Super-sub Ramos, Ronaldo power Portugal comeback win over Croatia to reach WC R16

2 min readUpdated: Jul 3, 2026 06:53 AM IST

Ronaldo and Ramos struck as Portugal made a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Croatia in the World Cup R32 match. (AP Photo)

Super-sub Goncalo Ramos pulled off another magical strike after taking on the mantle from Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty kick to power Portugal’s stunning 2-1 comeback win over Croatia at the Toronto Stadium on Thursday.

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After the 2018 finalists took the lead through an Ivan Perisic strike in the 52nd minute, Portugal boss Roberto Martinez rung in a flurry of changes to take on the attacking overdrive. The equaliser came from the penalty spot through their talismanic leader Ronaldo, just moments after he missed out on a goal by off-side. Ronaldo converted the penalty with a gun-barrel straight shot down the goal, raising his World Cup tally to 11 with his maiden knockout goal across six editions.

Ronaldo was subbed out in the 81st minute with the game still in deadlock. With the onus on finding the breakthrough turning to him, Ramos turned up clutch yet again as the game moved to the stoppage time, powering in the header from a Rafael Leao cross to push them ahead. The 25-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward had grabbed eyeballs four years ago when he famously started over Ronaldo in the Round of 16 clash against Switzerland and recorded a hat-trick.

Across two editions, four goals and six appearances, Ramos has only ever started the match twice, with both appearances this editions coming on from the bench.

Controversial end

The game ended in controversy as Croatia thought it had tied things up 2-2 in the very last moments, but Mario Pasalic was called offside as VAR ruled no goal. Croatia fans threw bottles on the field and whistled in protest.

Portugal will proceed to the Round of 16 where they will face Spain in Arlington on Tuesday, July 7.

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