Colombia tops Group 11 after goalless draw with Portugal; Ronaldo's side to face Croatia in last 32

Colombia and Portugal played out a tense 0-0 draw in their final Group 11 match at the 2026 World Cup, a result that handed the South American side top spot on seven points and left Cristiano Ronaldo's team second on five. The stalemate confirmed both teams' progression to the round of 32, but with sharply divergent paths.

Colombian pressure and disallowed goal

Colombia dominated early. Jhon Córdoba missed a header from close range in the first minute after Luis Díaz's shot was blocked. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa thwarted Córdoba again in the 17th minute and later watched a Santiago Arias effort cleared off the line by João Neves. James Rodríguez orchestrated attacks throughout, and Colombia kept pressing in the second half, forcing saves from Costa via Jefferson Lerma and Arias. In stoppage time, Davinson Sánchez headed in what looked like the winner, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside decision.

Portuguese opportunities and Vargas's saves

Portugal grew into the game midway through the first period. Bruno Fernandes found space in the box and forced a reflex save from Camilo Vargas in the 39th minute. Moments later, João Félix's acrobatic volley floated just over the crossbar. Ronaldo curled a free-kick into Vargas's hands and later had a one-on-one that he could not convert. On multiple occasions, Vargas preserved the clean sheet, with his instinctive stop on Fernandes proving pivotal.

Knockout stage matchups

As group winners, Colombia will face Ghana in Kansas City, while Portugal must overcome Croatia in Toronto. Third-placed Congo meet England in Atlanta, according to the confirmed round-of-32 bracket. The result also means that a potential meeting between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi can now only happen in the final.