Details

Throughout the FIFA World Cup 2022, PortuGOAL’s network of writers will be covering the campaign of the Seleção in detail, with correspondent Matthew Marshall on the ground in Qatar.

To kick off a series of podcasts on what we hope to be a memorable tournament for Portugal, Tom Kundert and Mat analyse the 26-man squad coach Fernando Santos has called up for the World Cup, also discussing those who narrowly missed out. 

We also give our predictions on the starting XI Fernando Santos will select for Portugal’s opener against Ghana on 24 November. 

 

To listen to the podcast click on the play button below.

 

 

Related: Portugal’s World Cup squad: António Silva in, Renato Sanches out

Related: The Seleção Podcast: Portugal’s World Cup squad

 

Comments (14)

—Z—
  2. #12733
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Great podcast guys.
With our full backs pushing up it’s gonna be important to pick a balanced midfield and one that can provide cover.

I also want to point out that this will be Cancelos first major tournament . He can make a difference.

—Z—
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Tony    —Z—
  2. #12738
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Agree good to have Cancelo as a key component but he is prone to defensive lapses. My two cents is Cancelo and Dalot are currently in form and two of your best players. If I'm the coach I play my best in form players, play Cancelo as a sliding...

Agree good to have Cancelo as a key component but he is prone to defensive lapses. My two cents is Cancelo and Dalot are currently in form and two of your best players. If I'm the coach I play my best in form players, play Cancelo as a sliding mid like he does at MC and play Dalot at right FB. I think that would be more effective then wasting a mid position on a lesser dynamic player, plus you get some wing play from Cancelo or Dalot coming down the right side.

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Tony
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Nelson    Tony
  2. #12748
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Makes sense, but I can't see Santos doing it.

Nelson
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Matthew Marshall    —Z—
  2. #12755
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Cheers, yes very good to have Cancelo fit for his first tournament.

Matthew Marshall
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Tom Kundert    —Z—
  2. #12756
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Good point about Cancelo. Had not thought of that. I think if Portugal click Cancelo and Mendes could be huge for Portugal in this World Cup

Tom Kundert
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jcouto
  2. #12735
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Spit that fire, Matthew!

jcouto
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Justin/rochester
  2. #12739
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To get the best out of this squad, if Santos had any idea wtf he was doing he would set them up as follows against Nigeria.

Costa
Dalot Silva Dias Nuno
Palhinha
Bruno Cancelo
Bernardo Ronaldo Leao

What that...

To get the best out of this squad, if Santos had any idea wtf he was doing he would set them up as follows against Nigeria.

Costa
Dalot Silva Dias Nuno
Palhinha
Bruno Cancelo
Bernardo Ronaldo Leao

What that gives you is our most dynamic lineup with enough cover defensively. Dalot will overlap down the right wing and play off of Bernardo and palhinha will have to cover when that happens.

Cancelo is probably our best winger on this team(seriously) so let him play off of Leao and put in crosses or cut in and take shots on goal. The bonus with Cancelo there is he’ll have the mindset to cover for Nuno as well because he plays defensively for city.

The problem is santos doesn’t have any god damn clue how to instruct his players to do this, it’s so obvious how easily it should be to do this.

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Justin/rochester
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Rolf Gerber    Justin/rochester
  2. #12743
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Justin, I really like your idea of having Dalot as preferred RB and Cancelo as midfielder/winger. But we won‘t see that

Rolf Gerber
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Tony    Justin/rochester
  2. #12745
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Justin, on the same page agree with your line up. I've been thinking that you need to get two of your best players Cancelo who is prone to defense laps with Dalot on the field at the same time. Cancelo offers more than most of our midfielders...

Justin, on the same page agree with your line up. I've been thinking that you need to get two of your best players Cancelo who is prone to defense laps with Dalot on the field at the same time. Cancelo offers more than most of our midfielders and can be better utilized in a roaming type role plus can play some defense. Dalot IMO will probably hold up better to attacks on that side.

I do think we need to find a way to get Leao as inconsistent as he can be on the field to add speed and offer some attack on wing.

It will be interesting to see if Santos is thinking a bit out of the box to get the best players on the field.

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Tony
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Joe
  2. #12741
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I agree with comments...whether a flat 442 or dynamic one or a 433, cancelo can play on the right, by doing so, you have a solid defensive structure with 2 full backs but cancelo is unique in world football in that he can operate as a mid or a...

I agree with comments...whether a flat 442 or dynamic one or a 433, cancelo can play on the right, by doing so, you have a solid defensive structure with 2 full backs but cancelo is unique in world football in that he can operate as a mid or a winger at the highest level, this way Bernardo cam tuck inside and dalot on the overlap.

The other side, nuno and leao, devastating speed and power, teams will not be able to over compensate to one side or another an will have to watch how high they leave their own full backs...as a lot of the better teams play this modern fullback as winger....ideal for counter attacking team or means they play with less press and possession, either way beneficial to us.

If you use Bruno as a 10 alongside ronaldo and have Bernardo and palhinha, you still have your three man mid but a player that will actually get on balls in the box and make runs beyond in Bruno.

Bernardo could play beside ronaldo but you get the control but not the goals.

Costa
Dalot dias Danilo nuno
Cancelo palhinha Bernardo leao
Ronaldo Fernandes

Or

Costa
Dalot dias danio nuno
Cancelo palhinha neves leao
Bernardo ronaldo

We should be playing a 352 with our selection both for defensive stability and use of squad

Costa
Pepe dias Danilo
Cancelo Bernardo palhinha neves nuno
Ronaldo leao

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Joe
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Joe
  2. #12749
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Why was Ricardo horta selected over Pote? Pote a far superior player and has more goals even this season at 7 and he can operate in numerous positions....strange along with not having renato who just scored for psg today....mistakes.

Joe
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Andrew Gomes
  2. #12750
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Again great Podcast thanks guys great to hear the passion and positivity.
Thank you Tom Kundert for reminding us that Santos is a great manager and no matter who is in his place there will always be criticism.
Lets enjoy this great NT and hope...

Again great Podcast thanks guys great to hear the passion and positivity.
Thank you Tom Kundert for reminding us that Santos is a great manager and no matter who is in his place there will always be criticism.
Lets enjoy this great NT and hope that we go far even dream of champions.

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Andrew Gomes
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Tom Kundert    Andrew Gomes
  2. #12757
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Thanks Andrew. He's a coach who guided Portugal to their greatest ever football achievement and he was a key part of it. Yes, he has his shortcomings, I'd prefer him to be more tactically flexible, and I also think just being there so long is...

Thanks Andrew. He's a coach who guided Portugal to their greatest ever football achievement and he was a key part of it. Yes, he has his shortcomings, I'd prefer him to be more tactically flexible, and I also think just being there so long is perhaps causing some problems. But he's our World Cup coach, he has the backing of the players, and as I said in the podcast, sometimes in international football all you need is good organisation to prosper, so let's get 100% behind this campaign and see what we do. Fingers crossed!

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Tom Kundert
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Miguel
  2. #12806
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Love the comments on the negativity surrounding the National team. Spot on. Great podcast

Miguel
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