Portugal road to Russia 2018 World Cup
Portugal has overcome its amateurish persona of decades past to become one of Europe strongest squads, thanks to the dedication and impressive performances of masterful players, and while their roster has aged more than we would probably like, their chances to make a lasting impact in the upcoming Russia World Cup are greater than ever before. We might be witnessing the onset of a wonderful and exciting new stage in the history of the Quinas that follows the tremendous success they enjoyed when they took back home the 2016 European Championship trophy. Check Portugal Betting Odds here.
Ronaldo's team, led by veteran coach Fernando Santos, took the top position of their group after a string of victories that put in evidence the raw and unstoppable talent of fresh new faces like that of midfielder Andre Silva, who scored a total of 9 goals throughout the qualification matches; he's steadily become a star of European soccer, alongside the local home brands of the legendary Ronaldo and defensive stalwarts like Jose Fonte and Pepe. An initial confrontation with Switzerland that lacked the support of Real Madrid's most famous attacker saw the Portuguese squad lose by a margin of two goals to nothing, but later, in September of 2016, the onslaught of the competition begun with a 6-0 defeat of the Faroe Islands, spearheaded by some very classy goals by Silva. Soon after, Portugal regained its pride by putting off the Swiss team in a difficult game with the aid of another shot by the AC Milan front-man.
Portugal Key Players
Coach Santos and his team set out an extensive preparation schedule ahead of the World Cup that included games against Salah's Egypt -which they won with a 2-1 score- and a messy little faux pas versus the Dutch ensemble. They will be facing Tunisia, Belgium and Algeria prior to their Russian engagements. Fernando Santos, who is well into his 60s, has been at Portugal's helm since 2015, slowly refining and perfecting the use of its very capable keys for a nearly flawless result; the success of Portugal's European Championship bid is proof of his unquestionable knowhow and sagacity. Even though Santos is signed to stay on the job for another 2 years, this will likely be the last participation for Ronaldo, Moutinho and Quaresma.
Important figures like Fabio Coentrao failed to have a more regular presence during the qualifying stage due to constant injuries, but might be able to be part of his team's star final configuration; Portugal is expected to put other star elements on the field during their World Cup run, that includes goalkeepers Rui Patricio and Beto, plus defenders Jose Fonte, Bruno Alves, Ricardo and midfielders Joao Moutinho, Adrian Silva and William Carvalho. The Quinas will face an unique test when they unbench Bernardo Silva and Joao Mario, who've been left of out the action within their respective foreign leagues. Ronaldo and co. enjoy a good deal of support by odds makers, with World Cup betting odds that average between 20 and 25 to win in the outright winner category.
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