Sports
Report: Doncic ‘excited’ by Lakers’ off-season moves
Rob Pelinka is doing a good job of keeping his superstar happy.
The Lakers have completely revamped their roster since free agency opened on June 30, and LeBron James announced he would be moving on from L.A.
Los Angeles reportedly landed centre Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade deal and gave him a four-year, $130 million contract. It also signed forward Sandro Mamukelashvili and guards Quentin Grimes and Colin Sexton.
The Lakers also re-signed Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million deal before he could hit the open market.
The moves address Doncic’s biggest desires, which were bringing back Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting centre, Woike added. The Lakers have been in regular communication with Doncic since the season ended.
The Lakers are also not done making moves just yet; they still hope to add a wing -with Jonathan Kuminga topping their list, per Woike.
L.A. will enter a new era in 2026-27 with James’ departure and Doncic assuming the position as the face of the franchise.
Sports
2026 World Cup parlay, best bets: Top picks for matches on Friday include Egypt, Argentina-Cape Verde
SportsLine’s team of experts have revealed their World Cup parlay and soccer predictions for Friday’s matches
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1 min read
The last three Round of 32 contests at the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, July 3 with defending champions Argentina in action against upstarts Cape Verde headlining the day’s matches. Egypt and Australia get the party started in the afternoon, while Colombia face Ghana in the final game of the day.
SportsLine experts like Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brad Thomas have given their analysis for Friday’s game, and we’ve taken that into account when putting together a parlay with odds from FanDuel. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
World Cup parlay for Friday
- Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia (-148)
- Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals (-215)
- Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No (-182)
FanDuel parlay price: +280
Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia
Australia were able to stun Turkiye for a 2-0 win but did not score a goal in either of their other group stage games. Meanwhile, Egypt put together strong performances across their three matches and found the back of the net at least once each time. Mohamed Salah is the best player on the pitch, and while I expect Australia to hold their own for some time, Egypt will ultimately prevail.
Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals
There’s a good argument to be made to take Under 2.5 goals, but I’d recommend adding the extra goal to the total here. Cape Verde have been overlooked in this entire World Cup, and all they’ve done is stay in matches. They haven’t lost a match yet and they aren’t simply going to roll over just because Lionel Messi is on the pitch. I expect Argentina to win, but I can see this being a frustrating contest for La Albiceleste for about an hour or so. Eventually, Messi and Co. will break through this Cape Verde back line but I’d take the Under on 3.5 goals.
Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No
This particular wager has hit in two of Colombia’s three group stage games, and they only allowed one goal to Uzbekistan. Ghana have scored two goals across their three group stage games, but they really should’ve done better against both England and Panama. Colombia’s back line has been one of the most underrated units over the last few years and I think they clamp down once again in the Round of 32.
Sportsbooks expect the Minnesota Vikings to finish in last place inside the NFC North this season, but ESPN came along this week and threw a wrench into that plan, claiming Minnesota will top the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears to win the divison.
It came as part of a group of “bold predictions” from Benjamin Solak, with Minnesota winning the NFC North for the first time in four years.
Brian Flores Gives Vikings Cleanest Chance to Win the NFC North
Solak’s Bold Take
Solak unveiled 10 bold predictions on Wednesday, and the Vikings were represented. He wrote, “The Vikings will win the NFC North. If the Vikings’ defense remains a needle-moving unit, then a functional offense could return them to their 2024 status under QB Sam Darnold. Minnesota went 14-3 that year, losing the division in Week 17 to the Lions.”
“It’s unreasonable to expect another 14 wins in a division this tough, but Kyler Murray easily has the requisite talent to improve on Minnesota’s 9-8 season in 2025. Kevin O’Connell’s aptitude for adjusting his offense to his quarterback remains one of the league’s more impressive skills. It wasn’t just the Darnold year. He did it for Joshua Dobbs as a midseason trade acquisition in 2023.”
Minnesota stumbled into Murray in March for $1.3 million when the Arizona Cardinals released him.
“He did it for McCarthy last season, giving him far more out-breaking routes than he had given other passers. I have questions about the Vikings’ offensive line and running game, and Murray’s inconsistencies might prove too much for the offense to be truly trustworthy,” Solak continued.
