Although fans can view Thursday’s World Cup round of 16 match as a Luka Modric vs. Cristiano Ronaldo showdown, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic sees something different brewing when his team faces Portugal in their first-ever World Cup match.
For Dalic, the real action will be in the middle of the park, where both sides have formidable engines in midfield that could determine which aging star gets another shot at World Cup glory.
«I believe this will be a battle of midfielders. Portugal have excellent players in midfield. They are very good tactically. In this match every mistake will be punished,» Dalic said at a press conference in Toronto on Wednesday.
Croatia once again showed the resilience that has characterized its recent World Cup matches, recovering from an opening defeat to England with a 1-0 win over Panama and a 2-1 victory against Ghana.
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Portugal, meanwhile, are disappointed with just one win and two draws in the group stage, but Dalic is taking no chances against a team he believes can still surprise.
In Croatia’s midfield, 40-year-old captain Luka Modric exists alongside Martin Baturina, who scored against England, and Petar Sucic, who found the net against Ghana.
Portugal have their own midfield trio of Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes, although much of the focus remains on the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“They are a team that wants to possess the ball at all times,” Dalic said of Portugal. “This team has few weaknesses and can cause risk and danger at any time.”
The match against Toronto, the host city’s final match, could serve as a swan song for Modric or Ronaldo.
Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic gave a diplomatic assessment of football’s two greats: «We have two great players who have done a great job. I am convinced that Luka will continue on his path. I can only speak positively about both of them.»
Published on July 2, 2026
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