Only Messi stands ahead of him now
On a humid Miami night, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped onto the world's largest stage for the 25th time, quietly equaling a record set by German legend Lothar Matthaus while Portugal and Colombia played to a goalless draw that nonetheless carried both nations into the knockout rounds. The match itself offered little in the way of spectacle, yet it reminded us that longevity in sport is its own form of greatness — that endurance, as much as brilliance, writes the deepest chapters of a career. Portugal, second in Group K, now turns toward Croatia; Colombia, having topped the group, faces Ghana; and the tournament, still young, begins to sharpen into something more consequential.
- A last-gasp Colombian header that seemed to break the deadlock was wiped away by an offside flag in the 90th minute, leaving both sides to share a draw that felt equal parts relief and frustration.
- Ronaldo was largely anonymous on the night, inviting the familiar scrutiny that trails aging legends, yet his mere presence on the pitch quietly rewrote the record books.
- Portugal's goalkeeper Diogo Costa made six saves — more than in the previous two matches combined — signaling that this was a night when defensive grit, not attacking ambition, defined the contest.
- Both teams advance, but the draw masks a turbulent Portuguese group stage: a shaky opener against Congo, a five-goal statement against Uzbekistan, and now a cautious stalemate before the knockout gauntlet begins.
- In Philadelphia, 40-year-old Luka Modric became the oldest player ever to assist a World Cup goal, ensuring that Portugal's Round of 32 opponent Croatia arrives in Toronto with its own aging icon firing on all cylinders.
The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami offered little drama until the 90th minute, when a Colombian header briefly threatened to end the match with a winner — only for the offside flag to erase it. Portugal and Colombia parted with a 0-0 draw, a result that sent both teams through from Group K: Colombia as group winners with seven points, Portugal as runners-up with five.
For Ronaldo, the scoreless night carried a quieter significance. His 25th World Cup appearance matched Lothar Matthaus's record for second-most in tournament history, with only Lionel Messi's 28 ahead of him. At 39, Ronaldo was subdued — the kind of performance that invites criticism — but the milestone spoke to a durability that transcends any single match. His group stage had been uneven: a 1-1 draw with Congo drew scrutiny, before he answered with a brace in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, becoming the first player to score in six separate World Cups.
Bruno Fernandes came closest to breaking the deadlock, only to be denied by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. Costa, at the other end, was kept unusually busy with six saves before a crowd of over 64,000 that included FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Carlos Valderrama, and Matt Damon.
Elsewhere, Croatia edged Ghana 2-1 in Philadelphia in a match that produced its own record. Luka Modric, at 40, became the oldest player ever to assist a World Cup goal, setting up the winner in the 83rd minute after Ghana had equalized. Young Petar Sucic had opened the scoring with a stunning long-range strike. Croatia finished second in Group L with six points, setting up a Friday encounter with Portugal in Toronto — a meeting of two aging icons, Ronaldo and Modric, on the sport's grandest stage.
The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami fell silent in the 90th minute when Davinson Sanchez rose above the Portugal defense and headed the ball past goalkeeper Diogo Costa. The Colombian defender wheeled away in celebration—then stopped. The flag was up. Offside. The goal was erased, and with it, Colombia's chance to finish the match with a win. Portugal and Colombia walked away from their Group K finale with nothing to show for their efforts: a 0-0 draw that nonetheless sent both teams forward.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the scoreless result carried a different kind of weight. Playing in his 25th World Cup match, the Portugal striker equaled Lothar Matthaus's record for second-most appearances in tournament history. Only Lionel Messi, with 28 matches across his career, stands ahead of him. Ronaldo was largely subdued on the night—the kind of performance that would normally invite criticism—but the milestone itself transcended the match. At 39 years old, he remains a fixture on the world's biggest stage, a fact that speaks to both his durability and the evolution of football itself.
Portugal finished second in Group K with five points from three matches. Colombia topped the group with seven, having opened their World Cup campaign—their first since 2018—with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan and a 1-0 win over Congo. Portugal's path had been more turbulent. They drew 1-1 against Congo in their opener, a result that drew scrutiny of Ronaldo's performance. He responded with a brace in a 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan, becoming the first player ever to score in six separate World Cups. The draw with Colombia, then, felt less like a setback and more like a holding pattern before the knockout stage.
Bruno Fernandes came closest to breaking the deadlock for Portugal in the first half, but Camilo Vargas turned away his effort. Costa, Portugal's goalkeeper, was busier than expected, making six saves—more than the combined total from Portugal's first two group matches. The 64,478 spectators at the Dolphins' home stadium, a crowd that included FIFA President Gianni Infantino, former Colombian star Carlos Valderrama, and actor Matt Damon, witnessed a match defined more by defensive solidity than attacking flair.
Portugal will now face Luka Modric's Croatia in the Round of 32 at Toronto Stadium on Friday. Colombia, having topped their group, will meet Ghana—who qualified as one of the eight best third-place finishers—in Kansas City on Saturday. The path forward is set, even if the path to this moment was less than convincing.
In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Modric wrote another chapter in his own record book. At 40 years old, the Croatian midfielder became the oldest player to record an assist in a World Cup match, setting up Nikola Vlasic's winning goal in Croatia's 2-1 victory over Ghana. Petar Sucic had given Croatia the lead with a stunning 30-yard strike in the 31st minute. Derrick Luckassen equalized for Ghana in the 73rd minute, but Vlasic's header from Modric's corner in the 83rd minute sealed the win. Sucic, at 22 years and 245 days, became the second-youngest player ever to score for Croatia in World Cup history. Modric, playing in his 201st career match, has now featured in all 21 of Croatia's World Cup games since their run to the 2018 final. Croatia finished second in Group L with six points, behind England's seven.
Notable Quotes
Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups, with a brace against Uzbekistan— Match record
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a 0-0 draw feel significant enough to tell? Usually those matches disappear from memory.
Because Ronaldo's 25th appearance ties him to Matthaus—a moment that anchors his place in football history. The draw itself is almost incidental. It's the milestone that matters.
But he played poorly, you said. Doesn't that undercut the achievement?
Not really. The record isn't about this one match. It's about showing up, match after match, tournament after tournament, at an age when most players have retired. The poor performance is almost beside the point.
So Portugal advances despite not playing well. Is that a strength or a weakness going forward?
Both. They're resilient—they can grind out results—but they haven't shown the attacking spark you'd want in knockout football. Croatia will test them immediately.
And Modric setting an assist record at 40—is that the same story?
Similar, but different. Modric's still performing at the highest level, not just showing up. He's actively changing matches. That's rarer at his age.