Portugal face Croatia with Jota anniversary looming and Martínez under fire

Croatia wait in Toronto, and everything is on the line

Your team faces Croatia tonight in the World Cup round of 16 at BMO Field in Toronto (1). One year to the day since Diogo Jota died. The Portuguese federation will honour him before kick-off. The emotion in that stadium is going to be heavy.

This is the bracket everyone circled when the draw came out. Croatia are ageing, Modric is 40, but they do not go quietly. Neither does your captain. Ronaldo against Modric, one more time, with a quarter-final spot at stake.

André Pinotes Batista lit the fuse this week. "Há pelo menos dez treinadores que fariam melhor do que Roberto Martínez com este plantel", at least ten coaches would do better with this squad. The criticism is loud and it is public. Martínez needs a performance tonight, not just a result.

One thing is working. Diogo Costa. One of the best shot-stoppers in the world, and if this goes to penalties, you already know how that story ends. He has done it before on the biggest stage. Croatia know it too.

Portuguese motorcyclists take over Toronto

Hours before kick-off, dozens of Portuguese fans on motorcycles rode through downtown Toronto, flags flying (Reddit). The videos are everywhere. A city 600 kilometres from the stadium, and it already feels like Lisbon.

Fan reactions

The pre-match mood online is tense but expectant. On r/MCFC, the World Cup thread pinned Portugal–Croatia alongside Spain–Austria as the night's headline fixture, with Ruben Dias carrying City interest (Reddit). Over on r/soccer, the motorcycle convoy out of Toronto has fans calling it the most Portuguese thing they have ever seen at a World Cup.