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
Finest end: Semi-finals (1966, 2006)
World Cup Report: W14 D6 L10
Targets scored: 49
Greatest 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 group 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 closing bow on this stage, his final likelihood to win Portugal its first World Cup.
There are a number of groups within the soccer world as mercurial as Portugal.
Prior to now decade, they’ve reached the Euro semi-finals (2012), received their first main trophy (Euro 2016) and in addition 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.
Prior to now three World Cups, they’ve received simply three matches. Ronaldo is but to attain within the knockout phases of a World Cup.
![Mercurial Portugal going through uphill job at World Cup 2022 - Fifa Information 7 ronaldo](https://i0.wp.com/fifanews.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mercurial-Portugal-facing-uphill-task-at-World-Cup-2022.jpg?w=1170)
Who have they got of their group?
The Seleção das Quinas is the highest-ranked group of their group of South Korea, Uruguay and Ghana and are anticipated to prime it.
The standout fixture can be their match towards Uruguay, the group that knocked them out of Russia 2018.
One of many nation’s three wins prior to now three World Cups got here towards Ghana, who have been in Portugal’s group at Brazil 2014.
Qualification and type
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 turn out to be specialists in these high-stakes encounters – that is the third consecutive World Cup they’ve certified for by means of the playoffs.
“The most effective is but to come back, I can’t be extra particular than that. The most effective is but to come back and it’ll come this 12 months,” stated supervisor Federico Santos after their win over the Czech Republic in September.
![Mercurial Portugal going through uphill job at World Cup 2022 - Fifa Information 8 bruno](https://i0.wp.com/fifanews.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/1667837667_55_Mercurial-Portugal-facing-uphill-task-at-World-Cup-2022.jpg?w=1170)
The Ronaldo issue
At 37, Ronaldo just isn’t the drive he as soon as was.
Regardless of scoring 24 objectives for Manchester United final season, Portugal’s report scorer has discovered himself on the fringes of the squad this 12 months.
Whereas Santos stays unperturbed by Ronaldo’s current 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 objectives in his final 10 appearances for Portugal. All 5 objectives got here in two video games.
As is the case at United, the talk over Ronaldo is that in accommodating him within the XI, the group loses its stability. 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 way in which we’d think about.