“But I’m confident O’Connell will set him up for success, and Murray has huge earning potential on the free agent market in 2027. He’ll be motivated to perform.’
How It Could Happen
Here’s the easy way to agree with Solak’s take:
- The Vikings’ defense ranks second-best in the NFL since Flores arrived in 2023. The defense will be there, and it will be good. Even if the group regressed a bit without Jonathan Greenard, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in April, it likely won’t fall out of the Top 10.
- Minnesota has the weapons: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason. Most teams don’t have weapons of that caliber.
- Last season, the Vikings needed competent quarterback productivity. They didn’t get it. But they still finished with a 9-8 record. A competent Murray can drive the win total from nine to at least 11.
And there’s O’Connell. He enters Year No. 5 as a head coach with zero playoff wins. To a degree, he must win now or risk being put on the hot seat.
Why It May Not
What if Solak’s bold prognosication is wrong, and the Vikings finish closer to the NFC North basement than the pinnacle? It will mean that Murray did not take off in Minnesota, and his teammate, J.J. McCarthy, didn’t do much of anything, either.
The defense, too, would have to drop off further than most envision. Perhaps All-Pro kicker Will Reichard would lose some of his magic in this doomsday scenario.
Missing the playoffs would basically feel like a redo of last year — a competitive NFC North too tough to crack and an offense that never hit a groove.
That’s really the only blueprint for non-success.
At Least Reach the Postseason
Since his arrival in 2022, O’Connell’s winning percentage ranks among the league’s best. He even secured the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2024, and under his leadership, the Vikings have invariably performed as a legitimate contender.
Minnesota has played disciplined football under O’Connell, complemented by Flores’ powerhouse defense. Unlike teams influenced by poor coaching, the Vikings have played at a high level.
However, the next challenge is clear: O’Connell needs a playoff win. While he has proven capable of building a winning team from September to January, the benchmark has shifted to sustaining that success into January football.
Beyond that, expectations will evolve further. Can Minnesota defeat a formidable opponent like the Los Angeles Rams? Can O’Connell’s offense deliver on such a grand stage? Those questions set the stage for a compelling 2026 season. O’Connell has earned trust, but he has reached a point where that trust requires a January payoff.
Should the Vikings fail to qualify for the postseason, fans will undoubtedly be scrutinizing Black Monday for potential changes, including O’Connell. It’s the nature of the beast.
But according to Solak, they’ll win the division, and that’ll be that.
Jun 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin (22) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin no longer has the high-velocity stuff that made him a first-round selection in the 2014 draft.
Instead, the 30-year-old left-hander is having a breakout season with a seven-pitch repertoire he will deploy when the Nationals open a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
A self-described “journeyman, four-A player spending time between Triple-A and the big leagues,” Griffin (8-2, 2.93 ERA) has learned to throttle back his approach and set up hitters.
“For me, I am not going for a strikeout from the start of the at-bat, I am letting it develop,” Griffin said. “If I get into an 0-2, 1-2 situation and I want to go for a kill count, and go for a swing and miss, I will. As soon as I get to even or behind, though, I am not really going for a punchout. I don’t want those free passes.”
On Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles, Griffin threw 112 pitches, allowing one unearned run on three hits and two walks while matching his career high with nine strikeouts. He didn’t factor into the decision as Washington earned a 4-3, 10-inning victory.
Griffin went 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in five June starts. His only career start against the Pirates came on the road on April 16, a no-decision in which he gave up four runs on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Nationals manager Blake Butera has quickly developed belief in Griffin.
“I appreciate every time he’s on the mound,” Butera said. “We all have a ton of confidence in Foster. He pitches his tail off for us and leaves it all out there every single time.”
Washington had Thursday off after winning two of three games at Boston. The Nationals cruised to a 10-2 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday behind James Wood’s 22nd home run, a three-run shot in the seventh. Andres Chaparro added a two-run bomb and Nasim Nunez hit a solo shot, the first homers of the season for both players.
The Pirates are set to counter with right-hander Mitch Keller (6-5, 4.87 ERA). After going 0-3 with an 8.25 ERA in his previous five starts, Keller earned his lone win of June on Sunday, a 9-4 home decision against the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed five hits and four runs (three earned) with one walk and four strikeouts.
Keller made his second straight six-inning start, and he feels things are pointed in the right direction.
