'I do not see Croatia knocking them out': Bhaichung Bhutia backs Portugal in Ronaldo-Modric World Cup showdown

Portugal and Croatia are set for one of the standout fixtures of the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, with the knockout clash in Toronto potentially marking the final World Cup appearance of two of football's greatest players — Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric.

The two captains are both featuring in their sixth FIFA World Cup, a milestone matched by only four players in the tournament's history, alongside Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa. At 41 and 40, respectively, Ronaldo and Modric continue to lead their countries, but only one will progress to the Round of 16.

Former India captain and Zee 5 FIFA World Cup 2026 expert Bhaichung Bhutia believes Portugal have enough quality to overcome Croatia despite an inconsistent group-stage campaign.

Portugal advanced to the knockouts after finishing second in their group. A surprise draw against DR Congo was followed by a dominant 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, where Ronaldo scored twice to move past Eusebio's tally of nine FIFA World Cup goals. A defeat to Colombia, however, denied them top spot and set up a difficult meeting with Croatia.

Despite Portugal's uneven performances, Bhutia expects Roberto Martinez's side to improve in the knockout phase.

"I do not see Croatia knocking them out. Portugal are definitely contenders, though we have not seen them play like one so far. But knockout stages are different... I think we will see a different side to them in the knockouts," Bhutia said.

He added that Portugal's biggest advantage is their strength across the squad rather than relying solely on Ronaldo.

"Portugal has the overall quality to get the job done. They have players who can make a massive difference on their own," he said, while adding that the team's midfield must continue creating opportunities for their veteran striker.

Croatia bounced back from an opening defeat to England with wins over Ghana and Panama to reach the knockout stage. After finishing runners-up in 2018 and securing third place in 2022, they remain one of the most experienced teams in tournament football.

However, Bhutia believes the current Croatian side lacks the pace and quality of previous generations.

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

Bhutia feels Croatia's hopes of upsetting Portugal will largely depend on Modric's influence in midfield.

"If Croatia is to get anything out of this match, Luka Modric absolutely has to have the bigger impact. Portugal do not solely rely on Ronaldo, but Croatia will absolutely have to look towards Modric today," he said.

Assessing the tactical battle, Bhutia believes Portugal's attacking quality should prove decisive, although he identified one area of concern.

"Portugal's attacking style will prevail, especially if they can transition and attack faster," he said. "One weakness, however, is the lack of a true defensive midfielder who can consistently win balls and transition play from defence to attack."

He added that Portugal already possess "great attacking midfielders, an excellent frontline, and two full-backs who love to attack", but need more balance in the centre of the pitch to dominate crucial midfield battles.