Cristiano Ronaldo Receives Disappointing News Before Facing Croatia

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Cristiano Ronaldo Receives Disappointing News Before Facing Croatia

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jun 28, 2026 10:13 PM ET

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal return to action on Thursday looking to make a deeper run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finishing second in Group K to qualify for the Round of 32. Roberto Martinez’s side will face Croatia at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada, after ending the group stage with four points.

Portugal will also be hoping for a sharper performance than it produced in its scoreless draw against Colombia.

Ronaldo endured an up-and-down group stage: the 41-year-old struggled in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo. He responded with a vintage display against Uzbekistan, scoring a first-half brace in a 5-0 victory However, he was unable to carry that form into the final group match as Colombia largely kept him quiet.

As Ronaldo prepares for the knockout rounds, he received some disappointing news away from the pitch.

FIFA released its shortlist for the best goal of the World Cup group stage, and neither of Ronaldo’s strikes against Uzbekistan made the final cut.

Among the goals nominated were Lionel Messi ’s first-half finish against Algeria, Kylian Mbappe’s stunning strike against Senegal, Ismael Saibari’s lob against Brazil, Giovanni Reyna’s goal for the United States against Paraguay, Vinicius Junior’s equalizer against Morocco, and Wilson Isidor’s finish against Haiti.

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Despite the snub, Ronaldo made history at the World Cup. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also became the first player in history to score at six different FIFA World Cups and holds his country’s record for most goals scored (10) on soccer’s grandest stage. Portugal entered the World Cup as one of the favorites, and Ronaldo stands a chance to add to his tally in what could be his final tournament.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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