noted Mary Waltz.
“I’m in Portugal fanzone in Lisboa. Its hot. And the drinks are expensive for here. Bruno cannot play with Ronaldo. Hopefully it’s the last we see of this egomaniac”
remarked Richard Hirst.
“My partner and I are currently spending a week driving through Spain on our way to the Algarve to spend a week with family. I can’t bear the thought of being in Portugal with the preening one still involved, so Spain have to get it done tonight for all our sakes. I suspect that if they do we won’t get any sleep tonight, given the number of very well populated tapas bars around us, but it will be a price worth paying”
suggested David Wall.
“You say that this will be Ronaldo’s last game for Portugal if they lose here but he’s a friend of Trump, isn’t he, so perhaps we shouldn’t presume anything in case the President puts in a word before the relevant quarter final”
The victor in this matchup will go on to challenge either the USA or Belgium this Friday in Inglewood, California. You might have heard about today’s other game.
In a remarkable display, Spain has managed to create a pennant design even more underwhelming than England’s. If the two teams meet in the finals, we might just have to skip this feature entirely for everyone’s benefit.
Portugal’s pennant is rather appealing! This is not the one Ronaldo will present to Rodri today, as they didn’t capture that moment, but it certainly conveys the idea. It features one of the most recognizable crests, though a couple of points are deducted for lacking edge-cushioning tassels; a sudden gust of wind during the coin toss could cause some injuries!
As previously mentioned, this could be the last time we witness Cristiano Ronaldo on such a grand stage. “Fox is completely ignoring Trump’s interference in the Balogan decision. Trump TV agitprop even seeps into their sports coverage” the 41-year-old icon declared yesterday, although he quickly added, “This will be my last World Cup,” demonstrating his unwillingness to fade quietly.
Spain is maintaining its winning formula, making no changes to their starting lineup after a convincing victory over Austria.
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal as captain, despite being substituted during the 2-1 victory against Croatia. Portugal has made one alteration: João Félix steps into the attack, replacing Rafael Leão, who will start on the bench.
Portugal’s lineup consists of: Costa, Joao Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Pedro Neto, Fernandes, Joao Felix, and Ronaldo. The substitutes include: Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, Araujo, Dalot, Inacio, Samu, Matheus Luiz, Silva, Ruben Neves, Goncalo Ramos, Trincao, Leao, Goncalo Guedes, and Francisco Conceicao.
Spain’s lineup features: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Pedri, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, and Oyarzabal. Their substitutes are: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, and Iglesias.
The referee for this match will be Anthony Taylor from England.
Spain’s journey thus far has been eventful. Cape Verde shocked everyone by holding one of the pre-tournament favorites to an opening draw. However, Spain quickly bounced back with a straightforward win over Saudi Arabia, followed by a comfortable elimination of Uruguay. Spain emerged at the top of Group H, as anticipated.
Against Austria, they showcased a style reminiscent of their dominant era in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with Mikel Oyarzabal elegantly passing the ball into the corner.
Turning to Portugal, their performance in Group K was less impressive, with draws against the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia, sandwiching a five-goal thrashing of a weak Uzbekistan squad. Nevertheless, they secured second place comfortably, with Cristiano Ronaldo breaking a ten-game international scoring drought, ticking some crucial boxes.
The thrilling match against Croatia was a highlight, as Portugal secured a late winner despite a strong finish from the Croatians. It featured significant VAR drama and four disallowed goals, marking it as one of the tournament’s standout matches.
Let’s revisit tonight’s teams as they prepare for the match.
Historically, Spain triumphed over Portugal 9-0 in their first competitive encounter back in 1934. While that scoreline is not particularly relevant today, it does hint at Spain’s historical dominance, leading with 17 wins to six overall, and five to one in competitive matchups. However, Portugal claimed victory in their most recent significant encounter, the 2025 Nations League final, winning on penalties after coming from behind twice. Thus, history can provide valuable context, but it can also mean little, depending on how much weight we give it.
Current data is likely more insightful. Spain started the tournament slowly; however, that initial draw with Cape Verde seems less damaging in hindsight. They are gaining momentum, having dazzled in their last match against Austria. In contrast, Portugal has yet to find their rhythm; some argue that the aging Cristiano Ronaldo is a liability, despite his three crucial goals so far. Both sides may need to come to terms with this reality.
Ultimately, this leads us to the conclusion: Spain enters this match as the favorite, based on both historical context and recent performances. Yet, Portugal has the boost of their recent Nations League victory and boasts an abundance of talent. With Ronaldo potentially playing his final match, this encounter promises to be captivating. Excitement is in the air! Kick-off in Dallas is scheduled for 2 PM local time, 3 PM EDT, 8 PM BST, and 5 AM AEST. It’s happening!
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- Portugal
- Spain
