Gonçalo Ramos rescued Portugal with a stoppage-time header to seal a 2-1 victory over Croatia on Thursday, ending Luka Modrić's fifth and final bid to reach a World Cup final.

Ramos connected with a Rafael Leão cross deep into added time, sending Portugal through and eliminating the Croats in dramatic fashion. The goal came after Croatia had threatened to force extra time, turning what had looked like a comfortable Portugal win into a nervy finish.

Cristiano Ronaldo had given Portugal the lead from the penalty spot earlier in the match, but he was watching events unfold from the bench when Ramos delivered the decisive moment. It was a bittersweet image — the all-time great reduced to a spectator as a younger teammate took centre stage at the tournament.

For Modrić, the result marks the end of a long and distinguished World Cup journey. The Croatia captain, widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, was unable to add a World Cup final appearance to his remarkable career — a quest he had pursued across five separate tournaments.

Portugal advance to the next stage of the competition, buoyed by the contributions of both their veteran superstar and the emerging talent stepping up to complement him.