Just as any success brings a sense of joy and satisfaction, surrender sows the seeds of desire for greater success. Same goes for Portugal. Won the Euro Championship, got a taste of the Nations League title. All that remains is to kiss the World Cup trophy. Portugal will go to Qatar riding on the shoulders of Ronaldo-Diaz with the desperate desire to fulfill this dream.
On paper, Portugal's weakness is not much. The team has quality footballers in all positions. Many of them also have the experience of winning on the big stage. The team is looking forward to carry the success of Euro 2016 and 2019 Nations League to the World Cup. The Southern European country is also capable of crushing any opponent that stands in the way of achieving the goal.
Recently, however, there has been a small crack in the wall of Portugal's confidence. Their run came to a screeching halt before the finals, losing 1-0 to Spain in the just-concluded Nations League group stage. After that loss, questions have arisen around the lifeblood of the team, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal needed only 1 point against Spain to advance to the semi-finals of the Nations League. Until the 87th minute, they were on the way to the goal. But the rules are left. Alvaro Morata turned the match towards Spain. Former Nations League champions Portugal, along with their supporters, were left in despair.
This loss brings back memories of Portugal's last-minute collapse in World Cup qualification. In November 2021, Santos' team lost 2-1 to Serbia at home. They scored the second goal in the 90th minute. That loss pushed Ronaldo-Danilo to the uncertain and challenging stage of the playoffs. They have managed to step into the World Cup despite difficult obstacles. Fernando Santoso's side are getting a chance to mend their faltering relationship with the fans.
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