More than 5,700 miles from home, members of Houston's Croatian community gathered Thursday evening at the Houston Croatian Club to watch Croatia take on Portugal in a Round of 32 World Cup knockout match.

Luka Modrić criticized VAR after Croatia's World Cup exit to Portugal, insisting his side were unfairly treated following a controversial penalty and a disallowed equalizer.

Did a Croatia player touch the ball before the game-tying goal vs. Portugal before it was called back due to offsides.

Portugal advanced after edging out Croatia 2-1 in a hard-fought match, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s team will now face European champion Spain on Monday.

The 2026 World Cup Knockout Round has been quite a spectacle, and anyone interested in can claim the latest FanDuel promo code to get up to $1,000 in Bet Reset Tokens with a $5+ wager on Thursday's remaining matches.

Croatia struck first against Portugal in its World Cup round of 32 battle Thursday, July 2. With a date in the round of 16 on the line, Croatia is owning the pitch. In the 53rd minute, Ivan Perišić scored to give Croatia a 1-0 lead.

The penultimate day of last-32 action at the 2026 World Cup promises to be a compelling one, with two of the pre-tournament favourites in action. Whether or not Portugal and Spain are still among the frontrunners to lift the trophy on 19 July,