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Portugal has had a roller-coaster ride in the FIFA World Cup 2018 so far, but they are not the only team who have undergone this experience. The tournament has proven to be full of upsets and shockers, with many red-hot favorites failing to step up to the plate.
Portugal was pitted against the likes of Spain, Morocco and Iran in Group B. Arguably the 'Group of Death', it's a surprise itself that The Navigators managed to qualify for the knockout stages as they now stand second in the group, only a goal adrift of Spain.
After all, several experts thought that the side could crash out of the group stage before the commencement of the all-important tournament. But the way Portugal fought against their gritty counterparts who were patently forces to be reckoned with, was absolutely thrilling to watch.
In the Round of 16, Fernando Santos' side will now go head to head with Uruguay who have won all their encounters.
Having said that, here are 4 reasons why Portugal can go on to clinch their maiden World Cup title.
#4 First obstacle passed
As stated previously, Portugal was paired with some of the most resilient opponents in Group B but the way they overcame this hurdle certainly augurs well for the side.
The team opened their World Cup campaign in a very promising fashion as they pulled off a nail-biting draw against Spain in what turned out to be a cliff-hanging contest.
Needless to say, La Furia Roja were expected to coast past Portugal in accordance with their majestic stature. But the Ronaldo led side gave them a good run for their money and ended the match with one point in hand.
Their second match against Morocco was a difficult one as the African outfit peppered their rear guard with threatening attacks. Nevertheless, a 1 goal lead courtesy of a header from Cristiano Ronaldo saw the side take away all three points from the match.
Their third and the last group stage encounter was an upset as a plucky Iranian side equalized the scoreline 1-1 in stoppage time from a VAR assisted penalty decision.
As such, Portugal now find themselves in the Round of 16, having accomplished a qualification which was billed as improbable by several pundits.
#3 Current European champions
The last major tournament Portugal featured in was UEFA Euro 2016 which they won with flying colors, much to our surprise.
The squad participating in the ongoing World Cup is virtually the same which was used in the 2016 competition and it goes without saying that the players are quite inspired from their recent buzz worthy triumph.
In consequence, the roster will definitely look forward to elevate their status by prevailing in another major competition which will also put them shoulder to shoulder with the famous 2010 Spanish and 1998 Brazilian squads.
#2 In-form Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal are fairly lucky to have Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who beggars all description. The Real Madrid megastar has shown us time and again that he possesses the potential to single-handedly lead his side to victory when on song.
At the moment the 33 year old is enjoying the form of his life after an inauspicious start to the 2017-18 season. His hat-trick against Spain was indispensable for The Navigators as they somehow managed to procure a point from the match which seemed all but impossible.
Not only against Spain, but his lone goal against Morocco also proved to be the difference between the two sides as Portugal won that match with a marginal scoreline of 1-0.
If Ronaldo continues with his startling form, Portugal will be well-nigh impregnable as a matter of course.
#1 Nothing to lose
The pressure that inevitably comes with lots of anticipation surrounding a team sometimes backfires, as players find it hard to live up to the expectations invariably.
This was evidenced by the recent ignominious departure of Germany, the defending champions.
Portugal are one of the strongest sides in the World Cup, but are undoubtedly not the favorites to win it. Consequently, they have got nothing to lose!
Therefore the team could exploit this advantage by bringing their A game with the right head-space.