“I’m starting to feel like I am getting in a little more of a rhythm,” Keller said. “Obviously, there’s still a lot more that I can clean up and just execute a little better.”
In eight career starts against Washington, Keller is 1-4 with a 5.31 ERA. He lost 5-4 to the Nationals on April 14 in Pittsburgh after yielding five runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts in four innings.
The Pirates’ offense is trending in the right direction. Rookie right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez continues to establish his place in the batting order.
Pittsburgh split a four-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies this week, and Valdez was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs in a 6-1 win on Thursday.
Valdez homered in four consecutive games — including the series opener against the Phillies on Monday after going deep in each game of Pittsburgh’s previous three-game set against the Reds — a stretch that has highlighted his impressive start in the majors. Since his big league debut on May 22, Valdez has a .316 batting average, six homers and 15 RBIs in 19 games.
“The staff plays a big role,” Valdez said. “Even when you fail, they are right by your side. They bring the energy and give you the information you need to succeed.”
–Field Level Media
Julian Nagelsmann has resigned from his role as Germany head coach following the nation’s last-32 exit from the World Cup 2026.
The four-time champions were beaten by Paraguay in a penalty shootout meaning they have once again failed to win a knockout game at the World Cup since being crowned champions in 2014.
It was also their first ever shootout defeat at the tournament and dumped them out of the competition following an indifferent group stage campaign.
Nagelsmann’s team hammered Curacao 7-1 in their opening match but were unconvincing against Ivory Coast before losing to Ecuador in their final game.
Following Germany’s exit from the World Cup on Monday, Nagelsmann said: “I’m not one of those people who sits here and says, ‘I’m resigning now, just because we’ve been eliminated’. If the DFB wants me to continue then I’ll continue and if they don’t want me to, then they can tell me that.”
And Germany’s football association DFB confirmed on Friday that they have asked the 38-year-old to step down from his position.
“The German Football Association expressly thanks Julian Nagelsmann for his work since September 2023. He is characterised by a high level of commitment and extraordinary ambition. Julian Nagelsmann is also an extremely responsible and sincere person whom we all value,” DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.
DFB also confirmed they would pursue talks with former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to replace Nagelsmann.
They said: “Regarding the appointment of a new coach, the DFB leadership will now seek talks with Jürgen Klopp . He has already signaled his general willingness to take on the position.”
Nagelsmann was appointed in September 2023 and took Germany to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 where they were defeated by eventually winners Spain.
“The decision was anything but easy for me,” Nagelsmann said of his resignation in a statement.
“My top priority has always been the success of the team. After such a bitter disappointment, it deserves the chance of a new beginning.
“I am sorry and hurt from the bottom of my heart that we disappointed you and couldn’t give you any more football nights at this World Cup.”
Klopp, meanwhile, is Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer, a position he has held since January 2025. He oversees Red Bull’s network of clubs—including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and the New York Red Bulls but it is understood that there is a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if the German national manager role was available.
More recently Klopp has been working as a pundit at the World Cup and said after the Paraguay match that it was not the right time to discuss his future.
He said in quotes reported on Bild: “I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it’s not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer, Ian Seymour dominated the Royals for the second time in a week, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Kansas City 5-2 on Thursday night to extend their winning streak to eight games.
Taylor Walls, Richie Palacios and Hunter Feduccia also drove in runs for the red-hot Rays, though Junior Caminero had his home run streak end at six games. The slugging third baseman went 0 for 5.
Seymour (5-1) allowed a leadoff homer to Carter Jensen but just two more hits over six crisp innings, striking out eight and walking one. Cam Booser and Garrett Cleavinger got the game to Bryan Baker, who handled the ninth for his 22nd save.
Stephen Kolek (4-3) struggled for the Royals in his first start since his wife gave birth to their daughter, Faye, last week. He cruised through the first but allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in the second, and he did not return for the third.
Kolek matched a career high by allowing nine runs in just 1 2/3 innings in his most recent start June 21 against St. Louis.
PHILADELPHIA — Esmerlyn Valdez tripled, singled and knocked in two runs, Endy Rodriguez and Nick Gonzales homered and Pittsburgh beat Philadelphia.
The Pirates split their four-game series in Philadelphia, closing with a win against a Phillies team that had won 11 of its previous 15 games at Citizens Bank Park.
