Not for the primary time, Portugal’s destiny on the 2022 World Cup is intently tied to Ronaldo.
Earlier World Cup appearances: 7
Titles: 0
Greatest end: Semi-finals (1966, 2006)
World Cup Report: W14 D6 L10
Objectives scored: 49
Largest win: 7-0 (North Korea 2010)
Participant to observe: Cristiano Ronaldo
Present rating: ninth
Fixtures: Ghana (November 24), Uruguay (November 28), South Korea (December 2)
The Portugal soccer staff is synonymous with one Cristiano Ronaldo.
So unsurprisingly, the narrative across the nation’s upcoming World Cup marketing campaign is formed by the truth that it's his ultimate bow on this stage, his final probability to win Portugal its first World Cup.
There are a couple of groups within the soccer world as mercurial as Portugal.
Previously decade, they’ve reached the Euro semi-finals (2012), received their first main trophy (Euro 2016) and likewise lifted the inaugural Nations League title in 2019. It’s arguably the best period in Portuguese soccer and but, they’ve been abysmal within the intervening World Cups.
Portugal hasn’t made it to the quarter-finals since 2006.
In 2014, they have been knocked out within the group phases. 4 years later, they have been eradicated within the spherical of 16.
Previously three World Cups, they’ve received simply three matches. Ronaldo is but to attain within the knockout phases of a World Cup.
Who have they got of their group?
The Seleção das Quinas is the highest-ranked staff of their group of South Korea, Uruguay and Ghana and are anticipated to prime it.
The standout fixture will likely be their match towards Uruguay, the staff that knocked them out of Russia 2018.
One of many nation’s three wins previously three World Cups got here towards Ghana, who have been in Portugal’s group at Brazil 2014.
Qualification and kind
A loss to Serbia of their final qualifier consigned Portugal to the playoffs, the place they held their nerve towards Turkey after which North Macedonia to seal their spot on the World Cup.
They've develop into specialists in these high-stakes encounters – that is the third consecutive World Cup they've certified for by means of the playoffs.
“The perfect is but to come back, I can’t be extra particular than that. The perfect is but to come back and it'll come this 12 months,” mentioned supervisor Federico Santos after their win over the Czech Republic in September.
The Ronaldo issue
At 37, Ronaldo will not be the pressure he as soon as was.
Regardless of scoring 24 targets for Manchester United final season, Portugal’s document scorer has discovered himself on the fringes of the squad this 12 months.
Whereas Santos stays unperturbed by Ronaldo’s latest woes and has assured him of a spot in his beginning lineup, his inclusion is an enormous level of rivalry amongst Portuguese followers.
Ronaldo has scored 5 targets in his final 10 appearances for Portugal. All 5 targets got here in two video games.
As is the case at United, the controversy over Ronaldo is that in accommodating him within the XI, the staff loses its steadiness. Furthermore, with gamers like Bernado Silva, João Félix, Rafael Leão and Bruno Fernandes, Portugal has no scarcity of attacking choices.
Not for the primary time, Portugal’s destiny on the World Cup is intently tied to Ronaldo. Besides, this time it’s not in the best way we’d think about.
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