For almost an hour, Cristiano Ronaldo looked as frustrated in Toronto as he has looked at any time during this World Cup.

Croatia eliminated them from the competition; His movement rarely got the passes he wanted, and the chances that came his way either went inches wide or ended with the offside flag raised. The Portugal captain managed only 17 touches in the first half and failed to register a shot from open play or a single touch inside Croatia’s penalty area, despite his team dominating possession and territory.

And yet, by going full-time, he finally achieved what he had spent two decades pursuing.

Ronaldo’s calmly taken penalty helped Portugal recovered from defeat and defeated Croatia 2-1. And, more importantly for them, they erased the only gap left in their extraordinary World Cup performance.

But when the 41-year-old finally passed the last statistical milestone that had eluded him, the Portuguese left Toronto with another conversation altogether.

Goncalo Ramos’s match-winning header and Roberto Martínez’s willingness to replace his captain have suddenly made the build-up to the round of 16 with Spain far more interesting than just a few hours ago.

This isn’t necessarily a debate about whether Ronaldo should start or not. This is a debate over what gives Portugal its best chance against one of the strongest opponents left in the tournament.

the game never got ronaldo

Portugal probably played some of its best football of the World Cup in the first half without Ronaldo involved.

Rafael Leao was tireless down the left, Pedro Neto constantly stretched Croatia’s defense and Bruno Fernandes repeatedly found space between the lines. Portugal created chances, but they rarely reached the areas where Ronaldo wanted them.

A Neto cross went inches wide of his diving header. Another teasing delivery flashed untouched into the six-yard box. A trademark free-kick hit the wall, before an offside flag denied his chance of success.

Croatia deserves huge credit for this.

Marin Pongracic and Josip Sutalo squeezed every yard around Ronaldo, while Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic continued to build for Portugal through wide areas rather than feeding their captain through the middle.

The game was revolving around Ronaldo rather than him, a sign of age and the passing of time for a player who has spent two decades being the center of almost every Portugal attack.

The numbers reflected this. Ronaldo completed 19 of his 20 passes but created no chances, attempted no dribbles and finished with only one shot in 81 minutes, a penalty.

Ronaldo’s first World Cup knockout goal

Portugal’s equalizer came when Renato Veiga was pulled down inside the box during a corner. VAR is finally giving a penalty After a long review. And from the moment of the decision to the time the cameras reached the 12-yard spot, there was no doubt in the entire world as to who would take it.

Ronaldo fired the penalty straight into the center to score his 11th World Cup goal and, ultimately, his first goal in the knockout stage. A moment that had somehow eluded him in six tournaments despite everything he had achieved in international football.

The goal changed the atmosphere in the stadium, but it did not immediately change the pattern of the game.

Martínez’s quadruple attacking substitution left Portugal dangerously open through midfield after Ivan Perisic had put Croatia ahead. Kovacic repeatedly drove into wide spaces, hitting the post and forcing Diogo Costa into another superb save as Croatia looked the more dangerous side.

With nine minutes remaining, Ronaldo’s turn came.

The Portugal coach added Ruben Neves, sacrificing his captaincy for more control in the midfield. Ronaldo did not hide his disappointment, but the substitution was probably the manager’s first correct decision at this World Cup.

More than just another forward, Portugal needed another midfielder.

Martínez made a big call.

Luckily for him, it worked.

Enter: Super Sab Ramos

Neves helped restore the balance, Portugal regained control and then came the decisive moment.

Leão, Portugal’s most talented attacker all evening, sent a cross towards the far post, where Goncalo Ramos rose above two Croatian defenders to almost score the winner with his first meaningful involvement.

Ronaldo was the first player off the bench to celebrate with him.

It was an appropriate image. A striker has finally completed his World Cup story. The other just made sure it would continue.

Ramos’ contribution shouldn’t automatically turn this into a baseless Ronaldo-versus-Ramos debate. Both offer completely different properties.

Ronaldo has the biggest presence in this Portuguese team. His movement inside the box, composure in decisive moments and clear aura make him a player that opponents must reckon with.

Ramos, meanwhile, brings something different.

He applies constant pressure, stretches defensive lines with his running and gives Portugal more mobility without the ball. Against Croatia, he needed only one real chance to show why Martínez continues to trust him.

With Spain waiting this difference suddenly matters a lot more.

Spain offers a different exam

Croatia exposed a weakness that Portugal cannot overcome in the Round of 16.

Once Martínez chased the game by flooding the pitch with attackers, Portugal lost complete control of the midfield. Kovacic repeatedly burst into the center, Perisic found space to create from wide areas and Croatia thought they had taken extra time on three separate occasions, before VAR ruled them out each time.

Spain is unlikely to be so forgiving.

Luis de la Fuente’s side certainly look to be the most balanced team after France at this World Cup.

A tiki-taka show of controlling the match through midfield before pressing the opponents without the ball. If Croatia could create those positions, Spain would be confident that they could exploit them even more ruthlessly.

That’s why the biggest question before the Round of 16 is not just whether Ronaldo will start or not.

The point is whether Martinez prioritizes experience or balance.

He has already shown against Croatia that emotions will not dictate his decisions. With the game hanging in the balance, replacing Ronaldo required conviction, although we have seen little of that from the boss or the team.

Whether he goes a step further against Spain is a different question, but Ramos’s winner at least showed him the inevitable existence of an option.

Ramos hasn’t displaced Ronaldo with a header, nor should a performance erase everything the captain still has to offer.

But against a Spain team that on paper appears to be one of the favorites for the tournament, Martínez now has a tactical decision that did not seem as complex as it faced Croatia.

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