Portugal and Croatia engaged in an entertaining Round of 32 matchup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The two European countries were inseparable in the first half, but a thrilling second half was waiting for soccer fans.
After Ivan Perisic opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, Cristiano Ronaldo quickly equalized with a penalty and scored his first career World Cup knockout goal.
Ultimately, it was Goncalo Ramos’ stoppage-time header that sent Portugal to the Round of 16, where Spain is waiting for them.
Soccer fans can’t believe Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded man of the match
At 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to defy all odds and remains the starting striker for Portugal. In fact, he was also named the man of the match, but soccer fans weren’t happy with the decision.
After all, aside from scoring a penalty, Ronaldo had a lackluster performance vs. Croatia, and he was even subbed off during the crucial moments of the game.
“Sorry, but what? What the actual f___ did he do?” a furious fan wrote. While another added, “What nonsense is this!”
“Cristiano Ronaldo winning man of the match is a disgrace to the establishment,” a third fan noted.
“Honestly, Costa or Ramos deserved it more in this match,” a fourth fan suggested. “This is not well deserved for real,” a fifth fan shared.
All things considered, Ronaldo did score an important goal, but the likes of Rafael Leao, Goncalo Ramos, and Diogo Costa had better overall performances.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
