
The change injects blistering pace out wide to stretch the Croatian defence and create more space centrally for Bruno Fernandes.
Behind them, Joao Neves, who starts tonight, partners Vitinha in a technically gifted double pivot, tasked with controlling the tempo and shielding the central defensive pairing of Ruben Dias and Renato Veiga.
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In this fluid 4-2-3-1 system,, full-backs Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes are expected to push high up the pitch and provide overlapping runs, while Ronaldo leads the line as the lone striker, aiming to capitalize on the service from his dynamic supporting trio.
- Portugal confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa (GK), Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao, Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Substitutes: Gonçalo Inácio, Samú Costa, Diogo Dalot, João Félix, Rui Silva, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Neves, Nélson Semedo, Francisco Conceição, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos, Trincão, Tomás Araújo, Bernardo Silva, José Sá
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic has sprung a major tactical surprise by leaving star defender Josko Gvardiol on the bench, alongside experienced midfielders Mateo Kovacic and Andrej Kramaric.
Dalic has opted for an energetic 4-3-3 system designed to press high and disrupt Portugal’s build-up play.
Josip Sutalo and Marin Pongracic marshal the heart of the defence, with Josip Stanisic and Ivan Perisic operating as the full-backs.
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The midfield is anchored by the evergreen Modric alongside Luka Sucic and Martin Baturina, a creative trio tasked with retaining possession and supplying the attack.
Up front, Nikola Vlasic and Igor Matanovic operate on the wings, looking to deliver crosses for towering striker Ante Budimir, who gets the nod ahead of Kramaric to spearhead the attack.
- Croatia confirmed lineup (4-3-3): Dominik Livakovic (GK), Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Marin Pongracic, Ivan Perisix, Luka Modric, Luka Sucic, Martin Baturina, Nikola Vlasic, Igor Matanovic, Ante Budimir.
- Substitutes: Toni Fruk, Mario Pasalic, Igor Matanovic, Andrej Kramaric, Luka Vuskovic, Kristijan Jakic, Dominik Kotarski, Josko Gvardiol, Duje Caleta-Car, Ivor Pandur, Marco Pasalic, Nikola Moro, Petar Musa, Martin Erlic, Luka Sucic
While these two nations have famously produced memorable European Championship encounters, this marks their first-ever meeting at a FIFA World Cup.
Historically, Portugal have enjoyed the upper hand, winning seven of their 10 previous meetings. However, the spotlight tonight falls firmly on Ronaldo and Modric.
The former Real Madrid teammates, who defined an era of footballing dominance, now stand on the brink of another historic chapter.
With this being a winner-takes-all knockout tie, tonight will almost certainly be the final World Cup appearance for one of these legendary icons.
Where to watch Portugal vs Croatia match in Kenya
In Kenya, you can catch the crucial Round of 32 World Cup clash between Portugal vs Croatia live on SuperSport International (via DStv Channel 222) or on Azam TV Kenya through Azam Sports 2 HD and Azam Sports 4 HD.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026