As if the round of 16 couldn’t get any further stacked.
With Thursday’s results, we are set for yet another supercharged contest between two of Europe’s elite sides.
After Spain took care of business to start the day, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal got the job done against Croatia. It wasn’t without drama, though, and it ended with the 41-year-old superstar on the bench.
Here’s the best of Match Day 22 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
BEST OF THE DAY
Moment Of The Day
Ronaldo had played eight knockout-stage games at the World Cup entering Thursday night’s round of 32 test against Croatia. He did not score in any of those games.
Ninth time was the charm.
Portugal was given a penalty in the 66th minute when center back Renato Veiga was pulled down by Croatia midfielder Nikola Vlasic on a corner kick. Two minutes later, Ronaldo calmly put a penalty kick right down the middle to get his goal.
An honorable mention to Ronaldo’s longtime Real Madrid teammate Luka Modrić, who likely played his last game for Croatia and maybe his last game ever.
The midfield maestro has dazzled for Croatia since making his international debut in 2006, leading his squad to a runner-up World Cup finish in 2018 (winning the Balon d’Or that year) and a semifinal appearance in 2022. He has made more than 200 appearances for the national team.
Goal Of The Day
The big question about Portugal before the World Cup: Should Gonçalo Ramos start as Portugal’s striker ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo? Ramos started in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup and scored a hat trick against Switzerland, and the 25-year-old is more than capable of a starting spot.
He showed why on Thursday night in Toronto.
Ramos came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute. Ronaldo scored a penalty kick in the 68th minute but was taken off in the 81st, giving Ramos the reins as the lead striker for Portugal.
In the 94th minute, Rafael Leão played a cross toward Ramos and three Croatian defenders. Despite being potentially held as he jumped toward the ball, Ramos beat everyone to the ball and headed home.
Assist Of The Day
Spain’s dominance over Austria on Thursday was capped by a well-worked third goal from the duo that combined to score the winner of the Euro 2024 final against England.
Cucurella fed Mikel Oyarzabal for the first goal, and then the same exchange netted Spain its third goal. The Spanish left back played a low cross that curled around the Austrian defense right onto Oyarzabal’s right foot. He slotted home calmly to put the cherry on top of another Spain win. It’s also the type of linkup play that’s put Oyarzabal (4 goals so far) firmly in the mix for the Golden Boot chase.
Save Of The Day
Costa was one of the best players on the field for Portugal on Thursday night in Toronto. He made several notable saves, including two on Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovačić.
Costa’s most impressive save of the night came in the 75th minute, when Kovačić unleashed a shot that looked like it was going into the bottom corner. Costa dove to his left and got a hand on the shot, which went onto the post and stayed out.
Spain vs. Austria
- Spain didn’t allow a shot on target against Austria. It’s the first time a team hasn’t allowed one in a World Cup knockout-stage match since Germany in the 2014 final against Argentina.
- Unai Simón (519 minutes) became the goalkeeper with the most minutes without conceding in World Cup history, passing Italy’s Walter Zenga (517 minutes).
- Mikel Oyarzabal is up to four goals this tournament after his two today. He’s the 10th Spanish player to score four goals at the World Cup and the fifth Spanish player ever to score four goals in a single tournament.
- Lamine Yamal is the youngest European player in history to end on the winning side in 10 matches at major tournaments (the World Cup and Euros), aged 18 years and 354 days. He is five years younger than the previous record holder (Kylian Mbappé at 23 years and 355 days).
- Yamal and Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí are the first pair of teenagers to start a World Cup knockout match for a team since Pelé and Altafini for Brazil in 1958 against Wales in the quarterfinal.
Spain vs Austria Extended Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32
Portugal vs. Croatia
- Portugal will play Spain in the Round of 16 in Arlington on July 6.
- Portugal has won a knockout-stage game in consecutive World Cups for the first time ever. It made the quarterfinals in 2022.
- Ronaldo has now played in 26 World Cup matches. That’s the second most ever, trailing only Lionel Messi (29).
- Ronaldo became the oldest player ever to score in a knockout stage match in the World Cup.
- Ramos’ goal came at 93:09 on the game clock, making it Portugal’s latest game-winning goal in its World Cup history.
- Croatia’s starting XI had an average age of 30 years and 100 days, the oldest for a non-group-stage match at the World Cup since 1998. (That team was also Croatia in the third-place match at 30 years and 126 days old.)
Portugal vs Croatia Extended Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32
Switzerland vs. Algeria
- Switzerland earned a knockout stage win at the World Cup for the first time since 1938.
- Switzerland had failed to advance past the round of 16 in its previous five knockout stage appearances (1994, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022).
- Switzerland has won three straight World Cup games for the first time ever.
- Switzerland has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, extending its team record.
- Algeria remains winless in the knockout stage of the World Cup, losing tonight and to Germany in the 2014 Round of 16.
- Algeria has conceded in nine straight World Cup games, tied for the second-longest active streak of any team (Austria 11, Germany 9).
Switzerland vs Algeria Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32
Read the full article here
