Portugal vs Croatia moves to Toronto on Thursday for a World Cup Round of 32 matchup built around experience, tactical stability and high-stakes tournament history.
The winner at BMO Field will advance to face Spain or Austria in the Round of 16. Portugal arrives after finishing second in Group K, while Croatia also advanced as runner-up from Group L after recovering from a difficult opening defeat.
Neither team is reporting injuries or suspensions in the projected lineups, which gives both coaches room to lean on their preferred structures. Portugal is expected to use a 4-2-3-1 system under Roberto Martinez, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack. Croatia is also projected in a 4-2-3-1, with Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic anchoring the midfield.
The match carries added weight because it may mark a final World Cup appearance for some of the sport’s most durable international figures. Ronaldo, now 41, and Modric, now 40, remain central to their national teams’ plans.
Portugal vs Croatia Lineups Put Veterans at the Center
Portugal’s projected starting XI points to continuity rather than disruption. Martinez is expected to keep the same broad framework that has shaped Portugal’s recent matches, with Diogo Costa in goal and a back line featuring Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga and Nuno Mendes.
In midfield, Vitinha and Joao Neves are projected to start together. That pairing gives Portugal passing control, defensive mobility and a platform for Bruno Fernandes to operate higher up the pitch.
Fernandes is expected to play as the central attacking midfielder behind Ronaldo. Pedro Neto and Joao Felix are projected in the wide attacking roles, giving Portugal a front four built around movement, service and finishing.
Ronaldo remains the headline name. During the group stage, he became Portugal’s all-time World Cup top scorer in the 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. That performance came between draws against DR Congo and Colombia, results that left Portugal second in Group K rather than group winner.
Portugal still enters the knockout match as the favorite, supported by a deeper squad and a settled attacking shape.
Portugal Projected Starting XI
Portugal projected lineup, 4-2-3-1: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Joao Neves; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix; Cristiano Ronaldo.
Injured: None.
Suspended: None.
The most notable selection call is in central defense, where Renato Veiga is expected to continue alongside Dias. Veiga has impressed enough to retain his place, according to the projected lineup.
Joao Neves is also expected to return in midfield. His inclusion would give Portugal another technically secure player next to Vitinha, while allowing Fernandes to stay closer to Ronaldo.
Portugal’s bench also includes several attacking options, including Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Ramos, Francisco Conceicao, Goncalo Guedes and Francisco Trincao. That depth could matter if the match becomes tight in the second half.
Croatia Expected to Trust Its Core
Croatia’s projected lineup shows a similar preference for familiarity. Zlatko Dalic is expected to stay with his usual system and rely on established players who have carried Croatia through multiple tournament cycles.
Dominik Livakovic is projected to start in goal. The back four is expected to feature Josip Stanisic, Marin Pongracic, Josip Sutalo and Ivan Perisic.
In midfield, Modric and Kovacic remain central. Their ability to control tempo could be Croatia’s best route into the game, especially against a Portugal side with more attacking depth.
Ahead of them, Nikola Vlasic, Petar Sucic and Martin Baturina are projected behind striker Ante Budimir. New Brighton and Hove Albion signing Luka Vuskovic is expected to begin on the bench.
Croatia reached this stage after losing 4-2 to England in its opening group match before beating Panama and Ghana by narrow margins. That recovery kept the 2018 finalists alive, though Portugal’s record in the matchup gives Croatia another difficult test.
Portugal has won seven of the previous 10 meetings between the teams. The fixture also revives European Championship history, with Portugal beating Croatia in both 1996 and 2016.
Croatia Projected Starting XI
Croatia projected lineup, 4-2-3-1: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Marin Pongracic, Josip Sutalo, Ivan Perisic; Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic; Nikola Vlasic, Petar Sucic, Martin Baturina; Ante Budimir.
Injured: None.
Suspended: None.
Modric, Kovacic and Perisic give Croatia a heavy dose of tournament experience. However, the projected lineup also highlights Croatia’s transition phase, with younger players such as Baturina and Sucic expected to support the established core.
For Modric, the stakes are especially clear. Like Ronaldo, he could be approaching his final World Cup match. Kovacic and Perisic may also be nearing the end of distinguished international careers.
That context adds emotional weight, but the tactical challenge remains straightforward: Croatia must slow Portugal’s attacking rhythm and avoid giving Ronaldo, Fernandes, Felix and Neto repeated chances around the penalty area.
Match Outlook and Prediction
Portugal has the stronger squad on paper and more attacking variety. Croatia’s midfield can still dictate phases of a match, especially if Modric and Kovacic find time on the ball, but Portugal’s depth gives Martinez more ways to change the game.
The projected score is Portugal 2-1 Croatia.
That forecast reflects a close match rather than a routine win. Croatia has enough experience to stay competitive, but Portugal’s forward options and recent attacking form make it the more likely team to advance.
Where to Watch in the United States
In the United States, Portugal vs Croatia will be broadcast nationally on Fox.
Streaming options include fubo, Fox One, and the Fox Sports app or website. The source information also lists fubo as offering a free trial for new subscribers, with availability depending on participating plans and applicable taxes and fees.
In Canada, the match is listed for TSN1, TSN3, TSN4 and RDS, with streaming through TSN+ and the RDS app. In the United Kingdom, coverage is listed for BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. Australia coverage is listed for SBS and SBS On Demand, while India coverage is listed for Unite8 Sports 1 and 2, with streaming on ZEE5.
The key developments to watch before kickoff are whether Martinez confirms Joao Neves’ return, whether Dalic sticks with Croatia’s veteran midfield, and how both coaches manage two aging icons in a knockout match that could define the final chapter of their World Cup careers.
Head-to-head: Portugal vs Croatia
Portugal hold a commanding lead in their historical record against Croatia, winning seven of 10 meetings with just one defeat, a body of evidence that speaks to a consistent quality advantage across different eras and competition formats.
The sole Croatian victory in this head-to-head came in a June 2024 friendly, a result that carried limited weight for either team but served as a reminder that Croatia can beat Portugal on any given night if the conditions are right and Modric finds the space he needs.
That triumph was the first of three meetings in 2024, a spell that included the most recent encounter – a 1-1 Nations League stalemate in November that year – which saw Joao Felix open the scoring for Portugal in the first half, before Gvardiol netted an equaliser just beyond the hour mark.
Portugal’s 4-1 Nations League win in September 2020 is the most decisive margin between the sides this century, and while personnel have changed considerably since then, the gap in squad depth and attacking quality that produced that result remains a feature of the rivalry.
Our Portugal vs Croatia prediction and tips
Portugal are priced at 1.80 to win inside 90 minutes, a price that William Hill and the leading operators have settled on as a fair reflection of Portugal’s quality advantage; our full guide to World Cup betting sites covers all four markets in this fixture alongside the rest of the Round of 32 schedule. For a full breakdown of William Hill’s football markets, see our William Hill review.
The player-to-score and goals markets are where the sharpest prices are available for this tie, and those joining via new bookmakers for the knockout stage will find competitive pricing across the board for this fixture.
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