World Cup Daily: Past, present and future stars take the stage

The best World Cup days don’t just produce great soccer. They produce theatrics.

On Thursday, as Spain met Austria and Portugal faced Croatia, and Switzerland tested Algeria, soccer’s past, present and future shared the same stage. An 18-year-old continued announcing himself to the world. A 29-year-old quietly strengthened his case as one of international soccer’s most clinical forwards. And veterans in their late 30s and early 40s reminded everyone they still have chapters left to write.

There was an emotional tribute. Supporters made Toronto feel like Lisbon and Zagreb. And another knockout match descended into chaos.

It became the kind of day only a World Cup can deliver.

Here are the big takeaways from Thursday’s action.

Routine, ruthless, relentless

Against Austria, Spain didn’t just win; they looked every bit the team everyone else should fear.

La Roja might not have sparkled in the group stage, memorably opening the tournament with a frustrating draw against debutants Cape Verde. But Spain has grown into this competition in ominous fashion; not because it dazzled or relied on moments of individual brilliance, but because it made a tough European opponent look ordinary.

Spain’s style of play is routine and relentless. Luis de la Fuente’s side kept the ball until Austria ran out of gas, moving with such precision that Ralf Rangnick’s backline could only chase shadows. For the Austrians, it would have felt like water filling a room — an unsettling wave of claustrophobia until suddenly there’s no air left to breathe. 

Austria deserves enormous credit for hanging in as long as it did, with Alexander Schlager producing several outstanding saves. But even when Austria briefly found a foothold after halftime, the Spaniards were never frustrated. They simply kept asking the same impossible question until Austria ran out of answers, which is what separates this side from everyone else. 

The metronomic calm of Rodri and Pedri in the midfield gave Spain complete control, while wonderkid Lamine Yamal provided the edge. The 18-year-old spent another afternoon making one of Europe’s most dependable backlines look uncomfortable, gliding past challenges with an ease that almost looked unfair. Then came Mikel Oyarzabal, whose quick movement and relentless work on and off the ball made him the perfect frontman for a team that values patience over theatrics. The Real Sociedad forward now has four goals in this competition, only two away from Golden Boot leaders Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, who each have six. Could the 29-year-old be a sneaky pick to win the honour?

Overall, we’ve seen flashes of Spain’s brilliance throughout this tournament. Against Austria, we saw the complete version. The frightening part is the 3-0 knockout barely felt extraordinary — it just felt routine.

And that’s exactly what World Cup winners tend to do.

A World Cup classic, made in Toronto

For 45 minutes, Portugal and Croatia played a match that looked destined to be forgotten.

The hour that followed was everything that makes the World Cup unforgettable.

Portugal dominated the first half, holding possession while Croatia defended with every available blue shirt. It looked like a standard knockout match: tense, tactical and not exactly one to write home about.

Then Ivan Perišić changed everything.

The 37-year-old gave Croatia a shock lead early in the second half, which set the match into motion. Rafael Leão rattled the crossbar. 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo thought he equalized, only for an offside flag to cut his celebration short. Minutes later, he buried a penalty to score his first World Cup knockout goal and breathe life back into Portugal’s campaign.

And somehow, it still wasn’t over.

Roberto Martinez’s boldest decision came when he replaced Ronaldo with Gonçalo Ramos late in the second half. But the questionable move proved inspired. Ramos rose above two Croatian defenders to power home a stoppage-time winner before Croatia thought it had forced extra time in the dying seconds, only for another offside decision to crush its hopes. It was pure cinema at Toronto Stadium, with eighteen minutes of added time, a pitch invader, fans throwing objects onto the field, and wave after wave of late chances from some of soccer’s greatest stars. Was it a technically perfect showing? Absolutely not. But sometimes, the most memorable sporting moments are simply the ones that make you feel something.

Portugal survived to set up a blockbuster Round of 16 showdown with Spain, while Croatia left heartbroken in what may have been Luka Modrić’s final World Cup appearance. Portugal will need to be far sharper against a Spanish side that has looked among the tournament’s most complete teams, but after Thursday’s result, it’s clear that the side is up for the challenge. 

