In a Euro 2024 warm-up match, Croatia defeated Portugal 2-1. The match saw goals from Luka Modric and Ante Budimir for Croatia, with Diogo Jota scoring for Portugal.
The result sparked discussions on social media about Portugal’s reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo, who did not play in the match, and their prospects for Euro 2024.
Luka Modric scored a penalty to help Croatia beat Portugal 2-1 while Spain thumped Northern Ireland in the run-up to the European Championship on Saturday.
The friendly matches were the last for Spain and Croatia before they open the tournament against one another on June 15 in Berlin. They are in a tough Group B along with Italy and Albania.
Spain fine-tuned its attack with a 5-1 rout of Northern Ireland. Pedri González led the way with his first two goals for his nation.
Portugal has one more friendly — against Ireland on Tuesday — before it starts the competition against the Czech Republic on June 18 in Leipzig. Portugal is the favorite in Group F that also includes Turkey and Georgia.
Cristiano Ronaldo never left Portugal’s bench, with coach Roberto Martínez tapping Gonçalo Ramos to spear his attack.
Ronaldo joined Portugal on Friday after finishing his club campaign with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. The 39-year-old is set to make a record sixth appearance at the European Championship. Men’s soccer all-time leading scorer with 128 goals, Ronaldo helped Portugal win the European title in 2016.
Modric beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa to open the scoring in the eighth minute at Portugal’s National Stadium near Lisbon. The 38-year-old Real Madrid midfielder was sent to the penalty spot after Vitinha fouled Mateo Kovacic in the area.
Halftime substitutes Diogo Jota and Nelson Semedo linked up to equalize for the hosts in the 48th, with Semedo assisting the Liverpool forward to tap in.
Ante Budimir restored Croatia’s advantage in the 56th after the Osasuna striker headed in a rebound of a strike by Mario Pašalić that Costa had done well to push onto the crossbar.
Costa twice denied Nikola Vlašić to save Portugal from a heavier defeat.
Modric was substituted in the 54th. His contract with Madrid is set to expire at the end of the month following a season when he lost his starting role in Carlo Ancelotti’s side. But the former Ballon d’Or winner seemed to indicate he wants to continue playing for the Spanish club when he told its fans in the celebrations of Champions League title No. 15 that he would see them “next season.”
Euro 2024 kicks off on Friday when host Germany plays Scotland.
