Portugal vs Croatia Live Stream, Match Preview, Predicted Line-Ups: How to Bet & Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Matches Online
Tom Clark
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Portugal vs Croatia Match Preview
By Tom Clark
Portugal's opening-game draw with DR Congo could really come back to haunt them at this World Cup as it has placed them in a difficult section of the draw, resulting in a last-32 clash with Croatia.
No knockout route is ever easy, but some paths are certainly tougher than others. After failing to beat Colombia in their final group match, Roberto Martinez's side had to settle for second place in Group K and will now have to do things the hard way if they are to land a maiden World Cup.
The winners of this tie will meet either Spain or Austria in the last 16, making it an extremely difficult route to the quarter-finals and beyond. Still, neither Portugal nor Croatia can afford to look beyond this heavyweight encounter just yet. Croatia have reached the semi-finals at each of the last two World Cups and have made the final four in three of the six tournaments they have contested as an independent nation.
Portugal's recent World Cup record is nowhere near as impressive, with just one knockout victory from their last four tournaments — a 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland in 2022 before a disappointing 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Morocco. Martinez's side arrived in North America as one of the favourites, but their underwhelming group-stage performances have done little to suggest they remain genuine contenders.
Croatia may have an ageing squad, but it remains one packed with experience and tournament know-how. Writing off a side containing the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Mateo Kovacic could be a dangerous mistake. While this Croatia side is not quite of the same vintage as those that reached the latter stages in 2018 and 2022, they remain a dangerous outfit.
Their opening 4-2 defeat to England was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested, while their composed 2-1 victory over a spirited Ghana side to seal qualification provided another impressive display.
Portugal's midfield is widely regarded as one of the best in international football, but it has yet to click against top-quality opposition. The 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan must be viewed in context against one of the tournament's weaker nations, with the 1-1 draw against DR Congo and the goalless stalemate with Colombia providing a more accurate reflection of where Martinez's side stand heading into the knockout rounds.
Despite the 0-0 scoreline, the clash with Colombia was an entertaining, high-quality contest in which Portugal were comfortably second best. The South Americans dominated proceedings, registering 24 shots to Portugal's 13, and were unfortunate to have a late winner ruled out for the narrowest of offsides. Portugal will need to improve significantly to overcome Croatia. With Cristiano Ronaldo now looking more of a burden than the talisman he once was, backing Croatia or draw in the double-chance market looks an appealing option.
Portugal vs Croatia Predictions Line-ups
Portugal (4-2-3-1) Diogo Costa; João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Fernandes, João Félix; Ronaldo
Croatia (4-2-3-1) D. Livaković; J. Stanišić, J. Šutalo, M. Pongračić, J. Gvardiol; L. Modrić, M. Kovačić; N. Vlašić, P. Sučić, I. Perišić; A. Budimir
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