Beyond the result, this match wasn’t just another reminder of why the World Cup captivates billions every four years. It also showed what hosting this tournament can mean for Canada. Toronto Stadium became the setting for a night of chaos, controversy, heartbreak and jubilation that will live long in the memories of everyone lucky enough to witness it. If the 2026 World Cup is about growing the game in this country, nights like this are exactly how it happens.

After Portugal and Croatia turned Toronto into a movie, Switzerland offered something much different in Vancouver: control, patience, and punishment. 

Algeria had the ball for long stretches in the first half, but Switzerland had the better plan. They sat deep, waited for Algeria’s wandering wing-backs to leave space, and struck just 10 minutes in with a Breel Embolo tap-in.

For the sixth straight World Cup match, Algeria conceded first. And for all their possession and territory, they rarely troubled Gregor Kobel.

Then came the moment that effectively ended the contest. Just 47 seconds into the second half, Algeria switched off again. They failed to clear the danger on multiple occasions and watched Dan Ndoye bury a superb finish to double Switzerland’s lead.

That was the match in a nutshell. Algeria had the possession, but Switzerland had the control. They protected space, targeted Algeria’s biggest weakness, and never allowed the game to become the open, emotional contest their opponents needed.

It wasn’t as dramatic as Portugal/Croatia, nor as technically dominant as Spain/Austria, but it was every bit as effective. Switzerland reminded everyone that knockout soccer doesn’t always need to be spectacular. Sometimes, success comes from identifying a weakness, exploiting it ruthlessly, and making the result feel inevitable.

Portugal’s Round of 32 clash with Croatia kicked off at midnight in Portugal, exactly one year after the death of Diogo Jota.

Before kickoff at Toronto Stadium, the big screens displayed his photo following the Portuguese national anthem as supporters paused to remember one of the country’s most beloved athletes.

Austria didn’t manage a single shot on target against Spain, which made for a quiet yet historic night for goalkeeper Unai Simón.

The Athletic Bilbao star set a new all-time World Cup record for most minutes played without conceding, passing the previous mark of 517 set by Italy’s Walter Zenga in 1990.

It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old can follow Iker Casillas as the second Spanish netminder to lift the World Cup trophy. But with La Roja looking this controlled, composed and downright scary, they’re certainly making the case.

Sportsnet soccer reporter John Molinaro captured one last postcard from Toronto Stadium before Portugal and Croatia took the pitch on Thursday. As the sun dipped below the skyline, a packed stadium of fans from around the world soaked in the atmosphere for Toronto’s final match of the 2026 World Cup – a fitting sendoff for a city that has embraced the tournament from day one.

Fun fact: Ronaldo scored his first goal for Real Madrid at this stadium in 2009, in a friendly against Toronto FC.

1. Gonçalo Ramos (Portugal): Introduced off the bench, Ramos made an impact when it mattered most, as his stoppage-time header booked Portugal’s place in the Round of 16. The new AC Milan striker has averaged a goal or assist every 37 minutes at the World Cup, the best ratio of any Portuguese player thus far.

2a. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): He may not carry the same star power as some of the World Cup’s biggest names, but few forwards are as clinical. His brace against Austria sent Spain into the Round of 16 and extended a remarkable run of 17 goals in his last 17 international appearances. Ever since scoring the winner in the Euro 2024 final, the 29-year-old simply hasn’t slowed down.

2b. Lamine Yamal (Spain): The youngster was a constant menace against Austria, becoming the youngest player since 1966 to record more than 10 touches in the opposition box at a World Cup. Just as encouraging for Spain, the Barcelona winger played 85 minutes, his longest outing of the tournament and his most since returning from a hamstring injury.

3. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland): Switzerland’s breakout star keeps on delivering. The 20-year-old set up another goal on Thursday, taking his tournament tally to three goals and two assists. His pace down the left flank repeatedly stretched Algeria’s defence and gave Switzerland another dimension in attack. At this rate, it won’t be long before Europe’s biggest clubs come calling.