Ronaldo ends World Cup knockout drought as Portugal advance past Croatia
Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in their Round of 32 World Cup clash on Thursday night, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at age 41. Goncalo Ramos added Portugal's second goal, while Ivan Perisic scored Croatia's consolation goal.
Ronaldo made history as the oldest player to feature and score in World Cup knockout stage history. Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand praised the achievement on social media, tweeting "This is what he does!!!! @Cristiano" with a GOAT emoji.
The Al-Nassr forward has now scored three goals for Portugal at the ongoing tournament. Portugal's attention now shifts to their Round of 16 encounter against Spain, where Ronaldo will look to continue his record-breaking campaign.
This victory sets up a crucial Spain clash for Portugal's World Cup hopes. At 41, Ronaldo's milestone highlights his enduring quality on football's biggest stage. How will this performance influence your view of veteran athletes in major tournaments?