Spain and Portugal advanced to the 2026 World Cup round of 16 on Thursday following decisive victories over Austria and Croatia.
The results set up a highly anticipated Iberian matchup in Dallas.
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Spain eased past Austria 3-0 in Los Angeles behind a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a goal from Pedro Porro.
The victory extended Spain's winning streak to three matches without conceding a single goal during the tournament.
Goalkeeper Unai Simón broke a historic World Cup record by maintaining a clean sheet for 519 minutes. Winger Lamine Yamal earned the match Most Valuable Player honors.
Meanwhile, Portugal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia. At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first career World Cup knockout stage goal.
A late winner from Gonçalo Ramos deep in stoppage time at the 94th minute sealed qualification amid heavy video assistant referee involvement.
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The match potentially marked the final international appearance for 40-year-old Croatian midfielder Luka Modric.
In other Thursday action, Switzerland defeated Algeria 2-0 to continue their tournament run.
The round-of-32 results finalized several knockout fixtures, including England preparing to face co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca and France scheduled to play Paraguay.
Attention also shifts to the upcoming decisive match for Argentina against Cape Verde.
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Led by joint-top tournament scorer Lionel Messi, the reigning champions aim to secure their place in the round of 16 amid massive fan mobilization.
