Ronaldo and Ramos edge Portugal past Croatia to set up a last-16 clash with Spain
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Portugal reached the round of 16 with a dramatic 2-1 win over Croatia, Cristiano Ronaldo equalising from the penalty spot for his first World Cup knockout goal before Gonçalo Ramos headed a stoppage-time winner from Rafael Leão's pass. According to ESPN, Ivan Perišić had put Croatia ahead, and the game ended in controversy when a late Croatia equaliser was ruled out for offside via VAR, ending Luka Modrić's World Cup.
Spain eased past Austria 3-0, Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice either side of a Pedro Porro header as the European champions found their form after a modest group stage. Lamine Yamal was named player of the match on his longest outing of the tournament, per Sky Sports, and the win set up a last-16 meeting with Portugal.
Switzerland completed the day's advances with a 2-0 win over Algeria, Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye scoring to secure the country's first World Cup knockout victory in 88 years, according to Sky Sports; Murat Yakin's side remain unbeaten and will face the winner of Colombia against Ghana.
Transfer and squad notes
Yamal's return to full fitness was a central theme, the 18-year-old playing 85 minutes after an injury-hit build-up and declaring afterwards that "the World Cup starts now," per ESPN — a pointed boost for Spain heading into the knockouts.
Portugal's win carried a generational subtext: Ronaldo, 41, converted his penalty but was withdrawn before Ramos's winner, while the result ended the tournament — and likely the World Cup career — of Croatia's Modrić, according to Al Jazeera.
What it means for the league
The round of 16 now features a blockbuster Iberian derby, with Spain and Portugal — and the contrasting storylines of Yamal and Ronaldo — meeting for a quarter-final place. Spain's improvement and Portugal's resilience keep two of the continent's heavyweights on course, while Switzerland's breakthrough adds a less-heralded side to the last 16. With the bracket tightening, the surviving European contenders are increasingly set to collide.