Portugal and Croatia face each other in a blockbuster World Cup round of 32 match at Toronto Stadium on Friday at 5 a.m. Bangladesh time, in what may be the final World Cup appearance for one of two all-time greats — Cristiano Ronaldo or Luka Modric.
This is not just a farewell dance for a legend. For both teams, it is a battle for survival in the tournament. The knockout clash promises to be electric.
Portugal are under greater pressure, having entered the tournament with title ambitions. Yet the group stage was inconsistent: a draw against Congo in the opener, a dominant win over Uzbekistan, and an underwhelming performance against Colombia. Ronaldo himself has been a shadow of his usual self, described by commentators as a “super flop” in the group stage.
Portugal are said to have their best squad in two decades. Their attack, built around Ronaldo, and their midfield are their greatest strengths. But they have yet to produce their best performance. If they can harness the pace of their midfield and wings for precise attacks, they will be difficult to contain — especially if Ronaldo rediscovers his form.
Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up, no longer have the golden generation of that era. They lost to England in their opener but won their next two matches, against Panama and Ghana, to secure their knockout spot.
Coach Zlatko Dalic said: “Tactically, Croatia have played superbly and stayed organized on the pitch. I feel we are back to where we were eight years ago. But this is only a step toward our first objective, which was reaching the knockout round.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report