July 2 Recap: A 94th-Minute Winner in Toronto, and Modrić’s Long Goodbye

The clock at BMO Field had already turned red — 90+4 — when Rafael Leão swung in a cross and Gonçalo Ramos rose to meet it. For a heartbeat the whole of Toronto held its breath, and then the net rippled and Portugal had done it: 2-1 over Croatia, a place in the Round of 16, and a knockout tie against Spain to come. Moments later Joško Gvardiol thought he had equalised deep into stoppage time, only for the offside flag and a VAR check to wipe it away. On a Canadian field, on a warm July evening, one of the tournament’s grand old rivalries had been settled by inches.

Two of July 2’s three Round of 32 ties were played on Canadian soil — Portugal and Croatia in Toronto, Switzerland and Algeria out in Vancouver — which gave the day a distinctly home-crowd flavour even for the neutrals among us. All three produced clean winners, no penalty shootouts, and between them they set up a marquee all-Iberian tie and a fourth straight last-16 appearance for the Swiss. Here is how the final three spots in this half of the bracket were filled. For the full market picture as it stands now, our World Cup 2026 odds page tracks every move.

Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Ronaldo’s Duck, Finally Broken

For all his records, Cristiano Ronaldo had never scored a World Cup knockout-stage goal — until Toronto. His 68th-minute penalty, calm and unhurried, cancelled out Ivan Perišić’s 53rd-minute opener and, at 41, made him the oldest player ever to score in a World Cup knockout round. It was the kind of milestone that felt overdue and improbable at once, and it briefly looked like it would be the story of the night.

Then came Ramos. Leão’s cross, a late run, a downward header past the goalkeeper in the fourth minute of stoppage time — and regulation, not extra time, had decided it. Croatia’s late agony was compounded when Gvardiol’s header was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. Portugal dedicated the win to their late teammate Diogo Jota, and midfielder Rúben Neves put it simply afterwards: "This victory is for him and his family." It was a night of raw emotion for a squad carrying more than just a bracket on their shoulders.

Modrić’s Last Dance Ends in Toronto

There was a quieter story beneath the drama. Luka Modrić, Croatia’s 40-year-old captain, walked off what is widely reported to be his final World Cup. This was, in a sense, a rematch of the Euro 2016 meeting between two of the era’s defining footballers, and it closed with a post-whistle embrace between Modrić and Ronaldo — former Real Madrid teammates, both at the very end of long international roads. For a generation of fans who grew up on this rivalry, the sight of the two of them holding on at the final whistle was the image of the night.

Spain 3-0 Austria: Ruthless, and Still Unbeaten at the Back

If Portugal’s win was theatre, Spain’s was a demonstration. Mikel Oyarzabal struck twice — a 36th-minute opener and an 89th-minute exclamation point — with Pedro Porro adding the second on 66. The scoreline barely captures the control: Spain outshot Austria 23 to 5 and remain the only side yet to concede a single goal at this World Cup. It sets up the tie everyone will be circling — Spain versus Portugal, an all-Iberian Round of 16 clash on July 6. For the fuller squad picture, see our Spain team page and Portugal team page.

Switzerland 2-0 Algeria: A Vancouver Cruise

Out at BC Place, Switzerland made short work of Algeria. Breel Embolo struck early, around the 10th minute, and Dan Ndoye doubled it right after the break on 46. Comfortable from there, the Swiss booked a fourth consecutive Round of 16 appearance and now wait on the winner of tonight’s Colombia–Ghana tie to learn their opponent. For a team that so often flatters to deceive, this was a business-like evening in front of a Canadian crowd.

What It Did to the Odds

The knockout results rippled straight into the outright market. Portugal, buoyed by beating Croatia — and by Ronaldo finally scoring — firmed from +1600 to +1300, as of July 3, 2026. Ronaldo himself entered the Golden Boot board at around +6000 after his knockout goal, a longshot flourish for the tournament’s most famous name. The three eliminated sides — Austria, Croatia and Algeria — came off the outright board entirely.

At the top, nothing moved: France remain the clear favourites at 2.95, with Argentina next around 5.70 and Spain around 7.00, as of July 3, 2026. The lesson of a knockout tournament is that prices can lurch overnight on a single result, which is exactly why comparing books before you commit matters.

Our read: The headline is Portugal’s shortening price, but the more instructive number is Spain’s clean sheet count — zero goals conceded in the tournament to date is a serious foundation heading into an all-Iberian tie. If you like a knockout-stage flutter, regulated books in your province — Boomerang Bet, BetiBet and MrPacho among them — are worth comparing for the best outright and Golden Boot prices, and lines can move fast once team news lands. Never chase a shortened price without checking value first.

Where the Bracket Goes Next

With Portugal, Spain and Switzerland through, the top half of the Round of 16 is nearly set. Today closes the Round of 32 with three more ties, and the last-16 fixtures begin tomorrow. For how it all lines up — including Canada’s route — see our Round of 16 preview and today’s July 3 predictions and picks. You can also revisit how Croatia and the rest got here on our Group L and Group K pages.