Jake Mangum had three hits and a run scored, while Brandon Lowe had a pair of hits, scored a run and reached safely three times for Pittsburgh. The Pirates had 14 hits and limited the Phillies to four.
Phillies starting pitcher Alan Rangel, promoted recently from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, held his own against the Pirates but didn’t last long.
Rangel threw 90 pitches in four innings, allowing no runs on only three hits, but with four walks and four strikeouts. He left with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Bryce Harper’s two-out, RBI double to left field in the third.
That left runners on second and third, but Pirates starter Jared Jones escaped further damage by getting Brandon Marsh on a fly to right. Jones also lasted four innings, allowing two hits with six strikeouts.
MILWAUKEE — Sal Stewart and Jose Trevino homered off Jacob Misiorowski, and Chase Burns pitched six strong innings as Cincinnati beat Milwaukee.
TJ Friedl also went deep for Cincinnati as the Reds beat the Brewers for the first time in seven attempts this season. Garrett Mitchell homered for Milwaukee.
The game featured two of baseball’s best and hardest-throwing pitchers in Burns and Misiorowski. Burns (10-1) earned the win by giving up two runs and four hits. Burns is the only Reds pitcher since at least 1900 to open a season by allowing two runs or fewer in 15 of his first 17 starts.
Misiorowski (9-4) struck out 10 and walked none in five innings while reaching a peak velocity of 103.8 mph, but the five runs he allowed matched a career high. Only one of the runs was earned.
The most recent time Misiorowski allowed five runs came on Aug. 15 of last season, when he lasted only 1 1/3 innings in a 10-8 victory at Cincinnati.
Misiorowski had gone 8-1 with an 0.54 ERA over his last 10 starts.
DENVER — Jake McCarthy drove in four runs, Mickey Moniak had two RBIs and finished a triple shy of a cycle, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Miami Marlins 14-4 on Thursday to earn a split in the four-game series.
McCarthy and Moniak both homered, with Moniak going deep for the third consecutive game.
It was the second consecutive game and the third time this season that Moniak missed out on a cycle by one hit. In the previous two instances, he failed to get a single.
McCarthy and Moniak both drove in runs during a seven-run sixth inning that stretched Colorado’s lead from one run to eight. In that burst, the Rockies had seven consecutive batters get on base.
Troy Johnston, Willi Castro and Cole Carrigg added two RBIs apiece for Colorado, which had lost eight of its previous nine games against the Marlins.
CLEVELAND — Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave Cleveland a victory over Chicago in the opener of a four-game series between the top two teams in the AL Central.
Cleveland rallied from a three-run deficit and trails Chicago by less than a full percentage point atop the division standings.
Pinch-hitter David Fry launched a solo homer in the seventh that trimmed the Guardians’ deficit to 5-4.
White Sox reliever Grant Taylor (4-2) walked Rhys Hoskins leading off the ninth. Kahlil Watson flied out to center before Rocchio pulled a 99 mph fastball down the right-field line for his sixth home run this season.
Tim Herrin (1-3) pitched a perfect inning for the win.
ATLANTA — Jordan Walker homered and drove in four runs, Nathan Church hit a tying two-run homer in a seven-run seventh inning and St. Louis beat Atlanta.
The Braves led 5-3 before the Cardinals rallied in the seventh. After Church’s homer off Tyler Kinley (4-3), JJ Wetherholt’s run-scoring single off Dylan Lee gave St. Louis the lead. Walker added a run-scoring single in the big inning.
Alec Burleson homered in the ninth and Masyn Winn had three hits and a walk for St. Louis.
Right-hander Gordon Graceffo (6-1) pitched a scoreless sixth as St. Louis won two of three in the series. The Cardinals gave manager Oliver Marmol a win on his 40th birthday.
Dominic Smith drove in three runs with a double in Atlanta’s five-run first inning.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Nathan Eovaldi weathered a three-run Detroit uprising after taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning and Elias Díaz, Josh Smith and Evan Carter hit solo home runs to help Texas get the victory.
The Rangers matched a season high with 17 hits en route to their seventh victory in eight games. The Tigers arrived at Globe Life Field after sweeping three games at Yankee Stadium.
