Ronaldo shouts out Toronto fans following Portugal's FIFA World Cup win

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are moving on to the Round of 16 after surviving a wild knockout-stage match against Croatia in Toronto.

And Ronaldo was the star.

He first found the back of the net in the 61st minute, but had the goal called back after he was narrowly offside. Just minutes later, the 41-year-old found himself with another chance to tie the game from the penalty spot.

Ronaldo blasted his penalty down the middle before breaking out his trademark "Siuuu" celebration, sending the sold-out crowd of 43,036 into a frenzy.

CRISTIANO RONALDO'S FIRST EVER WORLD CUP KNOCKOUT ROUND GOAL COMES IN TORONTO! 🇵🇹 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/gKJ4aOfFVS

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 3, 2026

Portugal's Gonçalo Ramos scored the go-ahead goal with a 94th-minute header to put the score at 2-1 and send the team to the Round of 16.

After the match, Ronaldo said the win carried extra meaning for him and his teammates because of the date.

One year ago, Portuguese forward Diogo Jota was killed in a car crash. The 28-year-old had earned 49 caps for Portugal and likely would have been part of the country's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

"To win on Diogo Jota's day, it's everything. He was so special to us," Ronaldo told reporters.

"We spoke about it today as a team. The coincidence of life amazed me because of the situation. It means a lot to us."

Following the final whistle, Ronaldo put on Jota's No. 21 jersey before saluting the Portuguese supporters packed into the north end of Toronto Stadium.

Cristiano Ronaldo holds up the jersey number of his late teammate Diogo Jota following Portugal's 2-1 win over Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto. (Marley Dickinson/Offside)

He also credited the Toronto fans with helping Portugal rally after his disallowed goal.

"After my offside goal, I noticed the fans got behind us," Ronaldo said. "Then after scoring the penalty, it became better for us. We deserved to win the match."

Another major storyline heading into Thursday's match was the possibility that it would be the final FIFA World Cup appearance for both Ronaldo and Croatian captain Luka Modrić.

The two were former teammates at Real Madrid and are both playing in their final FIFA World Cup, and are captains of their own respective squads.

Ronaldo shared a moment with Modrić following the final whistle, congratulating the 40-year-old midfielder on an incredible career.

"He's a legend of football. I played so many years with him at Real Madrid," Ronaldo said. "I wish him all the best, and I hope he continues to play."

Cristiano Ronaldo thanks the city of Toronto for the support on his Instagram! 🇨🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2StrUCJT3D

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 3, 2026

Ronaldo signed off by thanking fans in Toronto on Instagram, captioning a photo of Portugal's massive fan march through Liberty Village with "Obrigato, Toronto."

It was a fitting farewell to one of the tournament's most memorable matches, and to the six FIFA World Cup matches in Toronto.