- Portugal are unbeaten in their last five matches, with three wins and two draws.
- Croatia are on a winning streak of two matches.
- These two sides have won one each and drawn one of their last three head-to-head matchups.
A clash of styles at the Toronto Stadium
Roberto Martínez has done an excellent job since taking the helm of Portugal on January 9th, 2023, turning them into a possession-first team, capable of shape-shifting on a dime as the full-backs bomb on in a 4-2-3-1 formation or a back three. They're an attack-minded side with enough talent to play that style in their sleep, and their results show it with five wins, four draws and one defeat across their last 10 games in all competitions.
This World Cup has seen the Portuguese dismantle Uzbekistan 5-0 at home and then shutout Colombia to a 0-0 draw away in Group K 2026, so it's clear that they can put the foot down when they want to and also shut the game down if they need to.
Zlatko Dalić has been in charge of Croatia since October 7th, 2017 and his tournament savvy remains a significant factor for this team. They set up in a compact 4-3-3 system and employ a selective press that keeps the midfield tight and the game in control. They've won seven and lost three of their last 10 matches, a much sharper but also less settled run of results than Portugal's.
Croatia's Group L 2026 results saw them edge Panama 1-0 away from home before beating Ghana 2-1 on home soil. These two teams look set for a chess match at midfield between Portugal's verticality and Croatia's controlled, risk-averse approach, and this Portugal vs Croatia preview points to a tense tactical battle.
Under 2.5 goals and both teams to score - no looks good
Portugal are in strong form and it's hard to ignore them at the top of the odds here. They're 1.85 with the draw at 3.2 and Croatia at 4.0. The draw does look a little short, but it's Croatia that we'll be taking here, albeit in the double chance market.
These teams are evenly matched, level with one win each and one draw across their three most recent head-to-heads and this is a tricky game for both of them. The Portuguese have conceded six goals in six home games in all competitions, suggesting they can shut the door if they want to, and Croatia are on a two-game winning streak.
For our Portugal vs Croatia betting tips, under 2.5 goals and both teams to score - no look like the best angle. Croatia have averaged 1.80 goals per away game across all competitions, scoring nine goals in total, so they've got a good shot on the counter-attack. Under 2.5 goals at 1.62 and both teams to score - no at 1.7 looks like a cagey, low-scoring game in Canada on Thursday, which is also why our Portugal vs Croatia prediction leans toward a narrow contest.
