Portugal are hoping to improve on their run to the last eight in 2022
Croatia have reached the semi-finals in each of the last two World Cups
Recommended bet: Portugal to win
Score prediction: Portugal 2-1 Croatia
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Date, kick-off time, stadium, competition
Friday, July 3, midnight at BMO Field, Toronto – World Cup round of 32
Where to watch
BBC1, livescorebet.com
Outright odds
Portugal – 12/1 Croatia - 160/1
The latest Portugal vs Croatia odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Team news
Roberto Martinez has one big call to make on the left side of the front four with Joao Felix having impressed ahead of Bernardo Silva.
It is expected that Joao Neves will be reunited with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Vitinha in midfield after Ruben Neves started in the 0-0 draw with Colombia.
Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic has ditched the 3-4-3 experiment he tried against England which saw them lose badly, 4-2.
It means old heads Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric take centre stage in midfield once again.
The latest Portugal vs Croatia odds are available on LiveScore Bet
The stats
Portugal finished second in Group K with two draws alongside a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. They conceded only one goal.
Croatia finished second in Group L with wins over Panama (1-0) and Ghana (2-1) after a 4-2 loss to England.
Roberto Martinez's side are unbeaten in eight games and have conceded just three goals in seven matches in 2026.
The Croats have lost three of their last six games.
Two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo averaged 4.3 shots per game in the group campaign, a record bettered only by six other players.
Croatia averaged eight shots per game in the group phase — only seven of the other 47 nations averaged fewer attempts.
Portugal won only 10 corners in the group stage (3.3 per game); Croatia won only seven (2.3).
Portugal have won six and lost just one of the previous 10 meetings between these countries.
The latest Portugal vs Croatia odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Neither Portugal nor Croatia have come to life yet at this World Cup but Roberto Martinez's men look to have more tools to make the difference in Toronto.
Portugal have done precious little wrong to reach the knockout stage without doing too much right, either.
The 5-0 win over Uzbekistan was perhaps the bare minimum expected and it came sandwiched between 0-0 draws against DR Congo and Colombia that suggested this team is struggling to break down decent defences.
Croatia, for their part, were a debacle in their opening 4-2 loss to England, although coach Zlatko Dalic conceded he got his tactics wrong and they have been better since, carving out wins over Panama (1-0) and Ghana (2-1).
There is a conversation in both camps over an unwavering loyalty to 40-plus venerables Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, but it is clear both men are going to start.
And that, coupled with underwhelming efforts so far, simply adds to the idea that this might not be much of a game with mutual respect trumping ambition.
If there is more magic in the other actors then Portugal, through Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao and one or two others probably take it.
And one moment of magic may be all it needs to separate these sides. In which case Portugal get the vote.
Score prediction: Portugal 2-1 Croatia
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