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The fate of some of the most revered footballing nations will be decided in the World Cup qualifying play-off finals on Tuesday night (29 March).
Last week, eight teams took to the pitch to book a place in the finals. Portugal, North Macedonia, Wales, and Sweden overcame their challenges to proceed to the final hurdle. Poland, on the other hand, qualified automatically after Russia were disqualified following the nation's invasion of Ukraine.
Tuesday night will stand witness to two mouth-watering clashes. In one match, Portugal will take on North Macedonia, who shook the world by beating Italy in their 2022 World Cup qualifying semi-final. Another encounter pits Poland against Sweden - two perfectly balanced teams poised to make an unpredictable finale.
Of course, each of these teams have standout performers and match-winners, players who can make a difference when push comes to shove.
Today, we will take a look at who they are and how they might impact the game. Here are five footballers to keep an eye on in the World Cup play-off finals tonight:
Special note: In light of the Russian invasion, the semi-final clash between Ukraine and Scotland has been postponed to June. This means that finalists Wales, who are set to play the winners of the tie between Ukraine and Poland, won’t be in action on Tuesday.
#5 Aleksandar Trajkovski - North Macedonia
Last week, North Macedonia pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the history of football, knocking European champions Italy out of the World Cup scene.
For the entirety of the match, the North Macedonian stars defended diligently, doing everything in their power to stop the Azzurri. In second-half injury time, they finally came alive, courtesy of a world-class strike from Aleksandar Trajkovski.
From a long way out, North Macedonian frontman Aleksandar Trajkovski had a go at Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal. The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper was blind-sighted by his defenders and could not stop the ball from going into the back of the net.
The goal has made Trajkovski an overnight sensation and it will be interesting to see what he has in store for the final against Portugal.
#4 Diogo Jota - Portugal
Making a name in Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal is almost an insurmountable task. Liverpool ace Diogo Jota has somehow managed to make it look easy. No, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man is not even half as popular as the 37-year-old, but he has become a crucial cog in Fernando Santos’ system.
Jota, who has scored 19 goals across all competitions for Liverpool this season, plays on the left flank for Portugal. He does drift in from time to time, but Ronaldo’s presence down the middle often denies him the pleasure of retaining the place.
Despite playing slightly out of position, Jota has been excellent in front of goal. His tenacity shone through in Portugal’s last match itself when he scored in the World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final 3-1 win over Turkey.
Given his form this season, he might fancy himself getting on the scoresheet again on Tuesday night.
#3 Alexander Isak - Sweden
Real Sociedad forward Alexander Isak is a star in the making. The 22-year-old is excellent at bringing teammates into play, knows how to hold up the ball, and is eerily composed in the final third.
In the World Cup play-off semi-final against the Czech Republic, all of his talents came to the fore as he inspired Sweden to a 1-0 victory. He played a neat one-two with Robin Quaison to send the 28-year-old through on goal.
Against Poland, Isak could encounter an even stauncher rear-guard. However, if the young forward keeps his cool and keeps chipping away at the Polish backline, he could end up making another tangible impact on Tuesday night.
#2 Robert Lewandowski - Poland
Poland skipper Robert Lewandowski is arguably the best player in the world right now. The two-time "The Best FIFA Men’s Player" award winner is a lethal finisher and has made a career out of delivering in big matches.
Although the Pole didn’t take part in a semi-final like the remaining players on the list, he still has the sharpness to punish Sweden.
Lewandowski, who has scored 45 goals for Bayern this season, is the current front-runner to win the "European Golden Boot" award. That sort of form is bound to make Sweden wary, meaning they might pay special attention to him tonight.
In Poland's previous meeting against Poland, which came at Euro 2020, Lewandowski scored twice in a 3-2 defeat.
He will now hope for a tad more luck and support from his teammates to exert revenge for last year's heartbreak.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal
This one is a no-brainer. The leading scorer in the history of men’s international football (115 goals), Cristiano Ronaldo is the man for the big occasions.
He produces moments of brilliance on cue, is a vocal leader on the pitch, and, most importantly, does not stop trying until the final whistle.
The Manchester United star did cut a frustrating figure in the semi-final against Turkey, struggling to put pressure on the keeper. However, we do not expect him to have the same problem tonight.
He could drift into wide areas to stretch the North Macedonian defense or even sneak in behind the backline during set-pieces.
North Macedonia have to be extremely focused on the task of keeping the 37-year-old quiet. Even a tiny slip-up could allow the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to unleash his wrath.
