Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream stays still alive as Luka Modric bows out
Portugal survived a wild, sprawling finish in Toronto to edge Croatia 2-1 and reach the last 16, a night defined by Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-ever World Cup knockout goal, Gonçalo Ramos’ late header, and a dramatic VAR intervention that denied Josko Gvardiol a stoppage‑time equaliser. Croatia had led through Ivan Perisic and looked the sharper side for long stretches, but Portugal’s response and the officiating that followed, swung the contest and kept Ronaldo’s final World Cup alive. Luka Modric, 40 and almost certainly at his last tournament, walked off with the opposite fate. Croatia strike first The opening half offered little beyond…

