Cristiano Ronaldo sparks Portuguese fervor in Toronto ahead of Croatia match

Thousands of Portuguese-Canadians have taken to the streets of Toronto ahead of Portugal's round-of-16 match against Croatia, turning the city into a sea of red and green. The passion for Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41 and playing in his sixth World Cup, has reached fever pitch, with fans blocking highways and surrounding the team hotel Source: Infobae/EFE. Ticket prices have skyrocketed, with resale platforms listing seats for as much as $30,000 Canadian dollars ($21,100 USD) Source: Infobae Colombia.

Fervor in Little Portugal

In the city's Little Portugal neighborhood, bars and streets are packed with supporters. Miguel Da Silva, owner of Amigos Da Dundas Sports Bar, told ABC.es: 'De Cristiano esperamos un milagro' (We expect a miracle from Cristiano). However, not all are fully confident: some fans like Guilherme Nunes Lopes believe Ronaldo should play only 60 minutes, as Portugal's group-stage performances were lackluster Source: ABC.es.

Ticket frenzy

The demand has driven prices far above face value. On SeatGeek, tickets reached $4,558 after earlier peaks, while StubHub listed them from $1,000 to over $3,800 Source: Infobae Colombia. The 45,000-seat Toronto Stadium is expected to be full, with many in the 140,000-strong Portuguese community in the metro area hoping for one last glimpse of their idol Source: Infobae/EFE.

On-field doubts

Despite the excitement, Portugal has struggled, drawing with Congo and Colombia and barely beating Uzbekistan. Critics point to Ronaldo's full-time role under coach Roberto Martínez as a potential liability Source: ABC.es. The match will also mark a likely final World Cup appearance for Croatia's Luka Modrić, adding to the drama.