Eovaldi (9-7) allowed only one walk through four innings and matched a season high with nine strikeouts in winning his fourth consecutive start, pitching five-plus innings. Detroit’s Colt Keith led off the fifth by homering on an 0-2 cut fastball above the strike zone. Hao-Yu Lee added a two-run homer that barely cleared the wall in left, just beyond Alejandro Osuna’s reach.
Eovaldi allowed five hits in the fifth inning and was pulled leading 5-3 after Riley Greene led off the sixth with a double. Peyton Gray, Texas’ third pitcher in the sixth, struck out Lee with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Díaz’s home run came in Texas’ three-run second inning, his second in two games.
SEATTLE — Bryce Miller took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Seattle edged the Los Angeles Angels to finish a three-game sweep.
Cal Raleigh coaxed a bases-loaded walk from rookie starter Walbert Ureña with two outs in the sixth to force home the only run. Seattle stayed tied with the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West at 45-43.
Andrés Muñoz pitched a shaky ninth for his 16th save. Muñoz gave up a leadoff walk and two singles but retired Wade Meckler on a grounder with two runners aboard to end it.
LOS ANGELES — Dalton Rushing tied career highs with four hits and four RBIs as Los Angeles rallied from an early six-run deficit for a victory over skidding San Diego.
Kyle Tucker added four hits to equal a career best and reached base five times. Andy Pages tied it with a two-run double in the fourth inning, and the Dodgers scored 12 straight runs to win for the eighth time in 10 games.
Roki Sasaki gave up six runs over three innings, including three homers, but the Los Angeles bullpen allowed just one run the rest of the way. Will Klein (3-2) worked two scoreless innings to earn the win.
It was the Dodgers’ biggest comeback victory since they trailed by six runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022.
Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth homered in the first two innings for the Padres, who matched a season high with their sixth consecutive loss. Three of those defeats have come against the Dodgers.
San Diego starter Randy Vásquez gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings before left-hander Wandy Peralta (1-1) permitted four runs and six hits in the fourth.
Sports
‘Ireland hangover’: Dinesh Karthik on Shreyas Iyer’s toss decision in 1st T20I vs England | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India’s decision to bat first in the opening T20I against England surprised many. With overcast skies and rain around, most teams would have preferred to bowl first after winning the toss at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.However, India captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat, and former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes there was one major reason behind that decision – the recent 2-0 T20I series defeat against Ireland.
‘Ireland hangover was there’
India had opted to field first in both T20Is against Ireland but failed to chase down the targets. They lost the first match by 34 runs and the second by just one run.Karthik feels those defeats influenced India’s thinking against England.“India, choosing to bat, was a good decision, even though, obviously, there was a bit of weather around the corner constantly… The general tendency is to chase down totals,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.“It was a bit of an awkward evening here because rain was always looming around the corner, but I do think the Ireland hangover was there a bit. So, India decided, ‘let’s not chase and bat first’,” he added.
Match abandoned after rain
India’s plan looked promising as they posted a competitive 189/7 in 20 overs before heavy rain brought the match to an early end.Rain started towards the end of India’s innings and only became heavier. With just over 40 minutes remaining before the cut-off time for a five-over game, the umpires called off the match.Shreyas Iyer led from the front with a 47-ball 68, while opener Abhishek Sharma scored 59. All-rounder Shivam Dube provided the late flourish with an unbeaten 42 off just 21 balls.The second match of the five-match T20I series will be played in Manchester on July 4.
Iyer crosses 5,000 international runs
The match also turned into a personal milestone for Shreyas Iyer, who completed 5,000 international runs for India during his knock of 68. He reached the landmark with an innings that included six fours and a six at a strike rate of over 144.So far, Iyer has scored 5,031 runs in 147 international matches at an average of 39.61 and a strike rate of 96.06. His tally includes six centuries and 37 half-centuries, with a highest score of 128 not out.In Tests, he has scored 811 runs in 14 matches at an average of 36.86, including one century and five fifties.ODIs remain his most successful format, with 3,035 runs in 79 matches at an average of 45.98, including five centuries and 23 fifties.In T20Is, Iyer has scored 1,184 runs in 54 matches at an average of 30.38 and a strike rate of over 135, with nine fifties and a highest score of 74 not out.
