The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in international men’s football. The team is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal was not invited to participate in the inaugural 1930 World Cup, which only featured countries from Europe.
They took part in their first World Cup in 1934, where they reached the semi-finals. They then participated in 1938 but failed to make it past the first round. After a long hiatus, Portugal finally qualified for their third World Cup in 1966.
The country reached the semi-finals but lost to eventual champions England. In subsequent tournaments, they failed to make it past the first round on three occasions and did not qualify for another World Cup until 1986.
Since then, Portugal has qualified for every edition of the World Cup, except for 2018. They have also reached the semi-finals on two occasions: in 2006 and 2010. In terms of FIFA rankings, Portugal was ranked 5th in the world in July 2014. However, they dropped to 8th place after their group-stage exit at the 2018 World Cup. As of June 2022, they are ranked 9th again.
Portugal National Football Team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal’s first international match was played against Spain in Madrid on 1 October 1884, a 0–3 defeat. The youngest player to ever start for Portugal was 17-year-old Paulo Futre, who started against Cyprus in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 12 November 1985.
As of March 2018, the Portuguese Football Federation has 101,139 registered players, of which 547 are professionals and 54 are women’s national team players. The federation also has 779 registered futsal teams and 7,132 registered beach soccer teams. In addition, there are 3,315 grassroots football clubs affiliated with the federation.
Portugal’s highest FIFA World Ranking was second place, reached in August 2007 and again in April 2008. Its lowest ranking was 85th place, achieved in September 2013. In 2014 FIFA awarded Portugal’s national team with the FIFA Fair Play Trophy due to its “exemplary behavior” during the 2014 World Cup Qualification campaign; this was the first time that a country had won this award more than once.
Portugal World Cup 2022 Schedule
The Portugal national football team is set to compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The team is currently ranked 4th in the world and will be looking to improve on their performance from the 2018 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Uruguay.
Portugal’s first game of the tournament will be against Spain on June 15th, followed by games against Morocco and Iran in Group B. Should Portugal progress to the knockout stages, they could potentially face any one of England, France, Argentina, or Brazil in the Round of 16.
With a talented squad that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Felix, Portugal will be hoping to go deep into the tournament and bring home their first-ever World Cup title.
Portugal Squad
Portugal’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been announced.
Fernando Santos’ side will be looking to build on their impressive showing at Euro 2016, where they lost out to eventual champions France in the final.
The majority of the squad that reached that final two years ago has been retained, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Moutinho all included.
There are a few new faces too, with Goncalo Guedes and Ruben Dias both receiving their first senior call-ups.
Here is the full Portugal squad for the 2022 World Cup:
- GK: Diogo Costa (Porto)
- GK: Rui Patrício (Roma)
- GK: Jose Sa (Wolves)
- DF: Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
- DF: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)
- DF: Nuno Mendes (PSG)
- DF: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
- DF: Antonio Silva (Benfica)
- DF: Pepe (Porto)
- DF: Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
- DF: Danilo Pereira (PSG)
- MF: Joao Palhinha (Fulham)
- MF: Matheus Nunes (Wolves)
- MF: William Carvalho (Real Betis)
- MF: Ruben Neves (Wolves)
- MF: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- MF: Joao Mario (Benfica)
- MF: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
- MF: Vitinha (PSG)
- MF: Otavio (Porto)
- FW: Joao Felix (Atlético Madrid)
- FW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
- FW: Goncalo Ramos (Benfica)
- FW: Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
- FW: Ricardo Horta (Braga)
- FW: Andre Silva (RB Leipzig)
Portugal’s Group Stage Opponents (As On 30 Nov 2022)
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes starred with two goals as Fernando Santos’ men won 2-0 against its South American opponent.
To finish first in the group, Portugal just needs one point at its game against South Korea, or else it could clinch a top spot with a loss and as long as Ghana doesn’t beat Portugal’s goal difference.
Who might Portugal be playing in the Round of 16?
If Portugal finishes first in Group H, they will next face the second-place team in Group G.
Brazil is in a prime position to take first place in Group G. It’s now a three-way tie between Switzerland, Cameroon, and Serbia for the runner-up spot.
The European game on the fifteenth will be Serbia and Switzerland, while the African game on the twentieth will be Cameroon versus Brazil.
Portugal’s Path to the Final
After a disappointing group stage exit at the 2014 World Cup, Portugal will be looking to redeem themselves at this year’s tournament. They have been drawn into a tough group with Spain and Morocco, but they will fancy their chances of making it out of the group stage.
Portugal’s main strength lies in their attack, which is spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo. They also have a solid defense, which will be key in keeping them in games against tougher opponents. If they can make it out of the group stage, they will be a tough team to beat in the knockout rounds.
How Portugal Can Win the World Cup
If you had to ask any Portuguese fans who they think can win the World Cup, the answer would be an emphatic “Portugal!” The Selecao have a strong squad, with world-class players in every position, and they are led by one of the best coaches in the business Fernando Santos.
There is no doubt that Portugal has what it takes to win the World Cup. They proved it by winning Euro 2016 against all the odds, and they will be looking to do the same in Qatar this summer, despite the fact that they never won a world cup hitherto.
The biggest challenge for Portugal will be getting out of a tough group that includes Spain, Morocco, and Iran. But if they can do that, then they will have a real chance of going all the way and lifting the trophy.
Expectations from Ronaldo in World cup 2022
As the captain of Portugal, Ronaldo is expected to lead his team to victory at the World Cup in 2022. He is a world-class footballer with a proven track record of success, and he will be expected to perform at his best in order to help Portugal win the tournament.
Ronaldo is a goal-scoring machine, and he will be expected to score plenty of goals throughout the tournament. He is also a gifted playmaker, and he will be responsible for creating chances for his teammates. Ronaldo is a world-class athlete, and he will need to be in peak physical condition if he is to lead Portugal to glory.
In order for Portugal to have any chance of winning the World Cup, Ronaldo will need to be at his very best. He has the ability to make the difference between winning and losing, and he will be expected to carry his team through tough times. Ronaldo is a true leader, and he will inspire his teammates with his performances on the pitch.
Conclusion
Portugal is one of the favorites to win the World Cup in 2022 and they have a very strong squad. They have a lot of experienced players, as well as some young talents that could make a big difference. Their winning chances will undoubtedly be high and we can’t wait to see how they perform on the biggest stage.
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