Portugal faces a significant challenge in their quest for a first World Cup title as they prepare to take on Croatia at BMO Field in Toronto early Friday morning in the round of 32. The Selecao advanced from Group K as the second-placed team, trailing Colombia by two points, while Croatia secured their place by finishing second in Group L, just one point behind England. This match presents a tough test for Portugal against a team that sits six spots below them in the FIFA World Rankings. Although the fifth-ranked Selecao had the potential for an easier knockout stage path with a stronger group performance, they now must navigate a challenging matchup. Roberto Martinez's squad began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, struggling offensively with only 0.65 expected goals compared to the Leopards' 0.87. In contrast, Portugal bounced back impressively on matchday two, defeating Uzbekistan 5-0, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting two goals. However, they settled for a goalless draw against Colombia, facing 24 shots while managing only 13 of their own. Finishing second in their group has placed Martinez's team in a more difficult section of the draw, potentially facing Euro 2024 champions Spain in the round of 16, followed by possible encounters with co-hosts USA, Belgium, or Senegal in the quarter-finals, and France or Morocco in the semi-finals. Despite these challenges, Portugal has historical reasons for optimism. They previously defeated Croatia in their first knockout match at Euro 2016, eventually going on to win the tournament despite a lackluster group stage performance.