Group H, which consists of Portugal, Switzerland, South Korea, and Ghana, is the second worst group in the competition according to the average rankings of the teams from FIFA. This indicates that there is one thing: anybody from the group may qualify and surprise the world. However, out of the group, Portugal has by far the best team as they get ready to kick off their campaign against Ghana.
Despite the fact that he is 37 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo has the greatest opportunity of his career to win the FIFA World Cup since Portugal now has one of the strongest teams they have ever fielded for the competition. The team that won the European Championship in 2016 have an abundance of quality across the board. After Ronaldo’s heated comments on his status at Manchester United, circumstances in Portugal’s squad are far from ideal. He is now playing with two of his other club teammates, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.
Fernando Santos has selected a roster of 26 players, all of them are seasoned veterans who are familiar with how to win championships. There are a few up-and-coming stars on the squad, though, like Vitinha, who is a great midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, Antonio Silva, who is a young gun defense for Benfica, and Nuno Mendes. Os Navegadores would not settle for anything less than first place in the group, along with three points in each game, if they fielded a team of this caliber.
The youthful and spirited Ghana side is what stands between them and victory. The fact that just three members of the Black Stars are older than 30 years demonstrates the faith that team manager Otto Addo has put in the younger players. They really have the youngest roster of any team competing in this year’s World Cup. In addition, Ghana have signed Inaki Williams and Denis Odoi, who formerly played for Belgium but has already switched allegiances in time for the World Cup.
On the other hand, up-and-coming talents like Mohammed Kudus and Tariq Lamptey are going to be the ones to light the fire under the squad. Because of this, they are one of the most unpredictable sides in the World Cup. They might end up losing all three of their matches, or they could go on a miraculous run and make it very far into the competition.
In Portugal’s warm-up matches, the team did not sustain any injuries, therefore Fernando Santos has a completely healthy roster from which to pick. The only uncertainty that remains is which Portugal player will take the field first. Although Joao Felix got the nod in the warm-up game against Nigeria, Ronaldo is anticipated to earn the start in the first game of the World Cup. Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, and Rui Patricio are all candidates to start in goal for Santos, but the club must choose only one of them.
Additionally, Ghana has a completely healthy roster from which to choose players. The most important concern is whether or not the head coach will have faith in Tariq Lamptey’s ability to produce right away. The defender has only made two appearances for the club so far but has lately announced that they want to play for their nation. There will also be the question of whether or not the brilliant young star Kamaldeen Sulemana, who is 20 years old, will be given a chance to play in the starting 11 ahead of players with more experience.
The expected batting order for Ghana is as follows: Ati-Zigi; Lamptey, Amartey, Salisu, Mensah; Partey, Samed; Sulemana, Kudus, J. Ayew; and A. Ayew.
Even though Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in the history of football and can still play at a high level despite being 37 years old, the squad lacks any other stars. And nobody has more savvy, skill, and physical fitness than Bernardo Silva does for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has trusted the midfielder to take on a more autonomous role, and as a result, the player has developed into one of the very best in the world. Santos will be hoping that he can bring the same level of play that he has shown in the Premier League, where he has contributed two goals and five assists.
In the meanwhile, Ghana has one of the most talented young people on the planet in the form of Mohammed Kudus. The attacker has been in outstanding form recently, scoring five goals in the Eredivisie. In addition to that, he contributed two assists and scored four goals for his team in the Champions League. And for Ghana to qualify for the next round of the FIFA World Cup or recreate their run at the 2010 World Cup, he will need to carry that form with him.
The first encounter for Portugal will be a walk in the park as they face off against one of the lowest-ranked teams in the World Cup. And a victory in the first encounter would be the ideal way for them to get their campaign off the ground. Since 2006, Portugal has not been able to compete in the semi-finals and bring a team that is capable of matching or even surpassing that level. And despite the fact that Ghana has a really excellent squad, they are not even close to being as good as Portugal.
According to ISYSCOM’s projections, Portugal will win 3-1.
