World Cup 2026 Betting Portugal vs. Croatia prediction: 2026 World Cup picks, odds, best bets By Erich Richter Published July 2, 2026, 2:00 p.m. ET Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal on Thursday. AFP via Getty Images See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google Perhaps the marquee match of the day on Thursday as Portugal battles Croatia for a place in the last 16 at the World Cup.
At 7 p.m. ET, Os Navegadores, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, come in as -125 favorites on the three-way moneyline and a high price of -350 to advance, according to bet365.
A lot of respect as always for a solid Portuguese side that prefers to dominate possession and attack in waves, led by Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, while Ronaldo is relied on to finish chances on crosses and headers.
Croatia wants to slow it down, control the tempo, and beat its opposition on the break.
Luka Modrić battles against Ronaldo in a classic old guard battle in the Round of 32 of the World Cup, with Modrić as high as +900 to score (DraftKings) while Ronaldo is +110 (FanDuel).
Midfield will be a chess match, considering Portugal has a high-energy midfield while Croatia features a veteran-filled unit that hopes to beat them stylistically.
So far in the tournament, Portugal has 3.77 xG, while Croatia has just 2.76 xG.
If you expect this Portuguese squad to dominate the midfield, where Croatia has been leaky, you’d expect Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martínez, to be able to navigate them to a mostly painless victory.
I’ll take Portugal to win on Thursday in a big way as the far more trustworthy group to win inside 90 minutes.
Croatia’s Luka Modric has one more chance in the World Cup. AP Photo/Matt Rourke Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps Check out the best sports betting sites and apps Ronaldo to score at +110 isn’t quite good enough for me, as some sharp betting shops in Vegas have as high as +125, which is where I’d be happier to wager on the prop.
THE PLAY: Portugal wins in 90 minutes (-125, DraftKings) | Ronaldo to score if odds get to +125-range
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
