Our prediction for this Nations League match:
Portugal
Match Time & Date:
05/09/2024
01:45 PM
Prediction: 2-1
Croatia
Estadio da Luz will be the centre of attention when Portugal and Croatia lock horns in an eagerly-awaited Nations League game. Portugal aim to recover from the EURO 2024 defeat to France and they are seen as favourites to pick up all three points from Thursday’s encounter. Veteran Cristiano Ronaldo made the cut as well as star players Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Palhinha. Diogo Jota is pushing for a start following his fine performances with Liverpool at the start of the new Premier League campaign.
The Croats, on the other hand, failed to impress at the showpiece tournament in Germany, with the team missing out on a spot in the last 16. The likes of Marko Pjaca, Marko Pasalic, and Ivica Ivusic have been left out of the squad, but Real Madrid ace Luka Modric made the cut. Marcelo Brozovic has retired from the Croatia national football team. Anyhow, home win should be considered as Portugal seem to be more of a team than Croatia.
Highlighted Player (Bruno Fernandes):
Bruno Fernandes is a Portuguese footballer who used to play for Novara before joining Udinese in a co-ownership deal in the summer of 2013. The Portuguese midfielder scored his first goal for the club in a 3-3 draw with Napoli on 7 December, 2013.
Three years later he signed a deal with Sampdoria for a fee of €7 million. Fernandes moved to Sampdoria in order to replace Roberto who reinforced Villarreal. Soriano He played 33 games for the Zebrette in the 2015/2016 Serie A campaign, scoring three goals for the club, while providing four assists for his teammates.
Fernandes is a central midfielder, but he is capable of playing as a secondary striker as well. He was born in Maia, Portugal on 8 September, 1994 and he began his youth career at Infesta. Fernandes has seven caps for Portugal U21 team and he has played 4 matches for the U23 team.
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.
Bayern Munich
Augsburg 
Leicester
Chelsea
Arsenal
Nottingham Forest
Aston Villa
Crystal Palace 
Milan 
Juventus 
Man City
Tottenham
