10 years later! Croatia craves revenge for painful loss to Portugal

Croatia is seeking retribution against Portugal in an upcoming 2026 World Cup Round of 16 clash, a decade after a particularly bitter defeat in the Euro 2016 tournament.

The two nations have met 10 times previously, with Portugal holding a clear upper hand, boasting seven victories compared to Croatia's single win. Two matches have ended in draws. This encounter marks their third meeting in a major tournament.

Their first tournament clash was at Euro 1996, Croatia's debut as an independent nation, which Portugal won 3-0. However, the most painful encounter for Croatia was the Euro 2016 Round of 16 match. Despite dominating the game, Croatia lost 1-0 in extra time to a 117th-minute goal from Ricardo Quaresma, failing to breach Rui Patricio's goal.

That loss was particularly galling as Portugal advanced to win the tournament, beating Poland, Wales, and France. In subsequent World Cups, Croatia has fared better, securing a silver medal in 2018 and bronze in 2022, while Portugal's best performance was reaching the quarterfinals in 2022.

Both teams had underwhelming group stage performances in the current World Cup. Croatia lost their opener 2-4 to England before defeating Panama and Ghana. Portugal began with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, followed by a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan and a goalless draw with Colombia.