Italy may have endured the disappointment of missing out on another FIFA World Cup, but the value of the Azzurri’s top talent has never been higher.
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Tonali and Palestra’s expensive transfers
Italian players continue to attract significant interest from Europe’s elite clubs, as highlighted by the blockbuster Premier League transfers of Sandro Tonali and highly rated full-back Marco Palestra, underscoring the growing demand for homegrown Italian talent on the international stage.
Marco Palestra has completed his transfer to Chelsea from Atalanta (chelseafc.com)
There are encouraging signs closer to home as well. Serie A clubs are increasingly investing in the next generation of Italian prospects, with Juventus completing the permanent signing of 19-year-old forward Jeff Ekhator from Genoa after an impressive spell with the Bianconeri’s youth setup.
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Meanwhile, ambitious Como are on the verge of securing one of the country’s brightest creative talents, Mattia Liberali, after the midfielder turned down the opportunity to return to Milan from Catanzaro.
Lorenzo Bettoni and Giancarlo Rinaldi break it all down in the latest episode of the Football Italia Summer Show.
Watch the full episode below
France’s “les Bleus” are back in training after their large victory over Sweden, 3-0. They will face Paraguay in Philadelphia on July 4th.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric met in a dramatic Round of 32 clash in Toronto, with two football icons once again sharing a World Cup stage that could mark the end of their international journeys. The former Real Madrid teammates led Portugal and Croatia into a tense knockout battle, which Portugal ultimately won 2–1 thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Goncalo Ramos, sealing their place in the last 16. Relive our minute-by-minute coverage.
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Croatia thought their FIFA World Cup hopes were still alive when they scored the game-tying goal just before the end of stoppage time in the second half.
But a VAR review said Mario Pasalic was offside, and it was Portugal moving on instead.
Gonçalo Ramos’ goal just minutes earlier — a beautiful header into the back of the net in the 94th minute — was the decider in this 2-1 victory for Portugal. And it was only the second time in Portuguese World Cup history the nation needed to come from behind to win, underscoring its resilience on the sport’s biggest stage.
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Luka Modric of Croatia and teammates react after the 1-2 loss during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
It was a controversial ending, though, and one where Croatia tried to argue the ball never hit the head of Igor Matanovic, which made Pasalic offside during VAR review.
It’s also worth noting that a new chip within the ball shows when it is touched, giving more concrete evidence to the referee’s final decision in such a crucial time of the match. This was the 10th goal overruled by VAR thus far in the World Cup.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI’S 96TH-MINUTE GOAL RESCUES BRAZIL FROM JAPAN UPSET IN WORLD CUP ROUND OF 32
So, with the goal annulled, Croatia’s time at the tournament has ended. As a result, Croatian legend Luka Modrić is finishing his fifth World Cup, which will likely be the 40-year-old midfielder’s final one.
But another older legend on the pitch will move on, as Cristiano Ronaldo made some World Cup history during this match.
When No. 7 stepped foot on the pitch and the ball was kicked, he became the oldest player to participate in a knockout stage match at the World Cup at 41 years and 147 days old. He also became the oldest player to score in a knockout stage match when he saw a penalty situation while Portugal was down 1-0 in the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
Ivan Perisic got the first goal of this game and put Portugal’s back against the wall. But after a foul was committed inside Croatia’s box in the 67th minute, it was time for Ronaldo to get his first career knockout goal, and he didn’t disappoint.
Ronaldo was ecstatic, sprinting toward the corner flag and performing his signature “SIU!” celebration, which the crowd bellowed with the score at 1-1. Ronaldo had also seemed to get that first knockout goal just minutes earlier but he was called offside.
Modrić and Ronaldo, two former teammates on Real Madrid, also made history together, as they were the first two players 40 years or older to play in the same match together.
Luka Modric of Croatia congratulates Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
It was also an emotional moment after the match, as Ronaldo wore the jersey of late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident a year ago. A team photo was taken on the pitch, with Ronaldo holding up Jota’s jersey alongside his squad.
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Now that the job is done in the Round of 32 for Portugal, they face a big challenge against a key rival in the Round of 16.
Spain, who dominated Austria with a 3-0 finish earlier on Thursday, awaits Portugal at Dallas Stadium on July 6 at 3 p.m. ET.
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