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Portugal’s celebrations continued long after beating Croatia, with Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates greeting hundreds of jubilant fans outside their Toronto hotel.
(Credit: Screengrabs form X)
Portugal’s dramatic FIFA World Cup Round of 32 victory over Croatia sparked wild celebrations not just inside Toronto Stadium, but hours later outside the team’s hotel, where hundreds of supporters gathered to celebrate with Cristiano Ronaldo and the squad.
Fresh off a thrilling 2-1 comeback win, Portugal’s players were greeted by a sea of red and green as fans lined the streets outside the team hotel, singing, waving flags and chanting long into the night.
The players responded in kind, stepping out onto the hotel balcony to acknowledge the crowd. Ronaldo, who scored Portugal’s equaliser from the penalty spot before Goncalo Ramos netted the stoppage-time winner, was among those who waved and applauded the supporters, drawing deafening cheers.
The celebrations were the perfect ending to a dramatic evening that had kept Portugal fans on edge until the final whistle.
Croatia looked set to pull off an upset after Ivan Perisic’s opener, but Ronaldo calmly converted a second-half penalty to restore parity before Ramos headed home a dramatic winner in the 94th minute.
There was one final scare when Josko Gvardiol thought he had rescued an equaliser deep into stoppage time. However, a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal out for offside, confirming Portugal’s passage to the Round of 16 and triggering emotional celebrations among players and fans alike.
The party quickly spilled beyond the stadium.
Supporters danced through Toronto’s streets, packed Little Portugal restaurants and bakeries, and turned the area around the team hotel into an impromptu fan zone as they serenaded their heroes.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🎥🎥 The legend Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team players celebrate with the large crowd after winning and qualifying for the round of 16 🇵🇹
🤯🤯🤯🤯❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/qdV3yReJg1
– Mousa (@MousaQi) July 3, 2026
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🎥 a full minute; The legend Cristiano Saied after his return to the national team’s headquarters in Toronto 😰❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/mIwJnz03e9
— needy (@CallHimGoat) July 3, 2026
Portugal had already been receiving a rapturous welcome since arriving in Toronto earlier in the week, with hundreds gathering outside the hotel and training base hoping for a glimpse of Ronaldo. After the victory, the players ensured those supporters went home with a moment to remember.
With the celebrations in Toronto complete, Portugal will now shift its attention to an enticing Round of 16 clash against Spain.
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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