By Tyler Erzberger0ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.World Cup fever is at full blast, and with teams finishing up their final tune-up friendlies before the biggest iteration of the global tournament in history, 48 nations believe they can make magic happen this summer.
One of those teams is Portugal, which wants to be the first team since Spain in 2010 to win their first-ever World Cup.
Can 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo finish his story like rival Lionel Messi did at the 2022 World Cup, or will he retire without ever kissing the most prestigious trophy in the sport?
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Game of the Group: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
While Portugal vs. Colombia is the sexy matchup of the group, I have my eyes on Portugal, trying to be a debutant winner, taking on a nation playing in their first-ever World Cup.
Uzbekistan is going to be overlooked in this group, but they have a strong defense, led by Manchester City center-back Abdukodir Khusanov.
Portugal are prone to getting upset in the group stage, and though I don't think Uzbekistan has the attack to beat the group favorites, I do think that Ronaldo and company might only grab a point against the Asian nation.
Player of the Group: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Al-Nassr FC)
It has to be Ronaldo, right? Regardless of whether he is sitting, standing, or stretching, the camera will be on the living legend at all times during Portugal's games.
He can still score with the best of them, even if the other parts of his game have fallen off with age. Rafael Leão and João Félix were supposed to be his successors, and although they both might start alongside Ronaldo in the tournament, neither has truly grabbed the throne away from the man seeking 1,000 goals.
Luckily for Portugal and Ronaldo, they might have the best collection of midfielders in the competition, anchored by Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinha and Premier League Player of the Year, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.
...Group Prediction
While Portugal has question marks, they are still the class of this quartet. Colombia has some fantastic forwards, notably Luis Díaz and Luis Suárez (no, not the biting one), but it has shortcomings in the defense and midfield.
DR Congo are the opposite: more similar to Uzbekistan, which will try to grind out wins, but overall less talented than the Central Asian team.
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia to see who wins between the battle of defense and offense will be fun, but I'll still give the edge to the team with more experience from South America.
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- DR Congo