Global icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric will square off at Toronto’s BMO Field in the World Cup Round of 32.
Both nations have huge diaspora populations in the Greater Toronto Area, but especially Portugal. Over 400,000 Canadians have Portuguese heritage, with many of them living in the GTA. Toronto’s west end features Little Portugal, and the city is going to have fans lining the streets unlike anything it saw for the five grouup stage matches.
Toronto is going to be mayhem with the travelling fans mixing with tens of thousands of local supporters.
It be the final World Cup game in the city, and it will have some major starpower on Thursday, July 2 at BMO Field.
Ronaldo and Modric, two of the greatest players of their generation, were teammates for years at Real Madrid, but will be on opposite sides of the stage in Toronto. Neither nation has won the World Cup before, and this remains the final chance for both to do it with their greatest-ever players, as it will almost certainly be the final World Cup game of one of their careers.
Ronaldo is 41 and Modric is 40. Toronto will see one of their dreams end, and the other live on for at least a little longer. The winner would likely play Spain in the Round of 16, in Arlington, Texas on July 6.
Croatia needed a win against Ghana on the final day of Group L to overtake them in the standings, and did just that, winning 2-1 with goals from Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic to finish second. Ghana advance still as one of the best third-place teams, while the group was topped by England, who beat Panama 2-0 simultaneously.
Portugal needed a win to overtake Colombia in Group K, but drew 0-0 later on Saturday night to stay in second, setting up the trip to Toronto.
Croatia beat Panama in Toronto on June 23 to get their first three points on the board, with Ante Budimir scoring the game’s lone goal.
