TORONTO — Fans in Toronto are expected to turn out in droves today to watch Portugal take on Croatia at the FIFA World Cup, despite a stifling heat wave and some event cancellations.
The Round-of-32 match is the final game of the international tournament to be played at Toronto Stadium.
It could possibly be the final World Cup match of Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary career, and videos posted to social media show hundreds of fans waiting outside the team’s hotel and practice site in the city yesterday to catch a glimpse of the soccer star.
More fans are expected to come to Toronto in waves for the city’s last match, despite an extreme weather forecast.
A heat warning is in place for Toronto, with the humidity at kickoff expected to make it feel like 42 C, and a strong thunderstorm set to come in the evening.
The city says in a notice that today’s match broadcasts at Nathan Phillips Square have been cancelled due to the extreme heat forecast, but the FIFA Fan Festival will still be open with heat relief measures including misting stations and drinking water trailers.
Either Ronaldo or Croatia’s Luka Modric will likely have their World Cup career come to an end.
Ronaldo has another chance to record his first goal in the knockout rounds of the tournament. Despite being the first player to score in six different World Cups, the 41-year-old megastar has yet to score when it matters most. Portugal will need him to make a difference to avoid elimination.
Modric earned his 200th international cap for Croatia just over a week ago at the stadium in Toronto in a crucial win for his squad over Panama. At 40 years old, he’s still a pillar of Croatia’s midfield, having led the team to second- and third-place finishes in the last two World Cups and will be crucial against Portugal. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic expects the match to be decided at his position.
“Luka Modric is a great reference for all football players and even more to me because he’s the centre midfielder. We have exchanged our jerseys,” Portugal’s Vitinha said. “He’s a great person from what I was able to share with him. Hopefully, tomorrow he’ll be a little bit sadder than me.”
Players on both sides are aware the chance to advance is somewhat overshadowed by the two stars who were once teammates at Real Madrid for six seasons.
“We have a lot of motives to have the ambition to want to win tomorrow, not just because of the World Cup,” Vitinha said. “We individually and as a team, we want to win, we want to go to the next phase, for our whole country, for our parents, for our family, for our friends, for the Ugushta, and of course, for Cristiano as well.”