Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has backed Portugal to advance past Croatia in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 fixture, describing Roberto Martinez's side as genuine title contenders despite a patchy group-stage showing. The two nations are set to meet in Toronto in what could be the final World Cup appearance for both Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric.

A Historic Farewell Stage

The Toronto clash carries extraordinary weight. Both Ronaldo and Modric are appearing in their sixth FIFA World Cup — a feat shared by only four players in tournament history, alongside Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa. For either man, this knockout tie could mark the final chapter of a World Cup career spanning more than two decades.

Ronaldo has already etched his name deeper into the record books during this tournament, netting twice against Uzbekistan to surpass Eusebio's tally of nine FIFA World Cup goals.

Portugal's Inconsistent Group Campaign

Portugal's route to the knockout stage was far from convincing. Martinez's side were held to a surprise draw by DR Congo, then thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0, before suffering a defeat to Colombia that left them finishing second in the group. The inconsistency has raised questions about their readiness for the sharper demands of knockout football.

Bhutia, however, is not reading too much into those results. 'Portugal are definitely contenders, though we haven't seen them play like one so far. But knockout stages are different; they possess the quality to turn up with a completely different level of performance. I think we will see a different side to them in the knockouts,' he said. Bhutia is part of the expert panel for ZEE5's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.

Portugal's Strengths — and a Key Weakness

Bhutia stressed that Portugal's potency runs deeper than their captain. 'Portugal has the overall quality to get the job done. They have players who can make a massive difference on their own, whereas the big question is whether their creative midfield can consistently carve out chances for Ronaldo,' he noted.

He also flagged a structural concern in midfield. 'One weakness, however, is the lack of a true defensive midfielder who can consistently win balls and transition play from defence to attack,' Bhutia said. 'They already have immense strength going forward; great attacking midfielders, an excellent frontline, and two full-backs who love to attack. They just need someone in the centre of the pitch to win those physical battles and stabilise the midfield,' he added.

Croatia's Age Problem

Croatia recovered from an opening loss to England with wins over Ghana and Panama to reach the Round of 32. The side has a strong knockout pedigree — runners-up in 2018 and third-place finishers in 2022 — but Bhutia believes this generation has passed its peak.

'Over the years, Croatia has been a resilient team that always finds a way to get results. However, I don't think they have that same quality this time around. They have brilliant players like Modric, but age is not on their side. They've lost a lot of pace, and the game has slowed down for them,' he observed.

He also identified where Croatia's only realistic path to victory lies: 'If Croatia is to get anything out of this match, Luka Modric absolutely has to have the bigger impact. Portugal don't solely rely on Ronaldo, but Croatia will absolutely have to look towards Modric today,' Bhutia said.

What to Expect

With Ronaldo chasing history and Modric playing what may be his last World Cup knockout game, the Toronto fixture promises high drama. Bhutia's verdict, though, is clear: Portugal's attacking depth and squad quality should prove too much for a Croatian side that has slowed with age. The match will test whether Martinez can finally unlock a consistent performance from a squad that has underperformed its billing so far.