#广场预测世界杯赢40000U Spain will definitely beat Portugal? Not necessarily!

The highlight of this World Cup is about to arrive.
After both Spain and Portugal advanced to the round of 16, the next round of the knockout stage will feature an "Iberian Derby," and the classic match from 2018 still feels like yesterday.
But in terms of paper strength and team completeness, Spain is one of the strongest teams in this World Cup. Although they were held to a draw by Cape Verde in their opening match, their dominance in subsequent games made that irrelevant. The match against Austria revealed a lot. Despite Ragnick's extensive preparations targeting Spain, those "clever tactics" were nothing under the absolute crushing power of Spain. Spain didn't even suffer any scratches and easily dismantled Austria. Yamal is in great form, and Oyarzabal is also on a hot streak. It's hard to say this Spanish team has reached the pinnacle of the 2010 championship-winning squad, but they are certainly not to be trifled with. It's also worth noting that we shouldn't overlook Kubarsi, who has put in world-class performances in consecutive games. His defensive partnership with Laporte is top-tier. Don't forget that Iglesias still can't get playing time, which shows that this Spanish team hasn't even shown its fiercest teeth yet and doesn't need to play its cards early. Spain is charging forward, while Portugal is stumbling along. Will the match really be one-sided in Spain's favor? Not necessarily.

Many times, we overlook Portugal's combat effectiveness against European teams. If Croatia isn't counted, Portugal has remained unbeaten against top European sides within 90 minutes over the past two years. In last year's Nations League match, Spain didn't gain any advantage over Portugal. What Spain should pay more attention to is Portugal's left-back Nuno Mendes, who is often called "Yamal's strictest father." Whether in club or national team matches, Yamal has struggled to get the better of Mendes in their matchups. As for Oyarzabal, as a system player, he might find it tough against Portugal, which means Portugal needs other attacking options upfront to provide support. This could be a very unfavorable factor for Spain. In the match against Austria, Ferran Torres played another game of "happy football." It's fair to say he's not a top-tier attacker, and Nico Williams is dealing with injuries. Once Yamal gets "schooled" by Mendes again, the situation could turn very unfavorable for Spain. However, these premises we've raised need to be based on Portugal playing at a normal level. So far, Portugal hasn't delivered a convincing performance in this World Cup. Martínez's over-reliance on building the team around Ronaldo has made Ronaldo uncomfortable and Portugal's play painful. Moreover, Portugal's attack is severely limited in speed; most of the time, they can only slowly move the ball forward.

Further, if Portugal can't pick up the pace, the match will fall into Spain's most comfortable rhythm. Even though Portugal's midfield is very luxurious and their defense line is decent, playing like that against Spain is basically suicide. Therefore, whether Portugal can go toe-to-toe with Spain depends on whether Martínez can have a timely awakening. If he still insists on winning with the team shining under Ronaldo, then winning is out of the question—let alone getting the ball to Ronaldo's feet. But if he can correct Ronaldo's role in the team in time, based on Portugal's personnel configuration and individual abilities, they absolutely have a fighting chance. It also needs to be pointed out that Ronaldo isn't useless against Spain. We need to remind that although Kubarsi has been impeccable in recent matches, he is essentially an overly aggressive defender. Laporte covering for him is crucial. For an experienced striker like Ronaldo, it's easier for him to spot the weaknesses of a young player like Kubarsi than for others. The goal in last year's Nations League final is a good example. Don't let Ronaldo's usual lack of mobility fool you; in critical moments, he can reach the most important position earlier than others. This even leads to a new issue.

Against a team like Spain, the longer the match drags on, the more valuable Ronaldo might become. But currently, Ronaldo's physical condition may not hold up for the entire match against Spain. Putting him on the bench as a "strategic reserve" might be the better choice. However, does Martínez really have the courage to do that?