Portugal vs. Croatia Picks and Predictions: July 2, 2026
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Thu Jul 02, 2026, 1:45 pm ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
FIFA World Cup
Spread
Total
Moneyline
-0.5
-145
2
+114o
-145
Spread
Total
Moneyline
+1.0
-130
3
+123u
+473
Portugal and Croatia have both been very unimpressive in my eyes so far this World Cup, but the two meet in Toronto in the Round of 32 on Thursday. Both teams finished second in their group, but that was expected of Luka Modric and Croatia, whereas Portugal were supposed to top Group K. They drew with Colombia in their final match, ending up in second place. Regardless, the two sides go head to head today in the knockout rounds. Tap in to our picks below.
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Portugal vs. Croatia FIFA World Cup Betting Insights
Bernardo Silva and Portugal take on Croatia this evening in the Round of 32
Portugal laid a stinker against Congo in their opener, and couldn't get by Colombia either, who is a very tough team. They were very unimpressive during the group stage matches, and even lost the expected goals battle in their two draws. Sure they beat up Uzbekistan, but we expected that.
On the other sideline, Croatia were mauled by England to start the tournament, and then barely squeaked by Ghana and Panama. This Croatian team is well past their prime after going to the 2018 World Cup Final, and they will have their hands full with Portugal tonight. However, part of me thinks they can contain them for at least 90 minutes.
Matchup Information – Portugal vs. Croatia – July 2
- Venue & Location: BMO Field (Toronto, Canada)
- Date: Thursday, July 2, 2026
- Kick Off: 7:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: FOX/Peacock
Portugal vs. Croatia Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of our friends at Lucky Rebel Sportsbook, as of July 2, 2026, at 1:21 p.m. eastern. Sign up today and get a $1,250 deposit bonus as well as 50 slot spins immediately in your account and start betting at the sportsbook with the most competitive odds in the industry, and a wide variety of unique markets not offered anywhere else.
Moneyline
- Portugal -148
- Draw +275
- Croatia +440
To Advance
- Portugal -310
- Croatia +255
Spread
- Portugal -0.5 (-147)
- Croatia +0.5 (+127)
Total
- Over 2.5 (-135)
- Under 2.5 (+115)
Portugal vs. Croatia FIFA World Cup Picks
Luka Modric and Croatia barely moved on to the Round of 32. Now they face Ronaldo and Portugal in Toronto.
Best Bet: Croatia +0.5 (+127) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Plug your nose and bet this with me today. Croatia should know they are outmatched offensively, and will look to play "bully ball" all game long. Their best shot at advancing to the next round is earning a draw, forcing extra time, and taking this into a penalty kick shootout, where things still aren't guaranteed.
Portugal certainly got caught overlooking Congo, and even Colombia, and to be honest, I think they underestimate this Croatian side as well. Back in 2024 in the UEFA Nations League, these two teams played, resulting in a 1-1 draw after Croatia battled from being down a goal early on. Coming off two straight wins, I think this team might have some extra confidence, hopefully enough to at least earn a draw.
Portugal allowed 1.70 expected goals to Colombia while only producing 0.93 of their own. Plus they were saved by VAR late in the match. If Croatia's defense is clicking, things could be tough on Ronaldo and company to find chances, which is how I see this match playing out.
Prediction: 0-0 Draw (+1100)
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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