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  • 3 hours ago
Portugal has the talent and depth to be unstoppable at the World Cup. But can manager Roberto Martinez solve the tactical puzzle of Cristiano Ronaldo, or will nostalgia lead to their downfall?
Transcript
00:00On paper, Portugal may have the best 26-man squad going to the World Cup, but on the pitch,
00:05they have the world's biggest identity crisis that can make or break their World Cup hopes.
00:09When looking at this Portuguese side, one thing stands out, the midfield. It's arguably the best
00:13at the entire tournament. Bruno Fernandes is in his career best formal with Vitinho and João
00:17Neves. Portugal can dominate anyone in the middle of the park. They have a solution for every
00:22problem, from Rafael Leal's dribbling to Bernardo Silva's IQ. But, and here's where the tension
00:28comes from, what do they do about Cristiano Ronaldo? At 41, CR7 is still the captain, but
00:33the team is statistically more fluid without him. If Roberto Martinez prioritises nostalgia
00:38over his modern machine tactics and starts Ronaldo in the big games, the fallout could be historic
00:43if it fails. However, if they find the right balance and use Ronaldo as the ultimate clutch
00:47sub, Portugal could be unstoppable. They have the depth to survive the grueling North American
00:52schedule and the greatest goalscorer of all time. So, pun intended, they've got a shot.
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