Portugal play Turkey at the Estádio do Dragão tonight and the stakes could not be higher. Defeat will mean no World Cup for Portugal in Qatar, an ignominious end to his tenure of the country’s longest-serving and most successful ever coach Fernando Santos, and quite possibly a sad goodbye to the international careers of genuine Seleção legends Pepe, João Moutinho and… Cristiano Ronaldo.
Victory, on the other hand, will earn Portugal the right to a playoff final against Italy or North Macedonia next Tuesday, also at the Estádio do Dragão. Come 7.45 pm this evening, an entire nation will be collectively holding its breath. Who will be the 11 men chosen by Santos to get the job done?
A Bola predicted XI:
Rui Patrício, Diogo Dalot, José Fonte, Danilo, Nuno Mendes, William Carvalho, João Moutinho, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Santos: "This Portugal team usually responds well to pressure. We got to 2 finals and won them both. Pressure is not a negative factor, it's a positive one. The players are very experienced. Tomorrow we have another final and we want to give joy to 11 million Portuguese" pic.twitter.com/M2E7L4QACG
— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) March 23, 2022
Record predicted XI:
Rui Patrício, Diogo Dalot, José Fonte, Danilo, Raphaël Guerreiro, William Carvalho, João Moutinho, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo
Maisfutebol predicted XI:
Rui Patrício, Diogo Dalot, José Fonte, Danilo, Nuno Mendes, William Carvalho, João Moutinho, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo
Related: Fernando Santos announces Portugal’s World Cup playoff squad
Portugal's José Fonte ahead of tomorrow's World Cup playoff against Turkey: "We will be playing for our friends, for our family, for the whole of Portugal. Tomorrow we have to show greater desire than Turkey to be at the World Cup. We will have the backing of the whole stadium." pic.twitter.com/LDMRRldK3T
— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) March 23, 2022
PortuGOAL predicted XI:
Rui Patrício, Cédric Soares, José Fonte, Danilo, Raphaël Guerreiro, William Carvalho, Matheus Nunes, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo
Força Seleção.
