Portugal go into Portugal vs Croatia with a selection call that looks more important than the headline names. Roberto Martinez is expected to bring João Neves back into midfield and keep Bruno Fernandes in the advanced No 10 role behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal did not look fully in control against Colombia, where Diogo Costa made six saves and Portugal faced 24 shots while managing only 13 of their own.

Martinez's midfield choice

The main case for the change is simple enough. João Neves is likely to return after starting Portugal's opening two games before a substitute appearance against Colombia, and his World Cup rating of 7.23 across three appearances and 219 minutes supports the idea that he has been one of the calmer pieces in the middle. Portugal have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the last-32 meeting, so Martinez can treat the tweak as a choice rather than a patch-up job.

Keeping Bruno Fernandes high up the pitch also makes sense. It lets Portugal keep a passer between the lines while Neves helps steady the build-up, and that balance feels more useful than asking Fernandes to do everything from deeper areas. Rúben Dias has a 7.4 rating across two appearances and 189 minutes, so the defensive base has already looked sound enough for Martinez to concentrate on the midfield spacing.

Croatia's veteran core

Croatia are not short on their own selection stability. Zlatko Dalic said Croatia came through their final group-stage victory over Ghana without any new injuries, although he could make a small number of changes. Luka Modrić remains the most obvious reference point, and Joško Gvardiol is expected to return at left-back after being left out against Ghana.

There is still enough quality there to make this awkward. Mateo Kovacic has a 6.7 rating, three appearances, 163 minutes and one assist, while Croatia's group-stage run ended with two wins and one defeat. They also have history on their side in this fixture, with Portugal winning seven of the 10 meetings, Croatia one and two finishing level.

Portugal have been unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions, but this tie feels likely to hinge on whether Neves and Fernandes can help them keep better control through the middle. The next concrete step is the last-32 meeting itself, where Martinez's selection will be judged against Croatia's veteran core.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →