Portugal managed to qualify for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup after obtaining a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a penalty to tie the match and encourage his team in their search for a comeback.
The match had its climax in the second half, when Croatia took the lead on the scoreboard with a goal from Ivan Perisic in the 53rd minute.
The situation was complicated for Portugal, which needed two goals to qualify, but thanks to the scores of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos The team managed to advance to the round of 16 and will face Spain on July 6.
The meeting was full of controversy. One of them arose when they named Cristiano Ronaldo as the game’s most valuable player (MVP), since many claim that he did not deserve it.
To start, Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted in the 81st minute, moment that was marked by the player’s negative reaction.
Plus, there are the statistics to back up that perception. According to data published by the media Sports WorldCristiano Ronaldo He only shot twice, one of them on goal, and it was precisely the penalty he scored.
The media adds that Cristiano Ronaldo He intervened in the game on 25 occasions and did not complete a single dribble throughout the match.
Nor did the Portuguese excel in the defensive aspect, according to Sports Worldsince only He had a tackle with impact and did not intercept any ball during the meeting.
Some fans and media point out that the Portugal player who was supposed to win the most valuable player award It was goalkeeper Diogo Costa, because he prevented several Croatian scoring chances.
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