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FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo and Portugal win battle of legends, end of road for Modric
🇴🇲 Oman /Sports

FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo and Portugal win battle of legends, end of road for Modric

From Times of Oman · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier, with Goncalo Ramos scoring the winning goal in stoppage time.
  • The match featured a battle between legendary players Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and Luka Modric for Croatia.
  • The victory secures Portugal's place in the tournament, marking a potential end to the World Cup journey for veteran players like Modric.

Portugal secured their spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia, decided by a late header from Goncalo Ramos in stoppage time. The match, held in Toronto, was billed as a clash of footballing legends, pitting Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo against Croatia's Luka Modric. While Ronaldo played a part in the Portuguese effort, it was the younger Ramos who ultimately broke Croatian hearts with his decisive goal. The win ensures Portugal's progression in the tournament, while the defeat casts a shadow over the future World Cup aspirations of seasoned stars like Modric, suggesting this may be their final appearance on the global stage. The game highlighted the generational shift in international football, with emerging talents like Ramos stepping up to secure crucial results. For Croatia and their veteran players, the loss represents a significant setback and a potential end to their World Cup dreams.

His header gave Portugal a 2-1 win in Toronto, a place in...

— reporterDescribing the decisive goal scored by Goncalo Ramos.
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Originally published by Times of Oman. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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