THE CONTENDERS - Last hurrah for a legend
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The last time Portugal played in a World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the country’s greatest-ever player, left the field in tears, with the knowledge that it may have been his last time in the national colours on the world’s biggest stage.
Fast-forward four years and the evergreen Ronaldo is back, leading a team ranked fifth in the world. It is no fluke they are among those genuine contenders for a world title.
Portugal
While the main story surrounding Portugal is the sixth and likely last World Cup for a player who is possibly the nation’s greatest-ever footballing product, hidden in his shadow is a Portuguese team brimming with talent and versatility in every position.
The reigning UEFA Nations League champions will believe they can go all the way this time around and potentially lift their first-ever World Cup title.
To do that, they will lean on the passing of the man who assisted the most goals in the English Premier League, Bruno Fernandes, and veteran attacking midfielder, Bernardo Silva.
The duo will have for company players like Vitinha and Paris Saint-Germain teammate João Neves, while Ronaldo will look for support from names like João Félix, Pedro Neto, and Juventus’ Francisco Conceição.
There is so much talent that the biggest challenge for coach Roberto Martínez is how to put it all together on the biggest stage.
Players to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan
FIFA RANKING
1. Argentina
2. Spain
3. France
4. England
5. Portugal
6. Brazil
7. Morocco
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10. Germany