Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal earned a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match took place on Thursday, July 2.

The win carried deep significance beyond advancing to the next round. It occurred after midnight in Portugal, marking the first anniversary of a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother, André Silva, 25. Jota, a Portugal national team player, had 49 appearances, scored 14 goals, and collected two UEFA Nations League titles. He played for Liverpool as well. After the game, Portugal held a ceremony with Jota’s No. 21 jersey. Ronaldo choked up as he donned the jersey.

We won for us, Diogo, and Portugal!!!

This was the caption Ronaldo added to the team photo on Instagram. LET’S GOOOOO!!!!

Ronaldo explained, as reported by FOX Sports’ Katie Shanahan, that the team wanted to honor Jota’s memory. It was a special moment. We spoke with our group about the coincidence today. It’s amazing. This victory means a lot. We not only won the game, but the manner of win was meaningful.

During the match, Croatia initially took the lead with Ivan Perišić’s goal in the 53rd minute. Ronaldo equalized in the 68th minute with a penalty kick. Gonçalo Ramos scored the decisive goal, heading in a cross to secure the win in extra time. Croatia seemed to score again moments before the match ended, but VAR ruled it offside.

Ronaldo’s goal marked his third of the tournament and the first knockout-stage goal in his World Cup career. He stands alone as the only man to score in six World Cups. He and Lionel Messi are the only players to appear in six World Cups. Portugal will play Spain next in the Round of 16 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, July 6.