Portugal travels to the World Cup in the hopes of winning the coveted golden trophy and getting Cristiano Ronaldo the attention he deserves.
The pressure on the Selecao, who are competing in their eighth World Cup with the hope of becoming the first team ever to reach the final and make history, has only increased as a result of Ronaldo’s self-inflicted media circus.
Portugal confirmed squad for the World Cup
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Patricio
Defenders: Pepe, Ruben Dias,Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Danilo Pereira, Antonio Silva, Nuno Mendes, Raphael Guerreiro
Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Joao Palhinha, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Mario, Otavio Monteiro, William Carvalho, Matheus Nunes, Vitinha
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Goncalo Ramos, Andre Silva, Joao Felix, Ricardo Horta, Rafael Leao
Over the past few months, Portugal has suffered a number of serious injuries that have dashed the dreams of some well-known players.
Diogo Jota, a forward for Liverpool, appeared to have recovered from a hamstring injury in time for the competition, but in October, he developed a calf issue that forced him to sit out alongside Pedro Neto and Ricardo Pereira.
Players to watch
Bernardo Silva
One of the finest players on the planet and the playmaker for Manchester City, Bernardo Silva, will undoubtedly be essential to Portugal’s success this winter. In 72 appearances, he has 24 assists, three of which came in his last five contests.
Rafael Leao
Leao, the Serie A MVP and a high-value target for Chelsea, has quickly established himself as a top forward with the ability to wreck havoc from the left wing. With only 11 caps to his name, he is still a relative novice on the international stage, but Jota’s absence means that he will probably see plenty of playing time.
Cristiano Ronaldo
It’s debatable right now whether Ronaldo still ranks among Portugal’s best players, but there’s no denying that, when motivated, the 37-year-old is capable of winning any match by himself. As the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, he will try to extend his lead over the competition.
Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes, a teammate of Ronaldo’s at Manchester United, is optimistic about the World Cup after his club team’s recent success. He has nine goals and eight assists to his name for his nation, and he anticipates reaching double digits for both by the end of the competition.
Although Portugal had a strong 2022, but it wasn’t always possible to determine what you’ll get from them. They did draw 1-1 with Spain on foreign soil before having lost the rematch at home. A week later, they lost to the same team. Santos’ team can undoubtedly defeat anyone on their best day, but if they don’t put everything together, they are defeatable.
Although Portugal may be the most well-known team in Group H, it is unclear whether they are the best. They were paired with a very tough Uruguayan team that will have no fear in their quest to win the group.
Portugal will likely have to prevail in their group, which won’t be easy, to avoid Switzerland or Brazil if they qualify from their group as predicted. Switzerland and Brazil should finish in that order in Group G.
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