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Portugal and Spain will face off in the Round of 16 of the on Monday, July 6, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (Arlington), Texas, in one of the most exciting matchups of the tournament's knockout stage.
The was determined following the results of the round of 16 held on July 2, the first knockout round that includes, for the first time, this expanded World Cup featuring 48 teams.
Portugal reached this point as the second place finisher in Group K with five points, resulting from a draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1-1), a thrashing of Uzbekistan (5-0), and another scoreless draw against Colombia (0-0), with a goal difference of +5.
In the round of 16, the Portuguese staged a comeback against Croatia at BMO Field in Toronto. Ivan Perišić put the Croatians ahead in the 53rd minute, Cristiano Ronaldo equalized with a penalty in the 68th, and Gonçalo Ramos secured qualification with a last-minute goal in the 90+4 minute, completing the turnaround from 0-1 to 2-1.
Ronaldo, with that goal, scored in six different World Cups and reached 10 World Cup goals, setting a historic record for the Portuguese national team in the competition.
Spain, for its part, dominated Group H with seven points and a stronger performance: it drew 0-0 against Cape Verde in the first match, thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in the second, and ended the group stage with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay.
In the round of 16, la Roja defeated Austria with a resounding 3-0 at the SoFi Stadium, thanks to a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal in the 36th and 89th minutes, along with a goal from Pedro Porro in the 66th. Lamine Yamal and Álex Baena have also been standout names for the team throughout the tournament.
Spain is the only team in the tournament that has not conceded a goal: eight in favor and none against in four matches played, a statistic that makes it the most solid defensive squad in the World Cup.
The rivalry has a significant recent precedent that adds intensity to the matchup: in the final of the UEFA Nations League 2024-25, Portugal defeated Spain in a penalty shootout after drawing 2-2 in regulation time, with a shootout score of 5-3 that snatched the title from the Spaniards.
In the overall history dating back to 1921, Spain has a clear advantage with 17 victories compared to Portugal's six in 40 matches, although recent years have shown a greater balance between the two teams.
AT&T Stadium in Dallas, with a capacity of 71,000 spectators, will host a match that will determine which of the two European powerhouses advances to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
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