Our prediction for this match:
Portugal
Match Time & Date:
06/09/2018
02:45 PM
Prediction: 3-3
Croatia
Both Portugal and Croatia are in tough groups in League A. Portugal’s opponents will be Italy and Poland while this years World Cup runners-up, Croatia, will have to contend with England and Spain. The venue for this friendly match will be Estádio do Algarve in Sãn João da Venda. Croatia have had their biggest success in international football this year, finishing behind champions France in the World Cup. However they are likely to play a different team in this game to test some new options ahead of the qualification matches, as some players have retired from international duty. Portugal might make some changes of their own after a disappointing exit in the last 16 round and a loss to Uruguay. They have five draws in their last 10 games and just three wins. Croatia only lost two and have eight wins. It will be a good test and probably a high scoring draw.
Highlighted Player (Cristiano Ronaldo):
Cristiano Ronaldo is considered one of the world’s best football players. The Portuguese ace was born on 5 February, 1985 in Funchal, Madeira and he played for the likes of Andorinha, Nacional and Sporting during his youth career. CR7 made his Sporting debut in Primeira Liga on 7 October, 2002, scoring two goals in a 3-0 win over Moreirense.
Manchester United scouts spotted him and one year later he joined the Old Trafford outfit. Ronaldo became the most expensive teenager in the history of the Premier League and he received the number 7 shirt. He quickly established himself as the team’s key player and it has to be noted that he won three consecutive Premier League trophies with the Red Devils (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009). In 2008 he helped the Old Trafford outfit beat Chelsea in the Champions League final, scoring for Alex Ferguson’s troops in the regular time.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 and he helped the Spanish giants with two Champions League trophies. In 2016 he won the European Championship trophy with Portugal. The Real Madrid ace has two Golden Ball awards (2013, 2014).
Highlighted Team (Croatia):
While the national football team of Croatia also played international matches between 1940 and 1944, they only resumed their duties in 1990 after the country gained independence from Yugoslavia. Vatreni enjoyed a remarkable start on the international stage, winning the third place on their first ever World Cup appearance in France in 1998, while crashing out in the group stage at the 2002, 2006 and 2014 tournaments.
Croatia also reached the quarter-finals at the 1996 and 2008 European Championships, proving they are rightly considered one of Europe’s top sides at the start of the 21st century. Long-serving captain Darijo Srna is their most capped player with over 130 appearances for the national team, whereas former Real Madrid striker Davor Suker is one of their most famous players and top scorer with 45 goals.
Other notable footballers to have played for Croatia include Luka Modric, Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic. Miroslav Blazevic and Slaven Bilic are the coaches that have been behind team’s biggest success stories up to date.
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Manchester United
Liverpool
AS Roma
Napoli
Inter
Juventus
