# Croatia eliminated late; Ronaldo nets first ever knockout goal

Croatia was eliminated from the World Cup after a late goal, while Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in the knockout stages of the tournament. The match marks a historic moment for Ronaldo, who had previously failed to score in knockout rounds. This development reshapes the tournament's narrative as a legendary player finally breaks a long-standing drought.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jul/03/croatia-snicked-off-late-on-and-ronaldo-finally-scores-knockout-goal-world-cup-daily-video) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:42:17 GMT