Ronaldo Nets 1st World Cup Knockout Goal, Leveling Croatia Tie With 68th-Minute Penalty

Q: Ronaldo's historic goal was a penalty. Is his reliance on set-pieces a liability for Portugal's World Cup ambitions?

Not necessarily. Ronaldo scoring from the spot is not, by itself, a liability for Portugal; it becomes one only if Portugal’s attack depends too heavily on him to produce from dead balls rather than through open play. The evidence cuts both ways. Ronaldo’s knockout-stage record has long invited scrutiny, and analysts have noted that in World Cup knockouts he has often settled for lower-value efforts, with a high share of shots coming from outside the box. That can blunt Portugal’s attack against elite opponents, especially if the team slows down to funnel chances toward a 41-year-old focal point. But Portugal are not a one-dimensional side. The broader reporting around this tournament points to a deep, attack-oriented squad featuring Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Rafael Leao and Nuno Mendes, with Roberto Martinez also leaning into sophisticated set-piece work under assistant Austin MacPhee. In that context, set-pieces are a weapon, not a weakness. Ronaldo’s value is also broader than finishing: he can occupy defenders, act as a decoy and still convert high-pressure moments, as he did against Croatia. The bigger issue for Portugal is balance. If Ronaldo’s goals come mainly from penalties and rehearsed situations while open-play fluency drops, that could limit their ceiling against stronger teams such as Spain. If, however, set-pieces complement a varied attack, his penalty-taking is an asset. Right now, the latter looks closer to the truth.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 2

Cristiano Ronaldo equalized for Portugal in the 68th minute against Croatia, converting a penalty for his first career World Cup knockout-stage goal.
The spot kick came after a Portugal teammate was dragged down in the box, and the 41-year-old drove his stutter-step finish straight down the middle.
The goal was Ronaldo's 11th in World Cup play and his third at the 2026 tournament after scoring twice in the group stage against Uzbekistan.
Portugal's captain is appearing in a record sixth World Cup and remains the only player to score in six editions of the tournament.