Croatia starting lineup vs Portugal confirmed for FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match

Croatia and Portugal will face each other for the first time in the FIFA World Cup.

Croatia have not been considered as the title favourite at the 2026 FIFA World Cup; however, if they beat Portugal, they could join the list. Vatreni will face Seleção das Quinas at the Toronto Stadium in Canada on Thursday, July 2nd.

The 2018 finalists started their World Cup campaign in North America with a 4-2 defeat to England. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scored for Croatia in their opening game, but the two goals were not enough to overcome the margin created by the Three Lions.

In the second game, Ante Budimir scored the side’s only goal and helped Vatreni secure three points over Panama. Ghana, which held England to a goalless draw on matchday 2, lost to Croatia in their last group-stage game. Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic scored to overcome Derrick Luckassen’s only strike for the Black Stars.

With the win, they secured second place in Group L, trailing only Thomas Tuchel’s England. However, they will face one of the biggest challenges in their opening knockout game as they lock horns with Roberto Martinez’s Portugal.

Also Read: Portugal vs Croatia Preview – prediction, team news, lineups | FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32

Croatia lineup for the FIFA World Cup match against Portugal

Croatia XI: Dominik Livaković; Josip Stanišić, Josip Šutalo, Marin Pongračić; Petar Sučić, Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić; Nikola Vlašić, Martin Baturina, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perišić.

Thoughts on the lineup

Dominik Livaković will keep the gloves for Zlatko Dalić’s side, while Ivan Perišić will feature as the left-back. Josip Stanišić will play as the right back, while Josip Šutalo and Marin Pongračić will form the centre-back duo for Vatreni against Portugal.

Captain Luka Modrić will be the driving force for Croatia. The 40-year-old will be responsible for controlling the tempo in crucial moments while taking the set pieces. Petar Sučić and Mateo Kovačić will join the Croatian veteran in the midfield, bringing technical quality and extensive experience on the biggest stages.

Martin Baturina and Nikola Vlašić will play on the wings, while Osasuna forward Ante Budimir will play as the frontman. Budimir also scored a crucial goal for Vatreni during their win over Panama.

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